Macro partitioning
Low-carbohydrate diets improve triglyceride levels and HDL cholesterol more effectively than low-fat diets, but result in less reduction (or potentially less favorable changes) in LDL and Total Cholesterol compared to low-fat diets.
If you have high triglycerides or low HDL, a low-carbohydrate diet is likely superior to a low-fat diet for improving your lipid profile. However, if your LDL cholesterol is a primary concern, note that low-fat diets may lower LDL more effectively. Monitor your Total/HDL ratio, which remained similar between diets in this analysis.
Compared with participants on low-fat diets, persons on low-carbohydrate diets experienced... a greater increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.3 mg/dL)... and a greater decrease in triglycerides (-14.0 mg/dL)... [and] slightly but statistically significantly lower reduction in total cholesterol (2.7 mg/dL)... and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.7 mg/dL).
Why this rating
Statistically significant findings across 23 trials, though publication bias was detected and corrected for lipids.
Source
Effects of Low-Carbohydrate Diets Versus Low-Fat Diets on Metabolic Risk Factors: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials
Tian Hu et al. · American Journal of Epidemiology · 2012
DOI 10.1093/aje/kws264
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