Low Carb High Fat Diet

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  • kapoorpk
    kapoorpk Posts: 244 Member
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    Replying to a few assertions mentioned in a string of messages:

    1) Fats and protein are essential building blocks of our body is NOT in dispute
    2) The question has been around the extent to which carbs vs. fats be consumed in a diet and exactly for what benefit
    3) It is also a known fact that carbs in general, in spite of being complex vs. simple, will have an impact on blood glucose levels, but the assertion being made is that the spike in glucose with complex carbs isn't as severe as it is with simple carbs.

    The study shared with graphics is very interesting. Firstly, thanks for sharing. However, it represents observations in a controlled environment that represents conditions within that controlled environment that may not be a proxy of each of our daily routines. For example, the study seems to suggest that consuming carbs during lunch seems to have least amount of impact on blood glucose. However, consuming more of carbs during dinner or evenly through out the day may not be as effective in controlling BG.

    If we apply this to my specific situation, the outcome may be the same. Specifically, I eat carbs evenly through out the day, but increase carb consumption before my late evening workout with dinner + pre-workout meal that I consume 2 hours after dinner. SO, whatever spike in BG levels a higher carb consumption at dinner occurs is burned off by my intense workout following dinner. So, not necessarily a negative situation. But, the study provides some interesting points to remember.

    The debate or quest in understanding merits of consuming more fat than carbs and it seems that blood sugar control is the primary benefit of making such a choice.
  • jococat
    jococat Posts: 4 Member
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    You have it right:smile:
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    The debate or quest in understanding merits of consuming more fat than carbs and it seems that blood sugar control is the primary benefit of making such a choice.

    It seems to me that you asked the question with the above already your chosen answer.

    You appear blind to the influence of elevated blood sugar on insulin and hence on fat loss - many people restrict carbs in order to lose weight via this mechanism without being concerned about blood sugar levels which they are unaware of anyway. Let's call them Group A. Another set of people, Group B, are concerned about blood sugar per se because they have insulin resistance, diabetes, etc and wish to avoid or minimise the well known negative effects of prolonged high blood sugar.

    Peter at http://high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.co.uk/ is probably in another Group C where he chooses to eat low carb and is not seeking to lose weight or control blood sugar. Tommy at http://www.eatlowcarbhighfat.com/ is another, though he was previously in Group A.

    Perhaps dividing up the thinking into distinct groups will help.

    The continuous glucose monitor data with controlled meals gives us solid data rather than apocryphal feelings. The excursions in blood sugar from "complex carbs" is clear. I'll look for a starch vs glucose curve.
  • reasons2lie
    reasons2lie Posts: 5
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    I'm currently doing LC/HF and its working great but the initial 2 week sucked cause its really hard for me to not eat any rice or bread on a daily basis. However, now I'm pretty used to it and also increased my carb to 20% of my daily intake ( I still try to have 2-3 days a week where i consume little to no carb if possible). Gonna increase another 5 % every 2 week until I reach 30% which will be what I'm staying at. I think 30/30/40 is probably the most balance. It gives you room to eat everything you want in moderation and enough fat to help regulate your hormones.
  • vampirequeen1959
    vampirequeen1959 Posts: 196 Member
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    I started the lchf diet because it was said to be helpful with ibs. Only been on it a fortnight be it definitely seems to be helping. Then discovered a very pleasant side effect of the diet......weight drops off you whilst you eat foods you love and never feel hungry.
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
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    I personally eat around 150carbs a day. I have gone down around 30carbs one day (unintentionally) and wanted to faint - I guess that's part of your body getting into the rhythm of things.

    Anyway, I think the best thing is to read up, and read up A LOT on papers around the low carb diet. Yes, you can lose weight on it quite easily as it keeps you full, but looking at the long term side effects of someone eating low carb vs someone not (at the same weight) and to me, it didn't seem so positive. There is also a much higher rate of 'falling off the wagon' per se and gaining the weight back once you start carbing up again. Sorry I can't quote, I am on the net reading this stuff every day and don't think to take notes, but this is why I suggest you do your own reading :)

    To me, comparing a healthful 'normal' carb diet with sweet potatoes, rice (NO gluten), healthy fats and protein and lots of vegetables and some fruit VS Atkins diet which has limited veggie/fruit intake, for someone of the same weight for the long term would be very interesting. That's what it really comes down too, as we all want to live forever right? If you're sacrificing the nutrients from lots of vegetables and fruit, is it really worth it?

    I love my chocolate and Japanese sticky rice, so 150g is good for me for now!

    tl;dr 1. can you do this forever? 2. do your research on long-term side effects.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    The complex vs simple carbs blood sugar response (bread vs glucose) :-

    1602746f2.gif

    Insulin response :-

    insulinresponse.png

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9881888 found that "in normal subjects, as carbohydrate intake is increased from 0 to 100 g, plasma insulin responses increase at a greater rate than plasma glucose responses. The insulinaemic responses elicited by glucose, sucrose or fructose are similar to those that would be expected from a starchy food with the same glycaemic index"

    So this is why I eat low carb, and to replace the calories I eat high fat.
    I can eat a pound of veg daily and get all the nutrients I need on my carb allowance, fruit is overrated.
  • kapoorpk
    kapoorpk Posts: 244 Member
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    The complex vs simple carbs blood sugar response (bread vs glucose) :-

    1602746f2.gif

    Insulin response :-

    insulinresponse.png

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9881888 found that "in normal subjects, as carbohydrate intake is increased from 0 to 100 g, plasma insulin responses increase at a greater rate than plasma glucose responses. The insulinaemic responses elicited by glucose, sucrose or fructose are similar to those that would be expected from a starchy food with the same glycaemic index"

    So this is why I eat low carb, and to replace the calories I eat high fat.
    I can eat a pound of veg daily and get all the nutrients I need on my carb allowance, fruit is overrated.

    Again, thanks for sharing some very detailed studies. I am not pre-judging anything, just trying to fully understand the benefits. In conclusion to your points, am I getting it right that you are essentially saying that blood sugar control is the primary benefit that isn't achieved switching to complex carbs as effectively as it is switching carbs to fats? So, skew the macros more towards higher fats and lower carbs for better blood glucose control. Is that essentially the key point of what you are recommending?

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