How Following A High-Carb Diet Can Help You Lose Weight, Melt Fat

Avoiding carbohydrates to keep a slim figure? You may want to rethink the decision. A new study finds that high-carb diets can actually help you lose weight, trim fat, and even boost insulin function — but don’t start chowing down on bagels and croissants just yet.

Researchers from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a non-profit that supports following a vegan diet, say the key is to consume whole, complex carbohydrates found in produce or foods made from whole grains. Their findings were published this month in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients.

“Fad diets often lead people to fear carbohydrates. But the research continues to show that healthy carbohydrates — from fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains — are the healthiest fuel for our bodies,” says lead study author Dr. Hana Kahleova, the director of clinical research for the PCRM, in a media release.

For the study, the authors recruited 75 overweight adults to take part in the 16-week trial. Thirty-eight of the participants were asked to follow a plant-based, low-fat diet that allowed the individuals to consume as many calories and carbohydrates as they liked during the study period. But they had to avoid all animal products, foods with added oils, and could only consume up to 30 grams of fat each day.

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