Why prioritize protein > fat> carbs?

Also, fats are essential for metabolizing some nutrients and they do not impact blood glucose. As a Type 2 diabetic I'd rather have fat than carbs to keep my blood glucose levels steady.

Carbs are not essential to your body. They provide energy, but protein can also be metabolized for energy.

IN for depriving your brain of glucose

On a LCHF or even no carb diet (although I am not advocating one) the brain only requires about 30g of glucose as opposed to the 120g on a medium to high carb diet, as it fuels mostly from ketones.

You just said LC. Low. Meaning NOT zero.

Dont take 1g of carbs for a week and run a 5k a day, then check back in here and let us know how that works out for ya.



Saying you dont need carbs is like saying you dont need vitamin C. Have fun getting scurvy.

Which bit of carbs are optimal are you not understanding.

I am not advocating no carbs, I am just explaining why they are an optimal macro nutrient as opposed to an essential macro nutrient.

And actually on your analogy of running 5k a day on no carbs is very possible. Now throw in some anaerobic exercise and you may have some issues, but on low level aerobic exercise carbs are not needed.

The body has a knack for tapping into the abundance of non dietary energy we all carry with us.

I regularly on a Sunday morning can do a 9 mile hike or sometimes a bike ride in a fasted state (a mug of coffee doesn't have carbs does it?).

Because a 9 mile hike in a fasted state is the same as not eating 1g of carbs for a week and running a 5k a day every day.

I have fasted for 15 minutes and my brain is working great . Thanks for saving me.

My point is you produce about 150g of glucose a day - spend the day doing low level activity or even aerobic exercise (less than 75% energy output), it is unlikely you will use those 150g as you will be fuelling you body through converted fatty acids.

Increase your energy levels and your body will start to deplete your muscles glycogen stores.

I used my hiking analogy because regardless if I have been taking in no carbs for a month or just 14 hours, I am not using dietary carbs to fuel my walk.

It's simple biology, carbs are not essential, we produce our own glucose (without any help from dietary carbs), but they are optimal, which is why I eat them.

You seem to be looking to argue the point for the sake of it.

You would know Mr Green Bananas and Boiled Potatoes

Ill say it one last time. If carbs are NOT essential. Dont eat any ever again. Put your money where your mouth is.

I will eat them thank you because they ARE optimal for me and my life style.

But one thing they are NOT is essential.

Protein: essential from diet for survival as without it you cannot produce 8 (IIRC) amino acids so you will die
Fat: largely essential from diet for survival as without it you cannot produce 2 (IIRC) fatty acids so you will die
Carbs: not essential from diet for survival as without it the body can produce the necessary nutrients from its own resources so you won't die...just you'll probably want to...

Also, fats are essential for metabolizing some nutrients and they do not impact blood glucose. As a Type 2 diabetic I'd rather have fat than carbs to keep my blood glucose levels steady.

Carbs are not essential to your body. They provide energy, but protein can also be metabolized for energy.

IN for depriving your brain of glucose

On a LCHF or even no carb diet (although I am not advocating one) the brain only requires about 30g of glucose as opposed to the 120g on a medium to high carb diet, as it fuels mostly from ketones.

You just said LC. Low. Meaning NOT zero.

Dont take 1g of carbs for a week and run a 5k a day, then check back in here and let us know how that works out for ya.



Saying you dont need carbs is like saying you dont need vitamin C. Have fun getting scurvy.

Also, fats are essential for metabolizing some nutrients and they do not impact blood glucose. As a Type 2 diabetic I'd rather have fat than carbs to keep my blood glucose levels steady.

Carbs are not essential to your body. They provide energy, but protein can also be metabolized for energy.

IN for depriving your brain of glucose

On a LCHF or even no carb diet (although I am not advocating one) the brain only requires about 30g of glucose as opposed to the 120g on a medium to high carb diet, as it fuels mostly from ketones.

You just said LC. Low. Meaning NOT zero.

Dont take 1g of carbs for a week and run a 5k a day, then check back in here and let us know how that works out for ya.



Saying you dont need carbs is like saying you dont need vitamin C. Have fun getting scurvy.

you actually don't need carbs... or need very few... they are not an essential macronutrient.

i'm a big fan of carbs and despise the foolish "carbs are teh debil" nonsense pushed by the sugar haters, but you can survive for quite a long time without carbs because your body can compensate for the lack of carbs in your diet via gluconeogenesis.

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/5/951.2.full
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_nutrient

all that said, i would never go low carb. i like the "ready" energy from carbs and i like not having a sluggish mind.

But I disagree that believing you can run around on zero carbs and have no adverse reactions or debilitating effects toward your energy levels, strength, or focus of mind isnt a responsible way to live healthwise; but you will remain alive nonetheless. So I guess if your goal is to sit in bed all day and watch The View, Dr Phil and Dr Oz then yeah you are all set. No carbs needed.]

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Straw_man
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_absurdum

But I disagree that believing you can run around on zero carbs and have no adverse reactions or debilitating effects toward your energy levels, strength, or focus of mind isnt a responsible way to live healthwise; but you will remain alive nonetheless. So I guess if your goal is to sit in bed all day and watch The View, Dr Phil and Dr Oz then yeah you are all set. No carbs needed.]

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Straw_man
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_absurdum

Really?

Ill put it out there again. If its good for you, then DO IT.

I promise to come visit you in the hospital. :flowerforyou:

Role of Carbohydrates

The roles of carbohydrate in the body includes providing energy for working muscles, providing fuel for the central nervous system, enabling fat metabolism, and preventing protein from being used as energy. Carbohydrate is the preferred source of energy or fuel for muscle contraction and biologic work.

Foods containing carbohydrate are in the grains, fruit, and milk groups. Vegetables have a small amount of carbohydrate.
After carbohydrate is eaten, it is broken down into smaller units of sugar (including glucose, fructose and galactose) in the stomach and small intestine. These small units of sugar are absorbed in the small intestine and then enter the bloodstream where they travel to the liver. Fructose and galactose are converted to glucose by the liver. Glucose is the carbohydrate transported by the bloodstream to the various tissues and organs, including the muscles and the brain, where it will be used as energy.

If the body does not need glucose for energy, it stores glucose in the liver and the skeletal muscles in a form called glycogen. If glycogen stores are full, glucose is stored as fat. Glycogen stores are used as an energy source when the body needs more glucose than is readily available in the bloodstream (for example, during exercise). The body has limited storage capacity for glycogen (about 2000 calories), which is why carbohydrate is commonly referred to as the limiting fuel in physical performance.

Carbohydrate spares the use of protein as an energy source. When carbohydrate consumption is inadequate, protein is broken down to make glucose to maintain a constant blood glucose level. However, when proteins are broken down they lose their primary role as building blocks for muscles. In addition, protein breakdown may result in an increased stress on the kidneys, where protein byproducts are excreted into the urine.

Finally, glucose is essential for the central nervous system. The brain primarily uses glucose as its energy source, and a lack of glucose can result in weakness, dizziness, and low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). Reduced blood glucose during exercise decreases performance and could lead to mental as well as physical fatigue.


Carbohydrates in the Body

All living cells contain glucose. For glucose to enter the cells it needs help from a hormone called insulin. Insulin acts as gatekeeper and is released once carbohydrate is ingested. It signals the cells to absorb the glucose. The glucose is then used for energy, stored in the liver and the muscles as glycogen, or stored as fat.

Glycogen stores are essential for athletic performance, because they serve as an energy reservoir when blood glucose levels are decreased due to high intensity exercise or inadequate carbohydrate intake. Glycogen stores become depleted as the intensity and duration of the exercise increases. It is imperative for the athlete, whether a sprinter or endurance athlete, to restore glycogen by consuming carbohydrate on a regular basis.

A well-nourished adult can store approximately 500 grams or 2000 kcal of carbohydrates. Of this, approximately 400 grams are stored as muscle glycogen, 90-110 grams as liver glycogen, and 25 grams circulate in the blood as glucose. When the body needs more glucose than is available in bloodstream to support energy demands, glycogen stores are used to raise blood glucose levels. However, it is important to note that the glycogen stored in muscle is used directly by that muscle during exercise, it cannot borrow glycogen from other resting muscles.

Glycogen stores are a readily available source of energy to support the demands of physical activity and exercise. How quickly glycogen stores might be depleted depends on the duration and intensity of the exercise. For low intensity exercise (distance running etc.) glycogen stores can last as long as 90 minutes. For prolonged high intensity exercise, glycogen stores can provide energy for approximately 20 minutes.

Fat and protein are required for hormone production and regulation and cell repair and maintenance. Carbs are necessary for optimum brain function, as dietary carbs help regulate serotonin and dopamine production.

Also, when your body is converting all the protein and fat you eat into glucose that it needs to function, you no longer have the protein and fat available for what they are needed for.

For survival? Carbs are nonessential. For optimal health? Carbs are essential.

When the body has a plentiful supply of carbs the brain will draw upon them (approx. 130g per day), but I have not seen any study to prove that the brain running on a mixture of Ketone, lactate and glucose (with ketone as the majority fuel) is any less optimal than glucose as the majority fuel.

If you have a study I would be genuinely interested in reading it!

Your body can only uptake so much protein and fat for structural maintenance. If you are eating adequate calories, I should think it unlikely you would be depriving your body of anything. But again this is hypothetical as most if not all will be eating carbs to some level.

Also by your analogy of carbs being essential - for optimal health. With this I agree, just as I would agree that bacon is an essential food group - for the ingredients to a bacon sandwich.