Balanced plant-based diet one of the healthiest


The associated dangers of low and high carbohydrate diets

Balanced plant-based diet one of the healthiest

Vegan Society of Canada News
September 28th 2018

It should now be clear that a simple balanced plant-based diet is one of the healthiest choices. In case there is still some doubt, one of the most comprehensive studies spanning 25 years concluded that unbalanced diets, such as low carbohydrate diets and high carbohydrate diets, are associated with higher mortality rates

Line graph of the hazard ratio of different carbohydrate intake as a percentage of total energy intake showing a u-shaped association
U-shaped association between percentage of energy from carbohydrate and all-cause mortality in the ARIC cohort.

Not only that, but the study also concluded that while a balanced carbohydrate diet results in the least mortality, the source of carbohydrates is also important with plant-based sources having the lowest mortality rate:

Both high and low percentages of carbohydrate diets were associated with increased mortality, with minimal risk observed at 50–55% carbohydrate intake. Low carbohydrate dietary patterns favouring animal-derived protein and fat sources, from sources such as lamb, beef, pork, and chicken, were associated with higher mortality, whereas those that favoured plant-derived protein and fat intake, from sources such as vegetables, nuts, peanut butter, and whole-grain breads, were associated with lower mortality, suggesting that the source of food notably modifies the association between carbohydrate intake and mortality.

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