TRIMMING carbohydrate intake results in healthy improvements in blood fat levels, even if a person doesn't lose an ounce, a new study shows.

"These dietary fads tend to come and go," Dr Ronald M Krauss of Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute in Oakland, California, told Reuters Health. "In the case of low carbohydrates, people shouldn't be so quick to throw that away and move on to the next diet. Limiting carbohydrates can be beneficial even if people aren't successful at losing weight."

Scientists now believe carbohydrates, especially simple sugars, can cause unhealthy changes in blood fats by causing fat to collect in the liver - just as it does on one's thighs or belly. These fats eventually find their way into the bloodstream, Dr Krauss said.

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