According to a study exploring the scepticism surrounding low-carb diets, these dietary plans can meet and sometimes surpass, essential nutrient requirements. Typically suggested for diabetic patients to control blood sugar, low-carb diets limit the consumption of carbohydrate-rich or sugar-laden foods such as sweets, starches, and processed grains.
Despite evidence of health benefits, such as aiding weight loss, doubts about the nutritional adequacy of low-carb diets persist. Critics claim that reducing carbohydrate intake can lead to excessive consumption of proteins or fats while neglecting vital nutrients, according to researchers, including those from the University of Vermont, USA.
Published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, the study evaluated the nutrient sufficiency of three different low-carb, seven-day meal plans. Two of these were ketogenic diets—one with an average of 20 grams of net carbs per day and the other with 40 grams. The third diet allowed a more generous 100 grams of net carbs daily.
"All three low-carbohydrate meal plans exceeded recommendations (US) for vitamins A, C, D, E, K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, folate and B12 in males and females in the age group of 31-70 years and exceeded calcium recommendations for adults in the age group of 31-50 years," the authors wrote.
"Our findings suggest that in addition to their well-established ability to support weight management, low-carb eating patterns can actually help promote better diet quality and close critical nutrient gaps," co-author Beth Bradley, from the University of Vermont, said.
Certain demographic groups, such as younger women who need more iron and older individuals who require additional calcium, might find that some essential nutrients are slightly lacking in low-carb meal plans, as indicated by the researchers.
The study also revealed that two out of the three meal plans, specifically those with 40 grams and 100 grams of net carbs, respectively, supplied an adequate amount of fibre for women aged 31-70. These findings contradict the common belief that low-carb diets are deficient in fibre.
"The idea that a low-carb diet must also be low in fibre is simply not supported by the data.
High-fibre foods are actually an important part of a low-carb lifestyle, in part because fibre-rich food choices can help lower net carbohydrate intake," Bradley explained.
"Non-starchy vegetables, nuts and seeds, and, in moderation, even higher-carb fruits, starchy vegetables and whole grains can contribute fibre to the diet while keeping overall net carb intake in check, especially in the more liberal low-carb approach," the co-author said.
The researchers added that the low-carb meal plans provided more protein than needed to prevent deficiency, without delivering an excessive amount that could be unsafe.
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