Low and very low carbohydrate diets, such as the Atkins' Diet, have recently gained attention for their potential health benefits from weight loss and have gained some scientific support from a growing number of studies. Benefits have been noted in relation to raised "good" cholesterol, lower "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides. Other studies have shown an advantage in substituting vegetable fat for carbohydrate in insulin resistant individuals and in some instances in type 2 diabetes where improvements were seen in "good" cholesterol and blood sugars. At the same time, our research have been exploring diets containing less processed carbohydrates and other components which in combination (portfolio diet) have a similar cholesterol lowering effect to drug therapy.