Low-fat vs Low-carb diet??

That is the million dollar question. As described in a recent study in The Annals of Internal Medicine (August 3rd edition) by Foster, et al., people on both diets in combination with a comprehensive lifestyle modification program lost weight, however, they differed in measures of cholesterol and triglycerides.

The low-fat group had a significantly greater decrease in LDL cholesterol (bad, damaging cholesterol) level than the low-carb group at 3 and 6 months, but the difference did not persist beyond 6 months. Early decreases in triglyceride level (another type of fat in the blood, want them to be as low as possible) and increases in HDL cholesterol (good, protective cholesterol) level were significantly greater in the low-carb group than in the low-fat group, but only the difference in HDL level remained significant at 2 years. Blood pressure fell with weight loss in both diet groups but did not differ significantly between the groups at any time point. Early decreases in triglyceride level and increases in HDL cholesterol level were significantly greater in the low-carb group than in the low-fat group, but only the difference in HDL level remained significant at 2 years.

The take-home point...either weight-loss plan is good, as long as you committ to it in a safe way (no more than 2-3 pounds per week). An interesting point that these authors found was a significant increase in "adverse symptoms" and a higher drop-out rate (42% vs 32%)  in the low-carb group in comparison to the low-fat group. This is likely due to the "low" blood sugar feeling people not eating carbs can get. In fact, when you stop eating carbs alltogether (ie, the Atkins Diet), your body starts producing another type of fuel called ketones. Ketones aren't necessarily bad for your body, however, they are not the preferred type of fuel for your brain..it MUCH prefers sugar (ie, glucose)! So, some people don't tolerate the diet well, but most people I know, have no problems with it. It is, very difficult to live without carbs in this increasingly carb-friendly world.

Now that's food for thought...