Cutting carbs? Replace them with proteins from plants

Study shows that's healthier than proteins from animal sources.

By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY

Hold the bacon. Bring on the peanut butter.

If you're trying to cut carbs, it may be better for your health to eat more protein and fat from plant sources than animal sources, a new study says.

Scientists followed 85,168 women and 44,548 men for several decades. Participants completed food surveys and were scored based on their carb intake. Those who cut their intake the most limited it to about 37%-43% of calories from carbs, which is lower than what most people consume but not nearly as low as the famous Atkins diet advocates.

Researchers documented participants' deaths, including those related to heart disease and cancer. Findings published in Monday's Annals of Internal Medicine:

• Participants who replaced carbs with protein and fat from animal sources were more likely to die from all causes, including cancer and heart disease.
• Those who replaced processed carbs with plant-based foods had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Senior author Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health says few people "can eat as few carbs as the Atkins diet recommends (20 grams a day in the induction phase). It's very impractical and very difficult to do in real life."

Lead author Teresa Fung of Simmons College in Boston says that when it comes to healthy plant protein, "beans and nuts are protein powerhouses."

This latest research should not "deter individuals from following a low-carbohydrate lifestyle," says internist Eric Westman, author of The New Atkins for a New You. Other research shows that a low-carb diet with animal protein can improve cardiovascular risk factors, he says.