The Effects Of A Low Carb Diet On Cholesterol

The Effects of a Low Carb Diet on Cholesterol

Jun 14, 2011 | By Kyle Clayton

Your total cholesterol is composed of three subtypes of cholesterol: HDL, LDL and triglycerides. Your cardiovascular health will benefit from raising your HDL, and keeping your LDL and triglycerides low, according to "Good Calories, Bad Calories," by Gary Taubes. Low carb diets are typically high in fat, so you might wonder what effect this eating style has on your blood cholesterol levels.

HDL

HDL, or high-density lipoproteins, is considered the "good" cholesterol. According to "Good Calories, Bad Calories," monounsaturated fats raise your HDL, while carbohydrates lower your HDL. The study "A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet versus a Low-Fat Diet To Treat Obesity and Hyperlipidemia," published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in May of 2004, concluded that a low carb diet raises healthy HDL cholesterol levels more than a traditional low fat diet, which lowered HDL.

LDL

LDL, or low-density lipoproteins, shoudl remain at lower levels in order to maintain blood lipid health. According to "Good Calories, Bad Calories," monounsaturated fat lowers your LDL, while carbohydrates and saturated fats raise your LDL. The study "A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet versus a Low-Fat Diet To Treat Obesity and Hyperlipidemia," concluded that LDL levels didn't change significantly because of a low carb diet. The low fat diet control group had the same results.

Triglycerides

Along with LDL, triglycerides should also be kept low to avoid unhealthy cholesterol levels. Carbohydrates raise your triglyceride levels, according to "Good Calories, Bad Calories." However, the study "A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet versus a Low-Fat Diet To Treat Obesity and Hyperlipidemia," found that practitioners of a low carb diet saw their triglyceride levels decrease significantly more than those who followed a low fat diet. Reducing your carbohydrate intake may result in an overall decrease in unhealthy triglycerides.