Report: Low-Carb Diet Impairs Mental Performance

Dieters who cut out carbohydrates are more likely to lose their memory than those who eat balanced meals, new research has shown.

A study has found that people who avoid starchy foods perform worse in mental tests than those who eat bread, pasta and potatoes.

Scientists found mental performance drops after just a week on a low-carb diet.

The best-known low-carb diet is the Atkins, which bans carbohydrates such as flour, sugar and potatoes but allows protein and fat. Some fruit and vegetables are also restricted.

The Atkins diet, which follows the concept that a low-carbohydrate diet produces a metabolic advantage in which the body burns more calories, overall, than normal diets, led the "low-carb craze."

At the height of its popularity, an estimated three million people in Britain were thought to be on the Atkins diet and the no-carb and low-carb eating concept remains popular, with a number of similar plans following in its footsteps.

But Dr. Holly Taylor, who led the research at Tufts University in Boston, warned yesterday that such a diet can also have a negative impact on memory and thinking.

She said: "The study demonstrates that the food you eat can have an immediate impact on cognitive behavior. The popular low-carb and no-carb diets have the strongest potential for negative impact on thinking and cognition

"Although this study only tracked participants for three weeks, the data suggests that diets can affect more than just weight. The brain needs glucose for energy, and diets low in carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory and thinking."