Browse the evidence

Higher percentage of energy from plant protein is associated with a lower risk of stroke, but not overall CVD or CHD.

If you want to reduce your risk of stroke, increasing the percentage of your calories from plant-based proteins (like beans, lentils, nuts) may be beneficial. However, this did not lower the risk of heart attacks or overall cardiovascular disease in this study.

Dairy-derived saturated fats are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, contrasting with saturated fats from meat sources which increase risk.

If you consume dairy, it may actually lower your heart disease risk, whereas high intake of saturated fat from meat may increase it. Focus on the source of your fats rather than just cutting all saturated fat.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil reduces the risk of cardiovascular events by 1.7%–2.1%.

Adopt a Mediterranean-style eating pattern emphasizing extra-virgin olive oil, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish while limiting red meat and sweets. This specific dietary pattern has been shown in trials to reduce cardiovascular event risk by approximately 2%.

Relocation to redeveloped housing reduces added sugar intake, primarily from sugar-sweetened beverages, which may drive the observed reduction in waist circumference.

If you live in housing with poor water quality, you might be drinking more soda than you realize. Improving water access or quality can help reduce sugar intake and waist size.

High dietary carbohydrate density (defined as the percentage of energy from carbohydrates) is associated with an increased risk of incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) in non-diabetic subjects with normal baseline renal function.

If you do not have diabetes and have normal kidney function, be mindful of the proportion of carbohydrates in your diet. This study suggests that diets where carbohydrates make up a very high percentage of your total energy (e.g., >75% of calories) may be associated with a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease over time compared to diets with moderate carbohydrate intake. You do not need to eliminate carbs, but balancing them with adequate protein and healthy fats may support long-term kidney health.

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a stronger predictor of mortality risk than overall BMI or subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), while SAT may be associated with lower mortality risk.

Do not rely on BMI alone to assess your health risk. Focus on reducing visceral fat (belly fat) through exercise and diet, as it is a stronger predictor of mortality than overall weight. Subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) may be less harmful or even protective.

Excess dietary fat intake leads to fat storage because the body lacks stringent metabolic control over fat oxidation compared to carbohydrates and proteins.

To maintain a healthy body weight, you must balance your total energy intake with expenditure. While all calories contribute to energy balance, the body handles excess fat differently than carbs or protein, storing it more readily. Therefore, managing total caloric intake, particularly from fat, is crucial for preventing fat accumulation.

A low-carbohydrate diet preserves HDL cholesterol levels better than a conventional low-fat diet in severely obese adults, independent of weight loss.

Switching to a low-carbohydrate diet can help maintain your 'good' HDL cholesterol levels, which tend to drop on low-fat diets. This is a specific metabolic benefit that occurs even if your weight loss is the same as on a low-fat diet.

A very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (VLCKD) significantly improves triglycerides (TAG) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) compared to a low-fat diet (LFD) over the long term, but also increases LDL-C and HDL-C levels.

Switching to a very-low-carb diet improves triglycerides and blood pressure more than a low-fat diet, but it will raise your LDL and HDL cholesterol. Discuss these changes with your doctor, as the increase in LDL may be less harmful than traditionally thought due to particle size changes.

Low-carbohydrate diets (defined as <20% energy or <40g CHO) produce significantly greater weight loss and triglyceride reduction, but also significantly increase LDL-cholesterol compared to low-fat diets in healthy adults over 6+ months.

If you switch to a low-carb diet (under 20% carbs or <40g/day) for at least 6 months, you will likely lose more weight and lower your triglycerides than if you followed a standard low-fat diet. However, be aware that your LDL cholesterol may rise. For healthy individuals, this trade-off is often acceptable, but those with existing heart disease or high LDL should monitor this closely or consult a doctor.

Low-carbohydrate diets significantly increase HDL-cholesterol levels compared to low-fat diets, although the clinical significance of this increase for cardiovascular risk reduction remains uncertain.

Low-carb diets tend to raise your HDL ('good') cholesterol more than low-fat diets do. However, don't assume this automatically protects your heart. Current evidence suggests that simply raising HDL doesn't necessarily lower heart disease risk, so focus on the bigger picture of weight management and overall lipid profile.

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.

Low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets improve cardiovascular risk markers (HDL, Triglycerides, Systolic BP) more effectively than low-fat diets, despite potentially increasing LDL and Total Cholesterol.

When switching to a low-carb diet, monitor your lipids. You may see an increase in LDL and Total Cholesterol, but you will likely see a beneficial increase in HDL ('good') cholesterol, a drop in Triglycerides, and a slight drop in blood pressure. These changes often offset the LDL increase, resulting in a net positive or neutral cardiovascular risk profile compared to low-fat diets.

High-protein diets, particularly those with a high Glycemic Index, can increase LDL cholesterol levels, negating cardiovascular benefits despite potential fat loss.

Be cautious with high-protein diets that also rely on high-GI carbohydrates (like white rice/pasta with meat). This combination may raise your LDL cholesterol. Opt for high-protein diets paired with low-GI carbohydrates to avoid this risk.

Ramadan fasting significantly reduces fat percentage and absolute fat mass in overweight/obese individuals, but not in those with normal weight, while also causing a smaller, transient loss of fat-free mass.

If you are overweight, Ramadan fasting will likely reduce your body fat percentage. If you are normal weight, your body fat percentage may not change significantly. In all cases, you will lose some lean mass, but you will lose more fat than lean mass. This benefit is temporary and reverses after the fast.

Low-carbohydrate diets do not provide superior long-term weight loss compared to low-fat or Mediterranean diets when total energy intake is matched.

You don't need to follow a specific low-carb diet to lose weight long-term. Whether you choose low-carb, low-fat, or Mediterranean, the key is restricting total calories. Low-carb might help you lose weight faster in the first 6 months, but after a year, it's no better than other diets if you eat the same number of calories.

During the early phase (Phase I) of voluntary weight loss (first 4-6 weeks), the majority of weight loss consists of fat-free mass (protein, glycogen, and associated water/electrolytes) rather than fat mass, with the fraction of fat-free mass loss being highest in the first week and decreasing over time.

Expect the first 4-6 weeks of dieting to show rapid weight loss that is mostly water and lean tissue, not just fat. This is normal physiology, not a sign that your diet is 'too harsh' or that you are losing muscle dangerously (unless protein intake is extremely low). Focus on preserving muscle through adequate protein and resistance training, and do not be discouraged when the scale slows down after the first month; this indicates you are entering the more fat-dominant Phase II.

A low-carbohydrate diet provides superior long-term improvements in HDL cholesterol compared to a low-fat diet, even when weight loss is equivalent.

If you choose a low-carbohydrate diet, expect a significant boost in HDL (good) cholesterol, roughly double that of a low-fat diet. This metabolic benefit persists for at least 2 years. While weight loss is the same as low-fat, the lipid profile improvement is superior.

A 1-month VLCKD shifts substrate oxidation to favor fat and protein, resulting in a 62% fat mass loss and 38% lean soft tissue loss of total weight lost.

On a VLCKD, you will lose fat and muscle. In this study, 38% of the weight lost was lean tissue. To minimize this, ensure you are eating enough protein (1.2-1.5g/kg ideal body weight) and engaging in resistance exercise.

The cardiovascular benefits of low-carbohydrate diets depend on the quality of macronutrients used to replace carbohydrates, not the degree of restriction itself.

If you reduce carbs, ensure you replace them with healthy foods like fiber-rich grains or unsaturated fats, not saturated fats. Simply cutting carbs without considering food quality does not improve heart health.

The 'hypertriglyceridemic waist' phenotype (high waist circumference combined with high fasting triglycerides) is a simple, low-cost clinical tool to identify individuals with excess visceral adiposity and high cardiometabolic risk.

If you have a large waist, get your fasting triglycerides checked. If both are high, you likely have dangerous visceral fat and are at higher risk for heart disease, even if your BMI is normal. This simple check can guide you to seek further medical advice or lifestyle changes.

Soluble fibers (beta-glucan, psyllium, pectin, guar gum) lower LDL cholesterol, while insoluble fibers increase stool weight.

For heart health, choose soluble fibers like oats, barley, or psyllium. For digestive regularity, choose insoluble fibers like wheat bran.

Global dietary transition involves a shift from carbohydrate-rich staples to vegetable oils, animal products, and sugar, driven by income growth and trade liberalization, which is associated with rising rates of obesity and chronic diseases.

As incomes rise in developing regions, diets tend to shift toward more expensive, processed foods high in fats and sugars. To mitigate health risks, food policies must ensure that agricultural and health sectors work together to make healthy, diverse foods accessible and affordable, rather than just increasing total calorie availability.

Dietary fat type influences postprandial lipemia, with diets high in saturated fatty acids (SFA) reducing lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in skeletal muscle and favoring lipid shunting to adipose tissue, whereas diets high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) reduce postprandial TG levels.

The type of fat you eat matters for your post-meal triglycerides. Diets high in saturated fats can impair your muscles' ability to process fats, while diets high in monounsaturated fats (like those from olive oil) can significantly reduce post-meal triglyceride spikes (27-46%).