Atkins diet (which I've always been sceptical of) has been known to put its followers at a higher risk of clogged arteries and heart attack in the long-term. Therefore this low-carb- high protein and fat diet has lost its public popularity.

But now, a new Harvard research is saying otherwise:

Low-carb diets, like the once fashionable atkins diet, do not increase the risk of heart disease and if vegetables rather than meat are the source of fat and protein then the risk of heart disease may be cut by 30 per cent.

This new findings, reported at the New England Journal of Medicine (Vol. 355, pp. 1991-2002) revealed that evaluating data collected over 20 years on 82,802 women found no association between low-carb diets and an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

According to lead author Thomas Halton from Harvard School of Public Health:

"Our findings suggest that diets lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein and fat are not associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease in women.

The results, while they indicate no risk with the diet, do not show a positive effect on heart health.

This study suggests that neither a low-fat dietary pattern nor a typical low-carbohydrate dietary pattern is ideal with regards to risk of CHD; both have similar risks. However, if a diet moderately lower in carbohydrates is followed, with a focus on vegetable sources of fat and protein, there may be a benefit for heart disease."

Just remember the trick: lace your low-carb diet with LOTS of vegetables.

Read more at NutraIngredients or read the article here.