Re: FA synthesis (was fiber intake)

[Guest guest]

>>> If I eat nothing but carbos and excess calories, ie, no " protein

foods " , no fats/oils, my body will make and store fat. What is the

composition of the fat?

>>>

One of the most interesting features about body chemistry is that our

genetic structure is so complex that there always is some chemical

algorithm to produce what the body needs from whatever you eat (within

certain limits, of course). When what you eat is out of kilter with

what nature intended, your chemical constitution changes. In the

examples of the omega chicken eggs, and our trans-fat-fed humans we

can see different extremes of " you are what you eat " .

The paper that Jeff cited shows that carbohydrates get turned into

saturated fatty acids (palmitate C16:0) with a consequent rise in

triglyceride levels.

Since carbs get turned into saturated fats, it may be better to eat

animal fats than carbs -- in moderation, of course. Another citation

from 1988, below, reaches the same conclusion about high carb diets.

Human metabolism hasn't changed in the last 20 years!

We need to know the right proportion of carbs and fats in our quest to

define Optimal Nutrition. Perhaps if we can define the triglyceride,

HDL, and LDL ratios conducive to longevity, we can start to focus on

diets with macronutrient proportions to help us achieve that goal.

Tony

===

http://www.jlr.org/cgi/content/full/41/4/595

We reported a marked increase in newly synthesized palmitate (16:0)

and decrease in the essential fatty acid, linoleate (18:2), in plasma

triglyceride (TG) and VLDL TG after the equicaloric substitution of

dietary simple carbohydrate for fat in lean volunteers fed liquid

formula diets (4).

N Engl J Med. 1988 Sep 29;319(13):829-34.

Comparison of a high-carbohydrate diet with a

high-monounsaturated-fat diet in patients with non-insulin-dependent

diabetes mellitus.

Garg A, Bonanome A, Grundy SM, Zhang ZJ, Unger RH.

Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern

Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9052.

We compared a high-carbohydrate diet with a high-fat diet

(specifically, a diet high in monounsaturated fatty acids) for effects

on glycemic control and plasma lipoproteins in 10 patients with

non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) receiving insulin

therapy. The patients were randomly assigned to receive first one diet

and then the other, each for 28 days, in a metabolic ward. In the

high-carbohydrate diet, 25 percent of the energy was in the form of

fat and 60 percent in the form of carbohydrates (47 percent of the

total energy was in the form of complex carbohydrates); the

high-monounsaturated-fat diet was 50 percent fat (33 percent of the

total energy in the form of monounsaturated fatty acids) and 35

percent carbohydrates. The two diets had the same amounts of simple

carbohydrates and fiber. As compared with the high-carbohydrate diet,

the high-monounsaturated-fat diet resulted in lower mean plasma

glucose levels and reduced insulin requirements, lower levels of

plasma triglycerides and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

(lower by 25 and 35 percent, respectively; P less than 0.01), and

higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (higher by

13 percent; P less than 0.005). Levels of total cholesterol and

low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol did not differ significantly

in patients on the two diets. These preliminary results suggest that

partial replacement of complex carbohydrates with monounsaturated

fatty acids in the diets of patients with NIDDM does not increase the

level of LDL cholesterol and may improve glycemic control and the

levels of plasma triglycerides and HDL cholesterol.

PMID: 3045553

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Tony,

I'd venture the fat % is between 20 and 30%, but what about FA's? I tend to think that CR will control lipids, excepting maybe the rally high TC's, but I don't know for sure. My wife is high but she don't exactly eat CR. We try to eat as little as possible, but my interest is the adipose fat that hangs on. I think safflower had a small effect on that - not sure yet.

Regards.

----- Original Message -----

From: citpeks

Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 9:13 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: FA synthesis (was fiber intake)

>>> If I eat nothing but carbos and excess calories, ie, no "proteinfoods", no fats/oils, my body will make and store fat. What is thecomposition of the fat? >>>One of the most interesting features about body chemistry is that ourgenetic structure is so complex that there always is some chemicalalgorithm to produce what the body needs from whatever you eat (withincertain limits, of course). When what you eat is out of kilter withwhat nature intended, your chemical constitution changes. In theexamples of the omega chicken eggs, and our trans-fat-fed humans wecan see different extremes of "you are what you eat".The paper that Jeff cited shows that carbohydrates get turned intosaturated fatty acids (palmitate C16:0) with a consequent rise intriglyceride levels. Since carbs get turned into saturated fats, it may be better to eatanimal fats than carbs -- in moderation, of course. Another citationfrom 1988, below, reaches the same conclusion about high carb diets. Human metabolism hasn't changed in the last 20 years! We need to know the right proportion of carbs and fats in our quest todefine Optimal Nutrition. Perhaps if we can define the triglyceride,HDL, and LDL ratios conducive to longevity, we can start to focus ondiets with macronutrient proportions to help us achieve that goal.Tony===http://www.jlr.org/cgi/content/full/41/4/595We reported a marked increase in newly synthesized palmitate (16:0)and decrease in the essential fatty acid, linoleate (18:2), in plasmatriglyceride (TG) and VLDL TG after the equicaloric substitution ofdietary simple carbohydrate for fat in lean volunteers fed liquidformula diets (4). N Engl J Med. 1988 Sep 29;319(13):829-34. Comparison of a high-carbohydrate diet with ahigh-monounsaturated-fat diet in patients with non-insulin-dependentdiabetes mellitus. Garg A, Bonanome A, Grundy SM, Zhang ZJ, Unger RH. Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas SouthwesternMedical Center, Dallas 75235-9052. We compared a high-carbohydrate diet with a high-fat diet(specifically, a diet high in monounsaturated fatty acids) for effectson glycemic control and plasma lipoproteins in 10 patients withnon-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) receiving insulintherapy. The patients were randomly assigned to receive first one dietand then the other, each for 28 days, in a metabolic ward. In thehigh-carbohydrate diet, 25 percent of the energy was in the form offat and 60 percent in the form of carbohydrates (47 percent of thetotal energy was in the form of complex carbohydrates); thehigh-monounsaturated-fat diet was 50 percent fat (33 percent of thetotal energy in the form of monounsaturated fatty acids) and 35percent carbohydrates. The two diets had the same amounts of simplecarbohydrates and fiber. As compared with the high-carbohydrate diet,the high-monounsaturated-fat diet resulted in lower mean plasmaglucose levels and reduced insulin requirements, lower levels ofplasma triglycerides and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(lower by 25 and 35 percent, respectively; P less than 0.01), andhigher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (higher by13 percent; P less than 0.005). Levels of total cholesterol andlow-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol did not differ significantlyin patients on the two diets. These preliminary results suggest thatpartial replacement of complex carbohydrates with monounsaturatedfatty acids in the diets of patients with NIDDM does not increase thelevel of LDL cholesterol and may improve glycemic control and thelevels of plasma triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. PMID: 3045553