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When the body needs energy, it burns sugar. When it runs out of sugar it burns fat. The body does not burn fat so long as it has sugar. This simple observation explains why diets fail. So long as the body has a supply of sugar, it does not burn fat.

Carbs are short for carbohydrates. Sugars and starches. In the body, carbs become sugar (glucose). If you eat carbs, the body will not burn fat. It will burn sugar. If you eat excess carbs, the body will store this in the liver and muscles as glycogen (another sugar) via insulin (a hormone).

Once that storage is full, carbs are stored as fat. It is at this point, where glycogen stores are full that insulin resistance may develop. Over time with continued excess carb intake, insulin loses effectiveness. Type 2 diabetes may result, with the potential for devastating results on health.

In contrast, if the body was at this point eating fat instead of carbs, there would be no insulin produced. No insulin, no diabetes. The excess calories would still be there but would be added to fat stores directly without producing insulin. In both cases, you add fat, but only carbs increase insulin.

Without insulin production, there is no insulin rebound. You don’t feel hungry. You stop eating. This is why high-fat low-carb diets work to reduce weight while high-carb diets increase weight and diabetes risk.

Proteins are broken down into amino acids to build and repair the body. There are 9 essential amino acids the body cannot manufacture, so regular consumption of small amounts of protein is required. Either from animal sources or a mix of vegetable sources.

Unlike animal products, vegetables must be mixed to get a full supply of essential amino acids. Excess proteins act similarly to fat, not carbs. Protein does not trigger insulin, but it does produce ammonia which may be a problem for individuals with liver or kidney disease. Protein in a diet should not exceed 35-45% of […]

150 years ago William Banting published a short letter outlining a cure for obesity. This prescription was drawn up by William Harvey, Banting’s ear doctor. Harvey in turn had based this prescription on a series of lectures he attended in Paris, outlining early discoveries involving the liver, glucose, and diabetes. The prescription? Remove sugars and […]

And this is where Macros come in. Armed with this knowledge, we want to choose an optimum balance of Carbs, Proteins, and Fats to match our body and expected requirements. Which means nothing more than choosing the correct foods for us personally. The Food Pyramid does the opposite. It matches the person to the food. […]

Which really is just a matter of meal selection. There is no one size fits all solution. “Eat more brown rice and less animal fat” is not a prescription for good health for everyone. A hamburger is not by itself unhealthy.