If you know someone on keto who can’t shut up about it, this isn’t going to help.
A new study that will be presented at the 13th Emirates Cardiac Society Congress in Dubai this week shows that eating white rice, pasta and other refined carbohydrates is just as damaging to your heart as eating junk food.
Researchers in Iran compared the diets of 1,168 healthy patients to 1,369 patients who suffer from coronary artery disease. Those who indulged in foods like pasta and white rice were more closely associated with a higher risk of the disease, the scientists found.
CAD affects more than 20 million people in the United States and takes the life of one person every 34 seconds in the States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Refined grains have been stripped of fiber — unlike, say, brown rice — which spikes blood-sugar levels shortly after one eats them. Essentially, this mimics the effect junk food has on the body and makes people hungry for more rice, pasta, white bread or similar foods.
Researcher Dr. Khajavi Gaskarei said in a press release, “A diet that involves eating large amounts of unhealthy and refined grains can be viewed as similar to a diet that is high in unhealthy sugars and oils.”
He continues, “As more studies show an increase in the consumption of refined grains worldwide, as well as the impact on overall health, it’s important that we find ways to encourage and educate people about the benefits of eating whole grains.”