Extreme Diets Don’t Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

A life of moderation seems to me the best recourse but some more adventurous people might want to try going xtreme. Low carb diets are one such extreme as are extremely low fat diets. The latest results coming out of the Nurses’ Health Study has shown that severely reducing the amount of fats or carbohydrates does NOT prevent cardiovascular disease any better than living a life of moderation.

In fact, the diet that reduced the risk of heart disease by 30 percent over 20 years was one that had:

• Low carbohydrate
• Low saturated fats
• Low cholesterol
• Vegetables being the main sources of fats and protein.

The key is glycemic load which is related to the glycemic index. A lower glycemic load is considered more healthy (most fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts), and a higher glycemic load is not as good (refined white flour and sugar, as well as white rice and potatoes). But don’t take any of this as being a strict edict. It all goes back to eating and living in a way that makes you feel fabulous.

Thanks for the tip, Angela.
CBS News, November 8, 2006

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