Tortillas, Bread, Pasta and Flours

Back in March, Ruth gave some sage advice to vet your sources, including us. Now we may harp on about the evils of processed carbs and advocate fats but are we just fringe fanatics? From the pages of Scientific American (via CrossFit Thrive), I present their latest article that suggests that evidence is mounting to back our dietary prescription.

There was a study that showed the Primal type of diet was most effective at better health and fat loss:

In 2008 Stampfer co-authored a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that followed 322 moderately obese individuals for two years as they adopted one of three diets: a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet based on American Heart Association guidelines; a Mediterranean, restricted-calorie diet rich in vegetables and low in red meat; and a low-carbohydrate, nonrestricted-calorie diet. Although the subjects on the low-carb diet ate the most saturated fat, they ended up with the healthiest ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol and lost twice as much weight as their low-fat-eating counterparts.

Yes, you read that right. No restriction of calories was necessary, more saturated fat was consumed and that group ended up losing more weight and had better cholesterol scores! Keep that in mind next time you want to reach for your favorite flavor of processed carbs, whether it may be bread, tortillas or pasta.

[The subjects] were 79 percent more likely to develop coronary vascular disease… These trends may be explained in part by the yo-yo effects that high glycemic-index carbohydrates have on blood glucose, which can stimulate fat production and inflammation, increase overall caloric intake and lower insulin sensitivity

WOD 4.29.10

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