Low-Carb Diets Could Be Doing Us More Harm Than Good

- SEP 06, 2018 THURSDAY

In today’s edition of ‘my life is a lie’, apparently carbs could be better for us than we realise. Health experts are saying that low-carb diets could actually be hurting us more than helping us. And now we’re just confused. As much as we would like to eat hot chips and mashed potato for every meal, we know that that is definitely not going to do us any good. But completely cutting out carbs could be just as dangerous.

A 25-year-long Swedish study has suggested that cutting the carbs is doing some funky things to our bodies. It showed that a high-fat, low-carb diet actually increases our blood cholesterol levels. Head researcher of the study, Ingegerd Johansson, says these low-carb dieting fads are having worse effects on our health than we realise.

“While low carbohydrate/high fat diets may help short term weight loss, these results of this Swedish study demonstrate that long term weight loss is not maintained and that this diet increases blood cholesterol which has a major impact on risk of cardiovascular disease.”

But put down the spaghetti and hold on for a second. Since the 1990’s, consumption of carbohydrates in the United States has massively decreased – but the obesity rates have remained consistent. Japan currently has the lowest obesity rates in the world, and they consume more carbs than the US, who have the highest obesity rates in the world.

So the answer to all of this is… we’re confused.

We think the solution to this can be summed up in one simple sentence: everything in moderation.

Except pasta.

And potatoes.

And bread. Especially garlic bread.

Or just eat what you want. That sounds better.