A study from the Journal of the American Heart Association shows once again that you should consider a low carb diet . . . however, as I have reported before, your protein should come from plants.
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In an article from the September 2014 American Heart Association, researchers continue to carve up the data from the Nurse’s health Study as well as the Health Professional Followup Study.
I have mentioned these large cohorts previously illustrating the benefit of a Vegetarian Low Carb Diet.
During this most recent analysis, the researchers focused on heart attack survivors.
This is important because heart attack survivors are at a much higher risk for . . . a second heart attack.
They scored their diet before and after the heart attack by rating their fat intake and carbohydrate intake. They were also graded on their protein source . . . animals or plants.
The researchers found that a low carb diet did NOT increase death and was NOT associated with more heart attacks.
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Unfortunately, the plant-based low carb diet did not show any added protective benefits in this study (which is a bit contrary to some primary prevention studies).
However, the animal-based low carb diet was associated with a HIGHER risk of death and heart disease.
So, this data would SUGGEST that if you (or a loved one) have had a heart attack:
#1 You can consider a low carb diet and be reassured that is is unlikely to increase your risk of having a second heart attack or death and . . .
#2 Heart attack patients who choose to eat a low carb diet should AVOID animal sources of protein as this may increase the risk of heart attacks and death.
So, once again consider going low carb, however, low carb should NOT be an excuse to pig out on meat.
The Evidence:
http://jaha.ahajournals.org/content/3/5/e001169.short
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