Eating too much of certain carbohydrates may increase the risk of heart disease in women.

A new study found heart disease was more prevalent among women than men who eat carbs with a high glycaemic index in foods like white bread, pizza, rice, and sugar-laden foods. But low carbohydrate foods like pasta showed no link with heart disease.

"A high consumption of carbohydrates from high glycaemic index foods, rather than the overall quantity of carbohydrates consumed, appears to influence the risk of developing coronary heart disease," the scientists wrote in a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine journal.

Experts say carbs are an important part of our diet. But too much can increase blood glucose levels, triglycerides and cholesterol.

They added that the negative effects of a high glycaemic diet in women may be due to the differences in the way women and men break down and take in sugars and fats.

Source: Reuters