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    Nutritional value of body fat

    Posts: 3 Member
    edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
    A survival expert I know said if you're lost in the bush, don't bother looking for food--the average North American can survive without food for 3 months and come out in better health than when s/he went in. He said you'd increase your chances of survival by spending your time and energy looking for water and shelter and planning your rescue instead. Also, one would probably burn more calories looking for/hunting/gathering food than one would gain eating the harvest. My question is, does body fat contain any nutrients that are released when we burn it? Would we survive without food fine for 3 months as far as calories go but have problems due to vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies? Lack of protein or carbs?

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    Replies

    • Posts: 18,878 Member
      edited February 2015
      Not eating for 3 months? Somehow I don't think that's going to work out... the muscle wastage alone would have you a ragdoll.
    • Posts: 1,748 Member
      Alatariel75 wrote: »
      Not eating for 3 months? Somehow I don't think that's going to work out....

      So are we gathering and hunting for our food here or are we fasting? I'm confused.
    • Posts: 15,149 Member
      I wouldn't, I get grouchy after 8 hours sometimes!
    • Posts: 9,532 Member
      edited February 2015
      Three months is extreme. Three weeks - yeah, doable. But three months and you're coming out a wreck....

      To answer the original question - it would have been a pretty serious design flaw if our bodies evolved an energy storage system that didn't also include storage of a few key nutrients.
    • Posts: 14,464 Member
      Ummmmmm, no. For the survival expert part. And these extremes (21 days) depend on proper hydration and laying still to preserve energy.
      http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-can-a-person-sur/

      There are some micronutrients that are only stored in fat. Vitamins A, E, D and K are stored in the fat. Fat stores convert very nicely in to the glycogen we need and if we need protein, the body will (un)happily pirate from other muscles. Hopefully not from the heart muscle.
    • Posts: 18,878 Member
      the average North American can survive without food for 3 months and come out in better health than when s/he went in.

      I believe the point was the person could survive the 3 months without eating at all, would burn more looking for food than eating it so there was no point, and would magically be better off for not eating for that whole 3 months. W.T.F.
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    • Posts: 650 Member
      You know how many medical problems you'd have if you didn't eat for 3 months!?
    • Posts: 14,464 Member
      I'd think the lost North American would be better off knowing about all the edibles surrounding him or her.
    • Posts: 9,532 Member
      jgnatca wrote: »
      I'd think the lost North American would be better off knowing about all the edibles surrounding him or her.

      Sure.

      And as long as we're doing the hindsight thing, they'd also be better off not getting lost in the first place.

    • Posts: 14,464 Member
      LOL. It can happen in this part of the world, despite the best-laid plans. Let's say the bush plane crashes, for instance.
    • Posts: 7,001 Member
      eileenschuh wrote: »
      A survival expert I know said if you're lost in the bush, don't bother looking for food--the average North American can survive without food for 3 months and come out in better health than when s/he went in. He said you'd increase your chances of survival by spending your time and energy looking for water and shelter and planning your rescue instead. Also, one would probably burn more calories looking for/hunting/gathering food than one would gain eating the harvest. My question is, does body fat contain any nutrients that are released when we burn it? Would we survive without food fine for 3 months as far as calories go but have problems due to vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies? Lack of protein or carbs?

      Better health? I think not. Your body will break down your lean muscle when you aren't eating protein or any other nutrients. if your potassium levels get too low, your heart will go into arrhythmia and you will die of cardiac arrest.
    • Posts: 6,212 Member
      So...is this the newest diet fad?
    • Posts: 2,107 Member
      Survive? Yes. Thrive? No.
    • Posts: 7,001 Member
      gypsy_spirit wrote: »
      Survive? Yes. Thrive? No.

      Risky to say yes, since the question is "would we survive for 3 months without food?". Depends on the starting weight and health of the person, doesn't it?
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    • Posts: 9,532 Member
      mccindy72 wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      Risky to say yes, since the question is "would we survive for 3 months without food?". Depends on the starting weight and health of the person, doesn't it?

      I assume that's where the "average American" (ie, obese) bit from the OP kicks in.
    • Posts: 4,710 Member
      I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that he hasn't illustrated his point by doing this himself.
    • Posts: 8,375 Member
      Poor brain would be mush after 3 months. Who'd want to "survive" that? Better off living off sushi and Sapporo. I'm staying amongst civilization.
    • Posts: 7,001 Member
      emily_stew wrote: »
      This thread title honestly sounds like someone is attempting to calculate the nutrients found in human fat for the purposes of cannibalism..

      completely what I was expecting this thread to be about.
      tumblr_loyirxDq1I1qg39ewo1_500.gif
    • Posts: 16,049 Member
      A morbidly obese person would probably have a better chance of surviving than a skinny underweight person. Possibly??
    • Posts: 2,107 Member
      tumblr_m9e36ksNuu1qbq63xo1_500.gif
    • Posts: 3,198 Member
      What am I reading here???!!!!
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    • Posts: 7,001 Member
      emily_stew wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      I'm attempting to calculate the nutritional value of human liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti. Asking for a friend....

      the Chianti is what gets you. Only 3 ounces per serving!
    • Posts: 792 Member
      emily_stew wrote: »
      This thread title honestly sounds like someone is attempting to calculate the nutrients found in human fat for the purposes of cannibalism..

      That's exactly what I thought when I read the title! Yikes!
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