There have been tons of fad diets over the decades. Recently, an old daily meal plan surfaced on social media that suggested eating, essentially, only hard-boiled eggs accompanied by white wine for every meal. That was an actual suggestion from trusted professionals! Insane.
While we may think that we’ve got the whole what to eat, when to eat, and how to eat thing all figured out based on what scientists and nutritionist say, there is actually still a long way to go.
Past studies are constantly being disproved with newer, more comprehensive ones.
The only tried and true diet, really, is eating a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, and fiber. Everything in moderation!
Still, many people are terrified to include carbs in their diets. A residual fear, perhaps, from the Atkins diet that was huge in the 1990’s. The thing is, though, when you cut out all carbs, that includes a lot of fruits and vegetables, leaving you with mainly meat and dairy on your grocery list.
Clearly, primarily eating meat cannot end well. It can increase your cholesterol and overload your kidneys with the job of processing all that protein.
One study in particular recently published in the Lancet Public Health Journal notes that a diet low in carbs can reduce your lifespan.
Those involved in the study who ate less than the recommended amount of carbs had a 20% higher risk of death.
However, those who consumed more than the recommended amount also showed a 23% higher risk of death.
Furthermore, those who replaced carbs with meat-based proteins and fats such as beef, pork, lamb, chicken, showed a higher risk of death overall, as opposed to those who replaced carbs with plant-based foods.
Like most scientific studies, there are potential flaws. It was a self-reported study, which means it relied entirely on the subjects’ own assessment and memory of what their diet consisted of over decades. The data was also only gathered twice during the 25-year study. However, the study group was made up of over 15,400 middle-aged Americans, leaving a good amount of room for error.
The moral of the story here is that you can’t just take one headline statement to heart when it comes to diet.
The carbs don’t necessarily seem to be the problem – it’s the types of fats and proteins that you consume that have the greater effect on your health.
One of the authors of the study says that:
“These findings bring together several strands that have been controversial. Too much and too little carbohydrate can be harmful but what counts most is the type of fat, protein, and carbohydrate.”
You need to take your own body into account, and to make sure that you are fueling yourself properly.
Once you forget about losing weight and replace that sentiment with staying healthy and happy. The only reason to cut any single food group out of your diet entirely is a bonafide allergy or an ethical choice like being vegetarian.
So, don’t deny yourself that plate of pasta or that big delicious sandwich you’ve been dreaming about all day. Just make sure that you eat your fruits and veggies like your pediatrician used to tell you! What’s the point of living a long, healthy life if you’re not also going to enjoy yourself?
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