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Proteins and fats

J

janeislay

Active Member
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I've been on a low carb, low GI diet for about seven years but I'm fairly generous with my portion sizes of meat, fish and eggs, and also with cream, butter and animal fats.

I just read on here somewhere, but can't find it again, that proteins affect insulin ? I thought only carbohydrates needed insulin - is this where I'm going wrong ?

I need to lose weight, but thought that basically it was carbs that are converted to glucose, not fats or proteins. (The Schwarzbein Principle, Good Calories, Bad Calories, etc)

Confused
 
Hi Jane

No, you're not going wrong - protein does convert to glucose, but very slowly so it doesn't affect your BG much, and not very much of it converts to glucose anyway, as far as I know. I don't think fat converts to glucose at all, but if I'm wrong, someone else will tell us! If it does, it's not much. It's carbohydrate we have to worry about.

About 'needing insulin' - I really don't know, but everyone on here (Type 1) seems to say 'work out your carbs and then match with insulin', so I would assume you don't need to count protein.

I'm Type 2, and your diet seems very similar to mine, which is based on the Atkins Induction phase. I'm losing much slower on it this time, which I put down to the insulin resistance, but my cholesterol is falling nicely and my blood glucose levels are never outside the NICE target range, so I'll let the weight loss take its course.

I've just got a reading of 6.7, 2 hours after 'sinning' tonight with a small portion of potatoes, so I seem to be doing something right!

I think you need to stand back a bit and try not to worry too much - only twice a day, maybe! :wink: Stress can raise your BG levels. And never, ever listen to yourself at 3 0'clock in the morning!

(That's 'Auntie Viv' mode - hope it doesn't sound patronising, 'cos it's not meant to be! I've had that mode since I was about 3! I can't help it. :lol: ) Take care.

Viv :)
 
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