Alltop.com

There’s an excellent chance these days that if you know someone on a diet, they’ve cut out the carbs in favor of protein, but could this craze actually be counterproductive?

According to recent research out of MIT, carbohydrates are crucial for the production of serotonin, which regulates both mood…and appetite.

“When you take away the carbohydrates, it’s like taking away water from someone hiking in the desert,” [Judith] Wurtman said. “If fat is the only alternative for a no- or low-carb dieter to consume to satiate the cravings, it’s like giving a beer to the parched hiker to relieve the thirst — temporary relief, but ultimately not effective.”

So, it’s not just being on a diet period that’s making you or your loved ones feel crabby; it could be the diet itself.

Full story at MIT.

Toast: It does a body good.

Photo credit: Fotolia