Low carb diet concerns

[vxrich]

Hi All

Ive been trying alow carb diet for the last few days but there are a few things concerning/
confusing me that I hope you can answer (in leymans terms if possible):

1) Ive read that a low carb- high fat diet is the way to go but surely having alot of fat in your diet isnt good due to the cholestorol levels etc and the fact that Im trying to burn fat? Surely a low carb -low fat diet would be better. Also what types of fatty foods should be eaten?

2)Im not really sure what keytones/ketosis is and how a low carb diet effects it?

3) It seems as though a low carb diet is quite high in protein- is this good for you? (I had a telling off by my consultant a few years ago when I was bodybuilding for eating too much protein)

4) What are the downsides to a low carb diet if any?

Rich

 

[timo2]

Hi vxrich,

1) You need to distinguish between the fat you eat and your levels of body fat/levels of
blood lipids (which includes things like cholesterol and triglycerides). It's the insulin response
to carbohydrates that makes people wobble down your high street, rather than the fat they eat. Stick to mainly unsaturated fats if the other stuff is still freaking you out.

2) Resricting carbohydrate can cause your body to produce ketones as a byproduct of fat burning.
Ketosis is not a harmful process. Don't confuse ketosis (due to a relative lack of carbohydrate)
with ketoacidosis (due to a relative lack of insulin).

3) It depends what kind of condition your kidneys are in.

4) You can't eat much carbohydrate.

Regards,
timo.

 

[Trinkwasser]

What he says! Bear in mind that most papers concerning the "dangers of fat" have it as part of a high carb diet.

When your carb input and insulin output is low enough the way you metabolise fats appears to change. Low insulin levels switch you from fat storage to fat utilisation mode.

My lipids dropped like a stone by reducing carbs, this is common. My HDL increased and LDL increased by around the same amount by adding more saturated fats. This is not uncommon AS LONG AS your carb input is reduced sufficiently, but there seems to be more individual variation here.

Sites which may be of interest to you

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

http://conditioningresearch.blogspot.com/

 

[vxrich]

So what types of fatty foods do you eat within your low carb diet

 

[Trinkwasser]

So what types of fatty foods do you eat within your low carb diet

Good question, long answer.

I tend to cook with ground nut oil or the most peppery olive oil I can find, and occasionally others such as toasted sesame oil, avocado or macadamia oil etc.

I eat plenty of fish (Omega 3)

I eat a lot of meat including streaky bacon and lamb chops with all that yummy crackling

I snack on nuts and nut butters, olives, cheese of all kinds, and sometimes cook with sesame seeds or ground flax seeds.

Basically I avoid processed foods with trans fats. I don't drink milk except in coffee and my only carry-over from the low fat diet is a preference for skimmed milk, and I alternate between butter and Flora. I tend to keep the balance of O3s high compared to O6s

Looking at my lipids this works for me. I think variety is important to avoid possible micronutrient deficiencies, as you can see that's a fair mix of monounsaturates, Omega 3 and 6 polys and sat fats

 

[hanadr]

I do the total rebel thing and fry in lard. ( the flavour is so good) and I have loads of butter on my fergus bread. I also eat deli meats, which are quite high fat. My cholesterol is excellent HDL 1.9, LDL 1.7 triglycerides 0.9. Add cheeses, nuts and seeds to that.

 

[Trinkwasser]

I do the total rebel thing and fry in lard. ( the flavour is so good) and I have loads of butter on my fergus bread. I also eat deli meats, which are quite high fat. My cholesterol is excellent HDL 1.9, LDL 1.7 triglycerides 0.9. Add cheeses, nuts and seeds to that.

Have you ever noticed that when you tell people your father ate lard all his life and lived into his eighties plenty of people will pull out similar stories.

Tell people *you* eat lard and they still go YEUGHHH!

 

[Buachaille]

Now there's a thing - a 'piece' with beef dripping!

Or a tattie scone fried in beef dripping?

 

[sixfoot]

Buachaille....... nice thought and very tasty but defo couldnt go near a tatty scone. Have to make do with some of your square sausage .......... Oh well


Dave P

 

[Dennis]

Ohhh how I miss Lorne sausage - just can't get it down south.

 

[catherinecherub]

http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/ ... sliced.htm

Here you are Dennis, a recipe for Lorne Sausages.Regards, Catherine.

 

[hanadr]

Dripping! now there's something tasty.We used to have it on rye bread for breakfast when I was a child and my mother still "renders" pork fat, to get the dripping and the "croutons" It's the jelly that is so delicious. Now I confess to putting salt onto it too.