A bowl of warm pasta, a fluffy white bread roll, or a bag of generously salted chips – these starchy delights are like dreams. No wonder many of us couldn’t imagine giving up carbs forever.
But according to Research by the University of Surrey, spending just one day without carbohydrates has a similar effect on the body as intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting, also known as time-limited feeding, involves alternating normal feeding periods with significantly reduced calorie intake periods. These fasting windows can be scheduled at specific times each day or throughout the week.
While this approach has various health benefits, consuming less than 800 calories a day, as recommended on the popular 5:2 diet, can be challenging for some individuals.
However, this new study suggests that reducing calories significantly on fasting days may not be necessary. Simply cutting out carbohydrates can provide similar fat-burning benefits.
“What we’re interested in is not necessarily weight loss, but the metabolic effect of this dietary intervention,” said Dr. Adam Collins, the study co-author and an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Surrey, in an interview with BBC Science Focus.
The study, which aimed to investigate the effects of carbohydrates on metabolic health, involved 12 overweight or obese adults aged 20 to 65.
Participants followed three different meal plans with five-day breaks between each diet day for 36 hours (one day and two nights of sleep). The meal plans included a normal meal, a low-carb diet with the same calorie intake as a regular diet, and a low-carb diet with reduced calories.
Results showed that consuming a low-carb diet, regardless of calorie intake, encouraged the body to burn fat for energy similar to a fasting diet.
Dr. Collins explained that the body is designed to use carbohydrates for energy after meals and fats between meals and overnight. Consuming carbs too frequently can lead to poor management of metabolism.
Intermittent fasting or reducing carbohydrate intake helps the body reset and start burning fat for energy. Dr. Collins also emphasized that while restricting carbs long-term may hinder glucose processing, alternating low-carb days with regular meal days can be a sustainable and beneficial approach for metabolic health.
He concluded by saying, “Food is not a sin. Carbs aren’t bad. Fats aren’t bad. It’s all about moderation.”
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About our experts:
Dr. Adam Collins: An associate professor of nutrition at the University of Surrey’s School of Biological Sciences. With over 20 years of experience as a qualified nutritionist, he leads BSC and MSC nutrition programs at Sally. His current research focuses on exercise intensity, energy balance, intermittent fasting, dietary timing and composition, and carbohydrate manipulation for metabolic health.
Source: www.sciencefocus.com
