Top Low Carb Stories of 2006
Introduction
When I tell people my job, I often hear, "I thought low carb was out!". Or they tell me one of the myths about low carb eating often perpetuated in the media. I always reply that the research is building to show that for many people cutting carbohydrates is the healthiest way to eat. 2006 was a banner year for excellent research dispelling the myths surrounding low carb eating, and showing more of the many benefits of changing to a lower carbohydrate eating plan.
Here are some of the myth-busting stories about low carb diets in the news, as well as some of the most popular on the site this past year.
Low Carb Diets Do Not Raise Heart Attack Risk
For a long time, there was an assumption that low carb diets must contribute to heart disease. The short term studies all showed an improvement in many risk factors for heart disease, but of course, it takes time to get information about longer term effects. Well, mo longer can nutritionists use the excuse "but we don't have the long term data". A study of over 80,000 women for 18 years (New England Journal of Medicine, November 2006) showed that low carb eaters do not have a higher risk of heart attack, even when they eat more animal protein and animal fat. In fact, the data showed that women eating a diet with a low glycemic load halved their risk of heart disease. More: Low Carb Diets Do Not Raise the Risk of Heart Attack
Low Fat Diets Not Protective As Once Thought
Low carb eaters are often concerned about eating more fat. Low fat diet advocates have long claimed, with very little evidence, that cutting fats in the diet makes a person healthier. The Women's Health Initiative study (Journal of the American Medical Association, February 2006) was the first long term study looking at the effects of diet change on a group of 49,000 women over an eight year period. However, it turned out that the women who cut fat from their diets did not receive benefits in terms of protection from breast cancer, colon cancer, heart disease, or stroke. Predictably, this did not stop the media from going wild defending low fat diets. More: Lowering Fat in Diet Does Not Protect from Cancer, Heart Disease, Stroke and My Response to The Anti-Fat Media.
Low Carb Diets Improve Cholesterol Even Without Weight Loss
It's always a question with diet change - was it the change in the diet, or was it the weight loss that produced positive results? A carefully controlled study published in the May 2006 Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that reducing carbohydrates resulted in improvements in cholesterol and triglycerides whether or not weight loss occurred. More: Low Carb Diets Improve Cholesterol Even Without Weight Loss
Low Carb Eaters Eat More Vegetables
A survey published in October in the Journal of Nutrition showed that most low carb eaters more than doubled their vegetables consumption since changing their diets. In addition, the survey shattered the myth that low carbers are all chowing down on the "Three B's" - Butter, Bacon, and Beef. More: Low Carb Dieters Eat More Vegetables
Your Bones are Safe
Yet another common assertion about low carb diets is that they will leach the calcium out of your bones. A study published in May was one of the latest to refute this. In fact, evidence is mounting that more protein actually protects our bones. More: Low Carb Diets and Bone Loss
New Carbohydrate Information, Including Resistant Starch
Did you know that some "complex carbohydrates" have a greater effect on blood sugar than some "simple carbohydrates"? Did you know that there is a kind of starch, called resistant starch, that not only doesn't cause blood glucose to rise, but may help us process glucose better and even protect us from colon cancer and has other benefits? I wrote a 7-part series about carbohydrate this year, and I learned a lot! More:
- Carbohydrate: More Complex Than you Think (Introduction to the Series)
- Benefits of Resistant Starch
- Seven Facts to Remember about Carbohydrates
How Much Protein Should We Eat?
Often people on low carb/high protein diets worry that they are eating too much protein. I review the latest information about protein needs, and how much may be too much. More: How Much Protein Do You Need? and High Protein Food List
Shirataki Noodles
In May, I first wrote about a type of Asian noodle that is very low calorie and low carb. In August, this noodle apparently broke through into the public consciousness, as demand for information and recipes soared. Find about more about this remarkable noodle, and how to incorporate it into your cooking. Shirataki Noodles
Top Ten Pages and Top Ten Recipes
Throughout the year, there are some pages that are the most popular on the site, week in and week out. The number 1, by far, is my list of low carb snacks. Here is the whole top ten list:
- Low Carb Snack List
- Low Carb Vegetable List
- Low Carb Fruit List
- Getting Started on a Low Carb Diet
- Stocking Your Low Carb Pantry
- Low Carb Breakfasts
- South Beach Diet Food Lists
- Low Carb Pasta Alternatives
- Finding the Right Carb Level for You
- How to Cook Spaghetti Squash
And My Top Ten Recipes:
So you can keep track of what you eat - which enables you to analyze your foods and receive the following:
- Health Score of your overall diet
- Warning when you approach your daily calorie limit
- Overview of the good and bad nutrients