LOW FAT V/S LOW CARB : WHICH DIET IS BEST FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Weight loss is a topic that always incites a fierce debate on the internet as well as amongst friends and family. The thing is, everyone has an opinion, thanks to the new fads that keep emerging.

In 2018, two major studies provided information that acted as fuel for this rather polarizing subject — the role of carbs in association with weight gain. The studies gave scientists some insights but just like many other studies, there is no definitive answer to the question “which diet is the most effective of all”.

People are different, and there are so many variables involved that it's more or less impossible to conduct studies that provide a universally applicable solution.

Let us, however, take a look at some important information that can help you decide what diet might work out better for you:

Once known as the Atkins diet, the idea behind a low-carb diet is that the refined carbohydrates found in foods like white bread are rapidly converted into sugar in our bodies. This sugar increases hunger and encourages energy swings.

Cutting carbs helps you to lose weight because it makes your body use fat for fuel and reduces hunger.

A recent study, co-led by Cara B Ebbeling, writer of books about low-carb diets, looked at whether different levels of carbohydrates impact the way our body uses energy. It found that out of 164 participants, those consuming a low-carb diet burned more calories overall as compared to those on a high-carb diet.

David Ludwig, a researcher at Boston Children's Hospital, explained that according to various studies, cutting down carbs in the long term helps people in maintaining the weight they have lost as well. He even suggests that this is the best approach for people who are diabetic or even pre-diabetic.

For the longest time, people who wanted to lose weight were advised to stop consuming fats, which are found in so many foods including dairy, meat, nuts, poultry, oils, etc. Given that one gram of fat has twice the number of calories as the same amount of carbs or protein, it was believed that cutting back on fats was the best way to lose weight.

On the other hand, a lot of experts pointed out how this diet had a rather negative impact on the eating habits, as it gave people a license to binge on fat-free cookies, cakes and other foods that were instead full of refined carbs and sugars.

Eventually, nutritionists minimized the recommendation of limiting fats for weight loss, owing to the numerous health benefits they provide, like absorbing nutrients from food, protecting internal organs, and so much more.

That, however, doesn’t mean you should bathe your food in grease. Moderation is your best friend as far as fats are concerned.

Thus, people can lose weight on a low-fat diet, but it comes down to what they are consuming as an alternative. The diet has to be nutrient-dense and must include diet foods that can balance out the functions of fats in one's body.

Which is better for your health?

You can choose your diet based on the following parameters: