Macro partitioning
High-carbohydrate diets (≥45% TDCI) are superior to low-carbohydrate diets for reducing LDL cholesterol in healthy adults under energy-matched conditions.
If your primary concern is lowering LDL cholesterol, and you are willing to eat more carbohydrates (at least 45% of your calories), this may be more effective than a low-carb diet, provided you keep your total calorie intake the same.
HC diets led to a greater reduction in LDL-C (g = − 0.225; 95% CI − 0.406 to − 0.043; P = 0.009).
Why this rating
Based on a meta-analysis of 14 studies with statistically significant pooled effect sizes.
Source
Effects of energy-matched low- versus high-carbohydrate diets on glycaemic control, lipid profile, and body composition in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Alexandros Anagnostou et al. · European Journal of Nutrition · 2026
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