Dieting: carbohydrate versus fat

Trial fat

Fats have bad reputation and are often accused of being fat. They are generally banned from dieting. But is that not wrong culprit? A Does it really incriminating evidence against the accused? By their energy-dense fats are the ideal culprit ...





Glycemic index and fat

Fat consumed in a meal (fat foods constitution, or adding, for example oils or butter) slow gastric emptying. And the bolus progresses less rapidly in the digestive tract, and therefore allows to lower the overall glycemic index of the meal (hyperglycaemic potential of meals). So here we see the interest to consume fat at every meal.

Hunger: carbohydrate versus fat

Carbohydrates are digested quickly for most. A low-fat meal has quickly digested and assimilated. It follows a more rapid and greater rise in blood sugar. Insulin is then secreted by the pancreas accordingly. Reactive hypoglycemia may occur and trigger new hunger.

Conversely lipids allow to extend the digestion time and therefore the delay of several hours of starvation.

Insulin: carbohydrate versus fat

Carbohydrates have a significant effect on insulin secretion, unlike lipids action. More important is the glycemic load (+ absorbed carbohydrate absorption rate), the more increased insulin secretion. It is known that insulin increases fat storage by promoting lipogenesis (fat storage) and inhibits lipolysis (fat).

Storage and release of fat in adipocytes

The couple lipogenesis / lipolysis is controlled by insulin. We now understand that eating a lot of carbohydrates, it promotes the storage (carbohydrates but fats) in specialized cells, adipocytes. Furthermore as insulin is high, the metabolism is oriented carbohydrates. That is to say that the organization is doing everything to burn glucose preferentially. The insulin should have a lower metabolism so that the fatty acids can be used as an energy substrate (for fuel) level.

Fats omega 3 and weight loss

Although the subject is controversial, it is believed that omega 3 fatty acids, particularly those with long-chain (EPA and DHA) found in fish, have an interest in weight loss . They stimulate the metabolism (the cells that have in their membrane over this type of fatty acids increase metabolism), they help to reduce insulin resistance  and finally, alpha linolenic acid (omega 3 which is particularly found in certain plants) decrease hunger via increased leptin .



So what?

Attention is nothing to add fat to the diet to lose weight, of course. In addition one would be tempted to remove fat to reduce the calorie total. This is what is often done in most diets, simply because fats are more than twice as calorie carbohydrates. By cons, to equal calories, low carb diet and normal lipid will be more effective on a weight loss diet high in carbohydrates and low in fat.

in practice

Nothing serves to reduce the proteins. Instead they avoid too much muscle wasting which decrease the metabolism and make weight loss more difficult. It remains carbohydrates and lipids. We will seek to reduce calories instead of carbs side to reduce the total of this nutrient. Foods with low glycemic index also to reduce the glycemic load is chosen (see list of foods and their glycemic index and glycemic load database in English). A normal amount of fat we consume that is between two and three tablespoons of oil per day (olive, canola and walnuts), added a little butter or non-hydrogenated margarine rich in omega 3. Some oilseeds (almonds and walnuts) have also quite up their even dieting! We also ensure to consume oily fish three times a week (salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring).

conclusion

Better to move towards a low-carb diet rather than a low-fat diet in order to focus the metabolism to burn fat. The amount of fat should be that of the normal and high normal proteins.