Limiting carbohydrate intake just two days a week can mitigate some risk factors for breast cancer by burning body fat and improving insulin sensitivity.Over three months, eating fewer carbohydrates alone or combining that reduction with severe caloric restriction two days per week was associated with significant changes in body fat and insulin resistance.
In an earlier study, the same research team demonstrated that two days per week of calorie restriction was comparable to daily calorie restriction in terms of weight loss, but it wasn't any easier for patients to follow because the choice of food was limited to fruit and vegetables on restricted days.
They randomized 115 overweight or obese patients who, based on their weight were at risk of breast cancer, to one of three diets over a three-month period:
1. A calorie-restricted (600 kcal), low-carbohydrate (less than 40 g) diet for two days a week
2. A low-carbohydrate diet for two days per week, plus an ad-lib Mediterranean (healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables) diet the other five days
3. A daily calorie-restriction Mediterranean diet (1,500 kcal) all week
After three months, patients on either of the low-carbohydrate diets had significantly greater declines in insulin resistance.
Harvie M, et al "Intermittent dietary carbohydrate restriction enables weight loss and reduces breast cancer biomarkers" SABCS 2011; Abstract P3-09-02.
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