Recent research has shown that elimination of carbohydrates from diet can help in reducing weight but it may also lead to loss of memory or forgetfulness.

Research team led by Psychology professor Holly Taylor of Tufts University, Massachusetts studied the impact of low-carb diets on the brain power of 19 women aged 22 to 55.

The study subjects were put on either a low-calorie balanced diet or a low-carb diet. After a week the mental ability of all the study subjects was tested.  Researchers tested attention, long-term and short-term memory, visual attention and spatial memory. 10 women on the low-carb diet performed poorly at the mental tests as compared to women on a low calorie, high-carbohydrate diet.

Holly Taylor said that when carbohydrates were re-introduced the women’s mental function returned to normal.

Taylor added: “This study demonstrates that the food you eat can have an immediate impact on cognitive behaviour. The popular low-carb, no-carb diets have the strongest potential for negative impact on thinking and cognition.”