A low-carb diet prevents cardiovascular diseases better than a low-fat diet, claims a study published in the September 2 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

Participants in this research were 148 men and women with an average age of 47 years old. They did not have cardiovascular diseases or diabetes.

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They were arbitrarily selected to either take part in a low-carb diet or a low-fat diet.

Those who followed a low-carb diet were only allowed up to 40 grams of carbohydrates per day,. Those who did a low-fat diet were only allowed to consume less than 30 percent of daily calories from fat.

For a whole year, the participants were asked to regularly meet with a dietitian individually.

What researchers discovered was those who were on a low-carb diet lost more weight than those on a low-fat diet.

Low-carb dieters lost an average of 12 pounds while low-fat dieters only lost an average of four pounds,

Low-carb dieters also greatly reduced their risk for cardiovascular disease.

Researchers found there was a significant drop in their body fat, lower levels of triglycerides and a lower ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

Their levels of HDL, or good cholesterol, rose.

Almost 27 million Americans suffer from heart disease and around 60,000 will succumb to it every year.

"Low-carb diets have traditionally been seen as potentially risky," said Dr. Lydia Bazzano, a professor of nutrition research at Tulane University School of Public Health in New Orleans who worked on the study.

A low-fat diet is often recommended for those with heart issues, but low-carb eating hasn't usually been recommended in the past with some doctors deeming it to be bad for the heart.

The study has proven this belief to be false.

Dr. Tian Hu, a doctoral fellow at Tulane and another researcher of the study, said a physician should be consulted before undergoing any dietary changes.

"I think this means it's a good option," he noted their discovery about a low-carb diet.

Tagslow-carb diet, Weight Loss, low-carb dieters, low-carb diets, HDL