Which diet kicks off weight loss better: high protein or low sugar?
High-Protein or Low Glycemic Index Diet—Which Energy-Restricted Diet Is Better to Start a Weight Loss Program?
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study tested two diets for people trying to lose weight: one with lots of protein and one with low-sugar foods. Both cut calories, but the high-protein one helped people lose more fat and keep more muscle at the start.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 560 / 90
Evidence Score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study tested two diets for people trying to lose weight: one with lots of protein and one with low-sugar foods. Both cut calories, but the high-protein one helped people lose more fat and keep more muscle at the start.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 560 / 90
Evidence Score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Publication
Authors
Waliłko E, Napierała M, Bryśkiewicz M, Fronczyk A, Majkowska L
Related Content
Claims (6)
Among overweight or obese adults losing weight on a calorie-restricted diet, consuming 30% of calories from protein preserves muscle mass, while consuming 20% protein with a low-glycemic-index diet leads to greater muscle loss.
Among overweight or obese adults on a 4-week calorie-restricted diet, consuming 30% of daily calories from protein results in 4.6 kg more fat loss than a low-glycemic-index diet, with no loss of muscle mass.
In overweight or obese adults, eating a short-term diet high in protein and restricted in calories lowers LDL cholesterol from 3.3 to 2.8 mmol/L, while a low-glycemic-index diet does not lower LDL cholesterol to the same extent.
For overweight or obese adults, losing weight with a high-protein diet first and then switching to a low-glycemic-index diet results in more fat loss and less muscle loss than starting with the low-glycemic-index diet and switching to high-protein later.
When overweight or obese adults follow a short-term low-calorie diet with 30% protein, their LDL cholesterol decreases more and they lose less muscle mass than when they follow a low-glycemic-index diet with 20% protein, even when the total weight lost is the same.