Heart health involves many factors including a healthy diet. Low-carb diets, popularized by Atkins and others, sometimes involve unhealthy choices such as foods high in fat and cholesterol. Determine which carbs and proteins are good for your heart. Discuss heart-healthy diets with your doctor before beginning any diet plan.
Significance
Heart disease kills more people in the U.S. than any other disease and is the third-highest cause of death from stroke, according to the National Women's Health Information Center. Diet plays a major role in fatty plaque that builds up in arterial walls, constricting the flow of blood to the heart. Saturated fats, including trans fats and cholesterol, are major contributors to arterial plaque.
Considerations
Diet plans for heart health involve reducing fats by choosing mono and polyunsaturated fats. Low-carb plans emphasize reducing calories from carbohydrates and sugars. Foods that are low in complex carbohydrates are sometimes high in sugar, causing a fast rise in blood sugar, which is a risk factor for heart problems and diabetes-related issues, according to Nutrition Data. Fresh fruits and whole grains are the foods of choice for carbs in a heart-healthy diet.
Expert Insight
A 2010 "Archives of Internal Medicine" study looked at glycemic load and carbohydrate intake as well as the glycemic index of various foods. The glycemic index is a marker for how quickly food raises blood glucose. The study found that women who consumed a high level of carbohydrates overall had twice the coronary artery disease of women who consumed the lowest level of carbohydrates. A 2.24 times higher risk of heart disease occurred in the women who consumed high-glycemic carbohydrate diets. The heart disease risk was significantly higher for women than men, perhaps because of gender differences in the metabolism of lipoprotein and glucose, according to the study.
Further Studies
The Nurse's Health Study, conducted from 1980 to 2006, studied 84,136 women in relation to nonfatal heart attack and fatal coronary heart disease, according to "Science Daily." The study found that replacing red meat with protein such as fish, nuts, poultry and low-fat dairy sources reduced heart disease among study participants from 13 to 30 percent.
The Emory Twins Heart Study, also reported in "Science Daily," compared a Mediterranean diet and Western diet in male twins. The study found that a Mediterranean diet of low saturated fats consisting of fish,vegetables and fruits, nuts, olive oil, and cereals reduces the risk of heart disease.
Conclusions
Low-carb diets that rely heavily on animal protein are associated with an increased risk for heart disease and other chronic diseases such as cancer, according to Medline Plus. These high-meat, low-carb diets shed pounds but are associated with increased death rates from cancer. Medline Plus reports that animal-based low-carb diets are associated with a 23 percent increased risk of death in men and women, 14 percent of those having increased coronary disease risk. Benefits can be found in a vegetable-based, low-carb diet with fats derived from nuts, vegetable oils and peanut butter, and protein derived from whole grain, nuts and legumes, according to Medline Plus. When carbs are consumed, even in low amounts, they should be low glycemic for heart-healthy diets.
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