KEARNY, NJ – A study published in the July 17th, 2008 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine1 showed that a low-carb diet helped people lose more weight than a Mediterranean-style diet and the common low-fat diet. In addition, researchers discovered that a low-carb diet also helped improve healthy cholesterol ratios.  The two-year, randomized study, conducted by a group of investigators in Israel, and partially funded by the Atkins Foundation, was one of the longest, and largest of its type comparing the three diets.

 “This is a landmark study in that it shows a “low carb” diet should be part of a healthy lifestyle and not just a fad,” says Mitch Skop, Director of New Product Development for Pharmachem, Inc., the manufacturer of Phase 2 Carb Controller, an ingredient extracted from the white bean, scientifically proven to assist in healthy weight loss and balancing of metabolic factors. “Phase 2 is a perfect addition to any product and lifestyle geared towards restricting carbohydrate intake because it has been shown to delay the digestion and absorption of carbs. “The average weight loss for those in the low-carb group was 10.3 pounds, followed by the Mediterranean diet with an average loss of 10 pounds and the low-fat diet with 6.5 pounds lost on average. Researchers were pleasantly astounded to likewise discover that the low-carb approach showed the most improvement in several cholesterol measures, including the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL.

The ratio is often used to determine a patient’s risk of hardening of the arteries. The lower the ratio, the better for the patient. In the study, the low-carb diet cohort experienced a cholesterol ratio decrease of 20 per cent, compared to 16 per cent for those on the Mediterranean and 12 per cent in the low-fat group.

In 2007, Pharmachem’s Phase 2 Carb Controller®, an extract of the white bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) became the first weight-control ingredient to receive two FDA-permitted structure/function claims, as follows: “May assist in weight control when used in conjunction with a sensible diet and exercise program;” and, “May reduce the enzymatic digestion of dietary starches.”

1.  Shai, I., et al, “Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet.” NEJM 2008 359:229-241

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Headquartered in Kearny, NJ, Pharmachem Laboratories Inc. develops, supplies and manufactures a variety of high-quality, efficacious ingredients for the dietary supplement and food industries. Ingredients are manufactured under the strictest quality control according to GMP standards. Main product areas include vitamins and minerals; herbs and botanicals; specialty ingredients; and powdered drink formulation and manufacture. Standard operating procedures include testing every lot for potency, microbiology, organoleptics, and purity. For more information, call 1-800-526-0609, or log on to www.phase2info.com.