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Adam Collins, Associate Professor of Nutrition, University of Surrey

Intermittent fasting: is it the calories or carbs that count?

Eating low-carb twice a week could have similar benefits as intermittent fasting. Kmpzzz/ Shutterstock

Intermittent fasting is not only a useful tool for weight loss, it’s also shown to have many benefits for metabolic health – independent of weight loss. Yet many people may find intermittent fasting to be a challenge, especially if following the 5:2 version of the diet where calories are severely restricted two days a week.

But my latest study shows that you don’t need to severely restrict your calories to get the metabolic benefits of intermittent fasting. Even just restricting the number of carbs you eat twice a week may be enough to improve your metabolic health.

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