Swapping carbohydrates for protein and fat could improve your wellness markers, according to a recent study.

Based on two clinical trials, the research found that people who went on a lower-carbohydrate, high-protein diet significantly improved blood lipid results and reduced liver fat levels despite not losing significant weight.

Blood Fat Markers Improved

The research, conducted in Denmark and published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, used data from two randomized controlled trials. Around 100 participants were randomized to either go on a carbohydrate-reduced, high-protein diet or a conventional diabetes (CD) diet for six weeks.

Participants in the first trial did not go on a calorie deficit to lose weight, while participants in the second trial were on a calorie deficit.

A low-carb diet involves limiting carbs, eating healthy fats and lean protein, and eating regular meals and snacks while maintaining body weight.

Participants on a low-carb diet ate 30 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 40 percent fat, which led to marked improvements in blood lipid levels compared to the CD diet. The CD diet had a higher carbohydrate content of 50 percent, with more than 40 percent of the diet attributed to carbohydrate fiber, as well as lower fat and protein intake.

To compare, one breakfast plan for people on the conventional diet was bread, cheese, butter, jam, milk, and fruit, while those on the low-carb diet did not have fruit and instead had yogurt, egg, avocado, cucumber, and mayonnaise with their bread.

Those who consumed a high-protein diet while not on a calorie deficit experienced a 33 percent reduction in blood lipids and a 16 percent reduction in small-dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, a type of cholesterol protein that can increase the risk of heart disease. Additionally, their levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (“good” cholesterol) increased by 10 percent, suggesting a shift toward a more favorable lipid profile. In contrast, the CD diet did not show similar improvements.

Among those who went on a calorie deficit, both the high-protein and conventional diet groups lost 6 percent of their body weight during the study. This weight loss was linked with improved blood sugar control.

However, the high-protein diet group also had an additional reduction in blood lipids and LDL levels.

The high-protein diet also reduced liver fat levels. However, participants who did not go on a calorie deficit had more liver fat reduction of 55 percent compared to the 26 percent in the weight-loss group.

This reduction in liver fat contributes to better overall metabolic health, as elevated liver fat is linked to insulin resistance.

In both studies, improvement in lipid profiles among the high-protein group was associated with the reduction in liver fat, suggesting a connection between diet, liver health, and lipid profiles.

Researchers theorized that the metabolic improvement among those who went on a low-carb diet was linked to lower insulin levels from lower blood sugar.

Given the high global prevalence of Type 2 diabetes, these findings may have the potential to suggest methods for better management of the condition.

Dr. Silvana Obici, chief of the division of endocrinology at Stony Brook Medicine in New York, who was not involved in the study, emphasized the importance of food quality over macronutrient composition alone.

“As the American Diabetes Association states, ‘People eat food, not nutrients, and nutrient recommendations need to be applied to what people eat,’” Obici told The Epoch Times, highlighting that this is a “very important concept,” as many studies focus on the three major macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) without paying much attention to their type and quality.

Foods in Same Category Can Have ‘Very Different’ Effects: Expert

Carbohydrates encompass a diverse range of foods—from refined options like pasta and bread to nutrient-rich choices like legumes, whole grains, and fruits. Obici said these foods have markedly different health impacts despite being categorized together.

She expanded on dietary fats, noting they range from animal fats high in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol to healthier options like fish, nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil. She pointed out the study did not distinguish between different types of carbohydrates and fats.

“This short term study did not address the importance of type of carbs or type of fats,” Obici wrote in an email to The Epoch Times. “My opinion is that healthy nutrition should emphasize the importance of type and quality of macronutrients; [and] favor carbs contained in legumes, starchy veggies, whole grains and fruits as opposed to simple sugars, refined carbs.”

She added that, regarding dietary fat, animal fat with high saturated fatty acid and cholesterol should be consumed less than healthier fats found in fish, nuts, and seeds.

Obici emphasized weight loss as crucial in diabetes management. She noted that even this short-term study demonstrated significant benefits from weight loss, regardless of diet composition, and stressed that maintaining a healthy weight is a critical long-term strategy for Type 2 diabetes health.