Carb lovers, rejoice: not only can you have your bread and lose weight too, you’ll actually be happier than if you cut out carbs, according to a new study from several Australian institutions, including the University of South Australia.
Researchers asked 106 overweight or obese people between ages 24 and 64 to go on one of two reduced-calorie diets for a year: low-fat, high-carb (think pasta, bread and rice); or low-carb, high fat (think lots of meat and dairy).
At the end of the year, people in both groups lost about the same amount of weight–an average of 30 pounds each–proving that contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to ban bread in order to slim down successfully.
But what’s really interesting is that the high-carb set reported being less angry, depressed, confused and hostile during their year-long diet than the low-carb group. The study authors say these results are consistent with epidemiological studies, which have found that higher-carb diets are associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety and increased psychological well-being.
Makes sense to me: I’d be pretty darn cranky if I wasn’t allowed to have my beloved bread. But it’s not just about deprivation; research has shown that skimping on complex carbohydrates depletes serotonin, a feel-good brain chemical.
–Camille
Facebook
Camille