The study has found that simply restricting carbohydrate intake in the diet could offer metabolic benefits similar to intermittent fasting, without the need for drastic calorie reduction, according to a new study from the University of Surrey (United Kingdom).
In the research, participants between 20 and 65 years old with overweight or obesity followed three different diet plans for a day: a normal carbohydrate diet, a low-carb diet with a balanced calorie intake, and a low-carb diet with significant calorie restriction.
IMPROVEMENTS IN METABOLIC MARKERS
Researchers found that both low-carb diets, regardless of calorie reduction, led to improvements in participants’ metabolic markers, as well as better management of a high-fat meal, including the reduction of triglyceride levels –a type of fat in the blood that can lead to heart disease– and a shift towards burning fats for energy.
«We found that simply restricting carbohydrates, without enduring extreme calorie restriction, can yield the metabolic effects associated with short-term fasting –explains Dr. Adam Collins, co-author of the study and Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey–. This suggests that periodically reducing our carbohydrate intake could be a more accessible and sustainable way for people to manage and improve their metabolic health.»
THE BODY ADAPTS
The study, published in the ‘European Journal of Nutrition,’ also highlights that, although participants experienced an increase in hunger on low-carb days, this did not result in increased food intake in the following two days.
This suggests that the body can adapt to reduced carbohydrate intake, which could facilitate compliance with this diet in the long term.
Dr. Collins emphasizes that this research «offers a new and promising perspective on dietary interventions for metabolic health and could impact the management of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.»
