Low-carb, high-protein diets ‘ward off cancer’

Low-carb, high-protein diets are a fave among those trying to lose weight fast, but researchers have just revealed that they can also help to ward off cancer too.

Scientists from the American Association for Cancer Research fed mouse models with cancerous tumours one of two diets.

One of these consisted of 15 per cent carbohydrate, 58 per cent protein and 26 per cent fat and the other one contained about 55 per cent carbohydrate, 23 per cent protein and 22 per cent fat.

The results showed that tumour cells grew slower in the mice that ate the first diet.

"This shows that something as simple as a change in diet can have an impact on cancer risk," said lead researcher Dr Gerald Krystal, a scientist at the British Columbia Cancer Research Centre.

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions recently revealed that low-carb, high-fat diets do not increase a person's risk of heart disease.

Is looking good or improving your health your main motivation for losing weight?