Why FAT?
I've always done low and low fat but just recently decided to try doing higher fat to add to my menu choices. The reason why I stayed away from the high fat is because about 10 years ago I tried it for a month and had no success. But now being much more knowledgeable about Atkins and low carbing in general I wonder it I really followed it correctly back then. So here is the question, why does Atkins encourage high fat? Is it because it is much more prone to produce ketoses or that it just keeps you full for longer or is it that it actually makes the weight come off faster?
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Have you read through the book? He mentions it breifly. For a really good scientific explination I would highly reocmend checking out the protien power diet book from your library.
The reason for low carbs is carbs rais eyour blood sugar. In response the body produces insulin. The insulin takes and stores the energy you consume as fat on your body. Protien has minimal effect on blood sugar and is also important as the basic building blocks of the body. Fat though is completely neutral to your blood chemistry. It will not produce a rise in blood sugar, or an answering insulin rush. This means there is less storage of fat. Fat is also sating. If you consume an adiquet amount of fat, your brain registeres the fact you are full or satisfied sooner. Many find that ketosis and the higher amounts of fat means appitite suppression and they consume fewer calories overall. Many Lowfat dieters find it takes much more of a certain food to make them feel satisfied. This means they eat much more of it and not only take in alot more calories, but lots of carbs which causes the blood sugar imbalance. Atkins is a high fat diet. If you don't care for higher amounts of fat, South Beach is more moderate fat and moderate carbs. Protien Power is more moderate fat and higher protien. Atkins states clearly it is impossible to do a low fat version of his diet with perminate success. However as you raise your level of carbs, your fat percentage will naturally drop. This is because your calories remain steady as you add in more carbs, you aren't just adding more calorie on top of it. As close as you are to your goal weight you might check out Atkins for Life. It is more of a premaintanance book which features more moderate carbs and slightly lower fats. |
Thank you for the response. I've read DANDR and South Beach. Just as Dr. Atkins recommends that if you ever feel the need to get off the diet try another out but always stay in control (I don't remember his exact wording). I need the change. You really answered my question, thanks
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Fat has no effect on blood sugar. You can convert protein to glucose, called something I can't spell, but fat doesn't ever convert into sugar. This is good because it will either get converted to ketones and possibly peed out or used up, or it'll get stored (not so likely without a lot of insulin around)
One of the very, very beneficial things about this diet is that it doesn't make you produce insulin. There's a lot of scientific evidence we're starting to see that many of our diseases and obesity problems are due to producing too much insulin over the course of a life time. I think in the next ten years, with the popularity of low carb what it is, the lazy researchers will get off their lazy insulin bloated asses and the studies are gonna show that eating fat is damn good for you! |
Another important fact is when the insulin is balanced the pancreas produces insulin's partner hormone, glucagon which enhances lipolysis, the fat burning process we call ketosis. It also maintains arterial health among other things.
Everyone, the body must produce insulin or we would die, make no mistake. However, it is important that there is not an over-production of insulin because it throws other bodily functions out of wack which may result in high cholesterol, heart disease etc. We want insulin to be normal/balanced for a healthy lifestyle. |
See, Black57 can spell all the hard words! Thanks for the assist.
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Another point is that the body does need the various fats. Not only are many vitamins, like A & D, fat soluble, but the body uses the fat building blocks to insulate the nerves, rebuild cell walls, and transport nutrients.
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Quote:
The process of converting amino acids (protein) or the glycerol portion of fats to glucose is called gluconeogenesis. Quote:
http://www.allyourstrength.com/nutrition_1002Fuel.html Fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in the diet; they also provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormonelike substances. Fats as part of a meal slow down absorption so that we can go longer without feeling hungry. In addition, they act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption and for a host of other processes. Fats—or lipids—are a class of organic substances that are not soluble in water. In simple terms, fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms filling the available bonds. Most fat in our bodies and in the food we eat is in the form of triglycerides, that is, three fatty-acid chains attached to a glycerol molecule. Elevated triglycerides in the blood have been positively linked to proneness to heart disease, but these triglycerides do not come directly from dietary fats; they are made in the liver from any excess sugars that have not been used for energy. The source of these excess sugars is any food containing carbohydrates, particularly refined sugar and white flour. Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50% of the cell membranes. They are what gives our cells necessary stiffness and integrity. They play a vital role in the health of our bones. For calcium to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure, at least 50% of the dietary fats should be saturated. They lower Lp(a), a substance in the blood that indicates proneness to heart disease. They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, such as Tylenol. They enhance the immune system. They are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids. Elongated omega-3 fatty acids are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats. Saturated 18-carbon stearic acid and 16-carbon palmitic acid are the preferred foods for the heart, which is why the fat around the heart muscle is highly saturated. The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress. Short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids have important antimicrobial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract. Our blood vessels can become damaged in a number of ways—through irritations caused by free radicals or viruses, or because they are structurally weak—and when this happens, the body's natural healing substance steps in to repair the damage. That substance is cholesterol. Cholesterol is a high-molecular-weight alcohol that is manufactured in the liver and in most human cells. Like saturated fats, the cholesterol we make and consume plays many vital roles: Along with saturated fats, cholesterol in the cell membrane gives our cells necessary stiffness and stability. When the diet contains an excess of polyunsaturated fatty acids, these replace saturated fatty acids in the cell membrane, so that the cell walls actually become flabby. When this happens, cholesterol from the blood is "driven" into the tissues to give them structural integrity. This is why serum cholesterol levels may go down temporarily when we replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated oils in the diet. Cholesterol acts as a precursor to vital corticosteroids, hormones that help us deal with stress and protect the body against heart disease and cancer; and to the sex hormones like androgen, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone. Cholesterol is a precursor to vitamin D, a very important fat-soluble vitamin needed for healthy bones and nervous system, proper growth, mineral metabolism, muscle tone, insulin production, reproduction and immune system function. The bile salts are made from cholesterol. Bile is vital for digestion and assimilation of fats in the diet. Recent research shows that cholesterol acts as an antioxidant. This is the likely explanation for the fact that cholesterol levels go up with age. As an antioxidant, cholesterol protects us against free radical damage that leads to heart disease and cancer. Cholesterol is needed for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is the body's natural "feel-good" chemical. Low cholesterol levels have been linked to aggressive and violent behavior, depression and suicidal tendencies. Mother's milk is especially rich in cholesterol and contains a special enzyme that helps the baby utilize this nutrient. Babies and children need cholesterol-rich foods throughout their growing years to ensure proper development of the brain and nervous system. Dietary cholesterol plays an important role in maintaining the health of the intestinal wall. This is why low-cholesterol vegetarian diets can lead to leaky gut syndrome and other intestinal disorders. Cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease but rather a potent antioxidant weapon against free radicals in the blood, and a repair substance that helps heal arterial damage (although the arterial plaques themselves contain very little cholesterol.) http://www.westonaprice.org/know_your_fats/skinny.html |
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