LOW-CARB VS. LOW-FAT: WHAT IS BETTER FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
With the colder autumn weather, many people feel relieved. The swimsuit season is over and finally the moment has come when we can wrap ourselves in sweaters and hide excess weights in our trousers. However, disappointment can occur the moment you find out that the sweater is no longer completely oversized, and the pants are also some tighter…
Regular summer barbecues supplemented with alcohol simply took their toll, so it was time to do something extra with pounds. But where to start?
First gag how to lose weight fast. At that moment, countless diets will jump on you and you do not know which one to try first. That is why in today's article we will take a closer look at two of them, namely the low-carb and low-fat diet. Finally, we reveal which diet is the most effective.
What about taking key macronutrients on a low-fat and low-carb diet?
1. Low-fat or low-fat diet
This is a eating style in which you try to reduce your fat intake as much as possible. The maximum fat intake that low-fat surveys usually work with is up to 20% of total daily energy intake. However, there are also studies that work with the concept of low-fat even if the fat intake is up to 30% of the total energy intake.
2. Low-carb or low-carbohydrate diet
This is a style of eating in which there is a certain restriction of carbohydrate intake in our diet. This type of diet can be divided into three stages according to the radicality of carbohydrate restriction.
Ketogenic diet with a very low carbohydrate content - the carbohydrate intake must either be in the range of 20-50 grams or make up less than 10% of a diet containing 2,000 kcal per day, regardless of whether you get into ketosis (a condition where the body gets most of its energy from fats, not carbohydrates).
Low carbohydrate diet - the intake of carbohydrates in the diet must be less than 130 grams per day or must be less than 26% of the total daily intake.
Moderate low-carbohydrate diet - carbohydrates make up 26-45% of total daily energy intake.
Low Carb Or Low Fat Diet: Which Is More Effective For Weight Loss?
A recent study by Dr. Gardner, which sought to compare the effects of low-carb and low-fat diets on body fat loss, addressed this "diet struggle."
His work excelled in that the respondents monitored the year, checked compliance with their prescribed intake of individual macronutrients, and also took into account the genotypes of participants (genetic equipment, which he assumed could affect the success of weight loss). In total, individuals were divided into 15 genotypes (5 low-fat, 9 low-carbohydrate and 1 neutral).
A total of 609 people (263 men and 346 women) without health problems participated in the study. These were randomly assigned to groups that consumed a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet. Individual participants were 18-50 years old and their BMI ranged from 28-40, ie somewhere between overweight and grade 2 obesity.
The research team focused on:
change in the weight of the participants
relationship between diet type and genotype
the relationship between a particular diet and insulin secretion
What did the participants' diet look like?
During the first month, the researchers tried to get to know the study participants better. During this period, individuals followed their normal regime. They consumed their usual food and practiced as they had been used to until then.
For the next two months, the low-fat group received 20 grams of fat per day (strict low-fat diet) and the low-carb group received 20 grams of carbohydrates per day (ketogenic diet).
After two months, participants were asked to increase their intake of fats and carbohydrates to a minimum level that would be sustainable for them in the long run. The following month, the low-fat group consumed approximately 42 grams of fat per day and the low-carb group consumed less than 97 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Study participants did not have a clearly defined caloric intake, but were instructed to maximize vegetable intake, minimize the addition of added sugar, refined flour, and trans fats.
At the same time, participants were to focus on eating whole foods such as nuts, fruits, vegetables, seeds, legumes, etc., as they are rich in nutrients. They should also minimize industrially processed foods.
During the study, the researchers performed a total of 12 controls (so-called 24-hour dietary recall (24HR)), monitoring the participant's intake in the last 24 hours, and at the same time asked about specific foods and beverages consumed.
Adherence to eating habits was confirmed by changes in fats (lipids) in the blood that are specific to the diet.
In addition, participants underwent a glucose tolerance test during the study. This included measuring insulin concentration 30 minutes after consuming 75 g of glucose. In this way, the researchers tested how carbohydrate metabolism responds to diet. Alternatively, you can find more information about how insulin works in the body in Insulin sensitivity - how to increase it and prevent insulin resistance.
In order to monitor the changes, the researchers performed regular measurements at the beginning, in the 3rd, 6th and 12th month.
What results did the annual monitoring bring?
Average macronutrient intake and final weight loss
Type of diet Carbohydrate intake Fat intake Protein intake Weight loss
Low-fat 48% 29% 21% 5.3 kg
Low-carb 30% 45% 23% 6 kg
The difference in matched kilograms between the groups was only 0.7 kg, which the researchers did not consider to be a statistically significant difference.
The assumption that participants in the genotype group, which was supposed to help them lose weight, would achieve better results was not confirmed either.
Insulin secretion did not have a significant effect on weight loss either.
Significant differences between diets are not shown in other studies
Similar results were obtained by Dr. Hu and his team, who also focused on the connection between the mentioned diets (low-carb, low-fat) and weight loss. The research also lasted one year and involved 148 adults.
The low-carb group was supposed to eat less than 40 grams of carbohydrates a day.
In the low-fat group, fat was to account for less than 30% of total daily intake and less than 7% of intake was to come from saturated fats.
And the results? The low-carb group lost an average of 2.2 kg and 1.1% of body fat during the year, in addition, the group's muscle mass ratio increased by 1.3%. In the low-fat diet group, no changes were measured in terms of weight, body fat percentage or muscle. Again, these differences were not considered statistically significant.
Can we lose more on low-carb?
However, let's also look at studies that show statistically significant differences in weight loss between the low-carb and low-fat groups, in favor of greater weight loss on a low-carb diet.
We can first mention the research of Halyburton and her team. They examined the effectiveness of the two diets in a group of 93 obese people.
The study lasted 8 weeks.
Participants were divided into diet groups (low-carb or low-fat), both groups had lower caloric intake than they were used to, specifically consumed the same 6000 KJ.
After eight weeks, the low-carb group lost 7.8 kg and the low-fat group lost 6.4 kg.
The research team considered the differences to be statistically significant.
There was also a statistically significant difference in weight loss between the two diets with Daly and his team. He divided 102 people who had type 2 diabetes into two groups (again low-carb and low-fat), and at the same time reduced the size of the portions consumed.
The study lasted 3 months.
After three months, the low-carb group lost 3.55 kg and the low-fat group 0.92 kg.
The research team considered the differences to be statistically significant.
A key factor in the success of a low-carb diet
Some studies show significant differences between the low-fat and low-carb diets, while others are almost negligible. To make the devil know! However, one possible explanation is offered to help us uncover the work of Fostra and his team, who studied 63 adults for one year.
Participants were again divided into low-carb and low-fat groups.
The study lasted one year, but control measurements were taken at 3, 6 and 12 months.
After 6 months, the low-carb group lost 7% of its body weight, the low-fat group 3% of its body weight.
However, it should be mentioned that the statistically significant differences between the groups were only after three and six months, not after a year.
Could the duration of the diet affect the results?
It makes no sense to say that diet time is the only key factor influencing results. At first glance, however, it is clear from closer studies that statistically significant differences appeared only if the diet lasted a shorter time (up to half a year). There were no significant differences between groups in the one-year studies.
This short-term weight loss in a low-carb diet may be due to muscle glycogen depletion and increased water excretion. However, it is a matter of days, weeks at most. Then adaptations take place, when glycogen begins to be formed from non-saccharide sources.
Thus, people who embark on a low-carb diet can enjoy weight loss after only a few days, but this is largely due to a lower percentage of water in the body and depleted glycogen stores, not fat loss. This loss can be as much as 2-3 kg. When switching to their standard carbohydrate intake, they then regain weight.
Don't underestimate protein intake
Whether you opt for low-carb, low-fat, or any other diet, never forget to get enough protein, which should most often be in the range of 1.4-2 g / kg body weight.
If you are trying to lose weight, it is desirable to stick to the previously recommended upper limit. The reason may be, for example, the high thermal effect of proteins. In the long run, however, it can also affect the success of low-carb or low-fat diets.
How does the thermal effect work?
The thermal effect is the energy that our body must expend during the digestion and metabolism of a given macronutrient.
Carbohydrate TEF: 5-10%
Fat TEF: 0-3%
TEF protein: 15-30%
You can also read more about how the thermal effect works in the article Negative calories - a myth or an ideal way to lose weight?
Now, on a sample intake of 2000 kcal for a person weighing 70 kg (let's call him Jožko, for example), we will show how big a difference the dietary intake of carbohydrates and fats can play with a constant protein intake per year.
For all macronutrients we will work with the average value of the thermal effect: protein 22.5%, carbohydrates 7.5%, fat 1.5%. In both cases, we will expect a protein intake of 1.8 g / kg TH.
1. Low-carb diet
In this case, Jožko divided macronutrients as follows: B 126 g (504 kcal), S 100 g (400 kcal), T 122 g (1,098 kcal).
For the year Jožko is:
45,990 g of protein (183,960 kcal), burns 41,391 kcal with the thermal effect
36,500 g of carbohydrates (146,000 kcal) burns 10,950 kcal with a thermal effect
44,530 g of fat (400,770 kcal), burns 6,012 kcal with the thermal effect
The total annual thermal effect on a low-carb diet is in our case 58 353 kcal, which corresponds to the burning of approximately 7.6 kg of pure fat.
2. Low-fat diet
In this case, Jožko divided macronutrients as follows: B 126 g (504 kcal), S 300 g (1200 kcal), T 33 g (297 kcal).
For the year Jožko is:
45,990 g of protein (183,960 kcal), burns 41,391 kcal with the thermal effect
109,500 g of carbohydrates (438,000 kcal), with a thermal effect burns 32,850 kcal
12,045 g of fat (108,405 kcal), burns 1626 kcal with the thermal effect
The total annual thermal effect on a low-fat diet is in our case 75 867 kcal, which corresponds to the burning of approximately 9.85 kg of pure fat.
From the above calculations, the difference in thermal effect between low-carb and low-fat diets can be seen at first glance, in favor of low-fat diets. However, the question remains to what extent these results would be influenced by other factors. Despite the fact that such low fat intake can disrupt the hormonal environment in both men and women. Therefore, a more sensible solution is to ensure a sufficient intake of protein, because these have the highest thermal effect, and eat a diet that will suit you in the long run.
If you don't know how to supplement protein, you can help with whey protein, for example, or get inspired by our article on protein sources.
What diet is best for weight loss?
If we are to talk about which way of eating is the most effective, the universal answer is offered. It is the one that will be sustainable for you in the long run. When someone is a lover of pastries, pasta and rice, low-carb eating is unlikely to be optimal for them. If you are attracted to low-carb by the idea that you will lose weight fast, always keep in mind that the body first gets rid of water due to depleted muscle glycogen. If you have 2 kg less after three days on a low-carb diet, you have certainly not lost 2 kg of fat, but you are guaranteed to lose 2 kg of water.
If you have decided that you want to lose a few pounds after the summer, we recommend that you start by setting a sufficient protein intake, which can approach the upper recommended limit (2 g / kg TH). At the same time, keep in mind that you will not deceive the income-expenditure equation. If you stick to a caloric deficit, it's up to you how you play with carbohydrate and fat intake. However, always set their ratio so that weight loss is pleasant for you and you do not have to completely deny yourself all the foods you like. This is the only way you can achieve your dream goals.
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