Excerpt from Sugar Nation

I make it a point not to tell carbophobes that protein is also insulinogenic, because I'm afraid they'll start avoiding that as well.

Our bodies produce insulin in response to protein so that the amino acids it breaks down to (especially the essential amino acids) can be pushed/absorbed into our cells for good use, like repairing muscles. However, unlike carb-rich foods, protein-rich foods also elicit increased levels of the hormone glucagon, which helps keep blood sugars from rising. So, yes, protein and carbs both elicit an insulin response, but protein (at least in the absence or restriction of carb-rich foods) does not raise blood sugar levels due to the interaction with glucagon.

Now time for my bacon and butter.

Leptin and insulin work together. Insulin moves glucose around your body, and when insulin levels are raised, and starts storing glucose (as glycogen) then leptin is produced by the fat cells and sends the "I'm full" signal. That persists as long as the insulin levels are raised and insulin is working. When the insulin levels drop, glucagon levels rise, leptin levels fall, ghrelin levels rise, and then you eventually start to feel hungry again.

Yes, it's the carbs fault that Americans are becoming overweight and suffering from myriad health problems. Let's completely ignore the parts of the world where grains and carbs ARE the staple diet, and they have none of the health problems we have here.

It's not sugar, it's not ZOMG EVIL CARBS, it's simply the fact that Americans eat over 600 calories a day MORE than they did 40 years ago on average. People are moving a lot less (due to the increase in sedentary desk jobs,) and eating a lot more. It's that simple. There is no magic bullet.

Also, insulin spikes and blood sugar spikes right after eating are NORMAL, it's how the body works. Insulin rises when you eat, which suppresses your appetite, and then steadily falls over the next several hours. It's like your oven, you set your oven for a set temperature, and your oven heats up, spikes above that temperature, falls back down under it, spikes back up over it, etc.

That's another reason why I disagree with the eating every 2 hours or whatever it is, all that does is keep your insulin and blood glucose levels constantly raised, as you never let them fall.

Yes, it's the carbs fault that Americans are becoming overweight and suffering from myriad health problems. Let's completely ignore the parts of the world where grains and carbs ARE the staple diet, and they have none of the health problems we have here.

It's not sugar, it's not ZOMG EVIL CARBS, it's simply the fact that Americans eat over 600 calories a day MORE than they did 40 years ago on average. People are moving a lot less (due to the increase in sedentary desk jobs,) and eating a lot more. It's that simple. There is no magic bullet.

Also, insulin spikes and blood sugar spikes right after eating are NORMAL, it's how the body works. Insulin rises when you eat, which suppresses your appetite, and then steadily falls over the next several hours. It's like your oven, you set your oven for a set temperature, and your oven heats up, spikes above that temperature, falls back down under it, spikes back up over it, etc.

That's another reason why I disagree with the eating every 2 hours or whatever it is, all that does is keep your insulin and blood glucose levels constantly raised, as you never let them fall.

Can you provide the habit that is all carb and has the same health results as the Eskimo example. Need to counter not just with words, but specifics.

Thanks

Not really. Glucagon is the opposite of insulin. It's not released because of protein. It's released when blood glucose levels drop too low. Insulin is released when your blood glucose is elevated, it's job is to bring it down. Glucagon does the opposite, it's job is to raise your blood glucose levels when it's low. Basically glucagon is released when you aren't eating, and your blood glucose levels are low, in order to raise them up and stabilize them by telling your liver to release more glucose into the blood stream. Nothing to do with protein, and it certainly won't keep your blood glucose from elevating, as elevating blood glucose is kind of it's thing.

Also, Insulin actually inhibits glucagon release, so protein can't elicit both an insulin and glucagon response, because you can't have both hormones circulating at the same time.

I once thought the same thing, but in this specific case, glucagon and insulin are both released in response to dietary protein in the absence or restriction of carbs. The type and amount of protein seems to affect the degree of glucagon/insulin response as well. This explains why protein-rich foods can raise insulin levels without raising blood glucose levels, whereas a carb-rich diet will raise both insulin response and blood glucose levels.

For reference, see “Glucagon and Insulin Responses after Ingestion of Different Amounts of Intact and Hydrolysed Proteins” (2008) (http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=/BJN/BJN100_01/S0007114507886314a.pdf&code=561f1bbd463f1056db323feb4fadd1e3)

“Insulin and glucagon responses increased with increasing protein load…but the effect was more pronounced for glucagon. A higher dose of protein or its hydrolysate will result in a lower insulin:glucagon ratio, an important parameter for the control of postprandial substrate metabolism. In conclusion, insulin and glucagon responses were protein and hydrolysate specific.”

Page 4, Figure 2, show their test subjects' (healthy, non-obese individuals) levels of insulin, glucagon, and blood glucose over time in response to the ingestion of soy and whey protein.

Yes, it's the carbs fault that Americans are becoming overweight and suffering from myriad health problems. Let's completely ignore the parts of the world where grains and carbs ARE the staple diet, and they have none of the health problems we have here.

It's not sugar, it's not ZOMG EVIL CARBS, it's simply the fact that Americans eat over 600 calories a day MORE than they did 40 years ago on average. People are moving a lot less (due to the increase in sedentary desk jobs,) and eating a lot more. It's that simple. There is no magic bullet.

Also, insulin spikes and blood sugar spikes right after eating are NORMAL, it's how the body works. Insulin rises when you eat, which suppresses your appetite, and then steadily falls over the next several hours. It's like your oven, you set your oven for a set temperature, and your oven heats up, spikes above that temperature, falls back down under it, spikes back up over it, etc.

That's another reason why I disagree with the eating every 2 hours or whatever it is, all that does is keep your insulin and blood glucose levels constantly raised, as you never let them fall.

Can you provide the habit that is all carb and has the same health results as the Eskimo example. Need to counter not just with words, but specifics.

Thanks

The Okinawan diet consists of about 90% carbohydrate. They are generally regarded as the healthiest population in the world, and have the longest lifespan.

Awesome thanks... of course I veified and your right. Now what does the Eskimos and the Okinawan have in common? They are eating Real food and not processed crap that the Western Diet brings. Now the reason I asked you to back it up is for the low carb people. If you look at all diets out there most agree on one thing. Eat real food and stay away from processed food. Some go low carb route, some go high carb, but all people start eating real food to get there. Real food and exercise!!!!

A caloric surplus is not the only cause of obesity.