If you are in the habit of eating too much sugar and not enough (good) fats on a daily basis, be careful: you are at risk of early death, according to a new Japanese study.
We say it and we repeat it: a healthy and balanced diet is one of the bases of “living older and in good health”. Concretely, it involves eating everything but in moderation, and balancing (roughly) your consumption of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins – the latter can be animal or vegetable.
Exactly: in a new study, researchers from Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine (in Japan) were interested in our daily intake of carbohydrates and lipids. To do this, Japanese researchers followed for 9 years a group of 81,333 volunteers (34,893 men and 46,440 women) who were invited to regularly complete questionnaires concerning their eating habits.
Less sugar and more (good) fats to live longer in good health
Result ? Scientists have observed that, in men, a daily intake that is too low in carbohydrates (that is to say: with carbohydrates representing less than 40% of the calories consumed during the day) but too high in lipids (more than 35 % of daily calorie intake) had an increased risk of early mortality, particularly from cancer.
And for women? Surprisingly, scientists found the opposite association: a diet too rich in carbohydrates (with a daily intake greater than 65% of the total) but too low in lipids constituted a risk factor for premature death.
How to apply these tips in your daily life? If you are a woman, take a break from sources of sugar every day : favor savory breakfasts, avoid sweetening your coffee, your yogurt or your herbal tea, favor foods with a low glycemic index (GI), etc. At the same time, increase the sources of “good” fatty acids (nuts, hazelnuts, avocado, olive oil, etc.) and avoid ultra-processed products, which often increase bad cholesterol (fried foods, industrial pastries, cold meats, etc.).
Source : The Journal of Nutrition