Low-Carb, High-Protein Diet Promotes Weight Loss, May Help Prevent Breast Cancer

A British study has found that restricting carbohydrate intake two days a week may be a better way to prevent breast cancer and other diseases than simply restricting calories. Researchers compared three diets over four months to determine the effect on weight loss and on blood markers of breast cancer among 115 women with a family history of breast cancer. Patients were randomly assigned to a calorie-restricted, low-carb diet for two days a week; an low-carb, high-protein, high-healthy fat diet for two days a week; or a standard calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet for seven days a week. The intermittent low-carb diet that allowed unlimited protein and fats was superior to the calorie-restricted diet for reducing weight and reducing insulin levels, a marker for breast cancer.