High Fat Low Carb Diet (HFLC)

What is High Fat Low Carb Diet ?

HFLC diet is nothing but, minimizing or reducing the carbohydrates intake (between 25 – 40 grams per day for normal Adult) and increasing the dietary fat along with adequate amount of protein intake.  Note : The current recommendations from the most of the national dietary associations are about 300-350 grams of carbohydrates per day, for a normal Adult. 

The known/proven benefits of HFLC are weight reduction, complete cure from diabetic, hypertension, Poly Cystic Ovarian Disease or Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOD/PCOS), Non-Alcoholic fatty liver, Inflammation, Improved lipid profile (lower Triglyceride, Improved HDL and large and puffy LDL) thus reduced risk of cardio vascular disease and Coronary artery disease.

Apart from the above, there are numerous health benefits like, improved kidney, liver and brain function. As well as, relief from auto immune diseases.

The important aspect of HFLC is there is no calorie counting thus no portion control. This means there is no starvation! You are allowed to eat till you feel full and satisfied. (starvation is the major cause of giving up the any weight reduction diet and it’s no more an issue with HFLC) 

How does it works………………….

To know more about HFLC diet, it’s important to know about the hormone called Insulin and Glucagon.

We know, insulin is the hormone that keeps the blood sugar in control. Let’s see how it controls.

When we eat carb high food, its further broken down into glucose (simple sugar) and absorbed by the blood stream and the glucose/sugar level in the blood start to rise. So, the pancreases secrete the hormone called insulin.

The insulin is the key to “push” the glucose into all the cells in our body (for cell metabolism) also initiate the formation of triglyceride and store in the fat cell for future (long term) energy needs.

Once, all the cells were fed with glucose/sugar (with the help of insulin) the remaining blood glucose (if any) processed and converted into glycogen by the liver and stored for future (short term) energy needs.

Thus the blood glucose/sugar comes to normal level or range. If there is no Insulin, there is no blood sugar control. Also, Insulin is the signal to store the energy into cell. That’s why it’s called as growth hormone. 

All carb (simple, complex, refined, all forms of sugar) rich foods are the major cause blood sugar spike, resulting insulin secretion. In a normal (high carb) diet, blood sugar spike and crash (“roller coaster”) happens 3 to 5 times a day (depends on your food habits) and 24 x 7 x 365 !

This is how the body continuously stores the energy in the form of glycogen and fat. Glycogen can’t be stored beyond certain limit and used for short term energy needs. But, fat can be stored under the Adipose tissue as well around organs and without any limits as its for long term energy reserve.
 

Thus we store more and more fat without spending or burning. Note : Insulin not only enables the storage, also prevent the fat to burn or use as fuel.

In HFLC carb diet, by restricting the carb’s, the blood sugar remains in normal range throughout the day, hence, the insulin release comes under complete control and enable the body to have an access to the fat storage and start using the fat as its fuel. Once, the fat storages starts to deplete, you lose weight, blood sugar and hypertension comes into control.

How do we access the fat storage ? As long as insulin is present, No way to use the fat as an energy. To cut the insulin, need to cut or restrict the carb’s. 

Once, your blood sugar hits the lower normal limit, (not crashes) this had been sensed by the pancreases and releases the hormone called Glucagon. (Reverse effect of Insulin)

Glucagon, converts the stored glycogens into glucose and observed by blood stream. Thus the blood sugar comes to normal (not spikes). Also, the glucagon breaks the triglycerides into fatty acid and body uses for its energy needs.

In HFLC, the body switches from carbohydrate metabolism to Fat metabolism. In other words, body switches its fuel from carb to fat. Resulting, weights lose along with other numerous health benefits.

Let’s see more details in the future post about the role of Insulin, Glucagon, Effect of Carbohydrate vs Fat metabolism and why fat is out enemy and fat is our friend.

So, what should be eaten and what shouldn’t in HFLC.

To eat list : Whole Egg, Meat from Animals and Birds with skin (no lean cut), Organs of Animals, Sea Food (all), Full fat Milk, Full fat Cheese, Butter , Clarified Butter (Ghee), Fresh Vegetables, Coconut, Walnuts, Almond, Brazil nuts, Melon seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Flaxes seeds, Coconut oil (for cooking), Olive oil(for dressing), All Kinds of Berries, Lemon, Avocado.

Not to eat : All kinds of Cereals and Grains, (Rice, Wheat, Oats, Corn etc), All kind of Sugar (any form), All kind of Fruits, All kind of Vegetable oil and Vegetable fat (in any form), Low fat or skimmed Milk / low fat cheese, All kind of Legumes (Beans, peanut and Pulses), Potato (all kind)

Micronutrients

After knowing about Macronutrients and its role, let’s see about Micronutrients.

Micronutrients are nutrients required by organisms in minuscule quantities to orchestrate a range of physiological functions and essential for proper growth and development.

Though the requirements of the micronutrients (of the body) are very tiny (milli and microgram) amounts but, the consequences of their absence are severe. (The deficiency of micronutrient leads to disease and disorders) Body can’t synthesize the micronutrients (like the macronutrients) must be supplied through the diet.

Micronutrients include all the essential minerals and vitamins phytochemicals, and antioxidant. In contrast to macronutrients, micronutrients are not directly used for making energy, but they work together with enzymes and other substances, in the process of energy production, (metabolism) digesting nutrients, building macromolecules, etc.

Minerals : Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms.  There are sixteen essential minerals, found in ionized form in the body. They are further classified into Major or macro minerals {=>100 milligrams per day} and Trace or micro minerals {< 100 milligrams/ day}.

Minerals are critical for enzyme function, others are used to maintain fluid balance, build bone tissue, synthesize hormones, transmit nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and protect against harmful free radicals.

Minerals are very important in keeping the blood and tissue fluids from either becoming too acid or too alkaline, or aid in transporting nutrients to the cells. Also, they are your electrolytes, carrying electrical currents through the body.

Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur are known as major or macro minerals.

Iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, fluoride, selenium, chromium and molybdenum are known as trace or micro minerals.

Vitamins: There are thirteen essential vitamins are required to our body to function. Vitamins are either fat-soluble or water-soluble. Fat soluble Vitamins can be stored in the fatty tissues in the body when in excess. But, water soluble vitamins excreted in urine when in excess and so need to be taken daily.

The water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and all the B vitamins, which include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyroxidine, biotin, folate and cobalamin. Fat soluble vitamins are Vitamin A, D, E and K.

Vitamins are required to carry out many functions in the body like, making red blood cells, synthesizing bone tissue, and playing a role in vision and nervous function and immune system. Deficiency of vitamin can cause severe health problems. Certain vitamins like C or E are also acting as Antioxidants.

Antioxidants are a substance (from plant and animal sources) that inhibits or slows the damage done to our cells by oxidation. (Free radicals)

Phytochemicals are chemical compounds found in plants. Hundreds of these phytochemical compounds are considered micronutrients because they are needed by our body for good health.

Macronutrients

Hello all,

Before jumping directly into HFLC diet, it’s better to understand some basics and terminology.  Let’s begin with ………..Nutrients.

The word nutrition comes from the Latin word “nutrire” meaning “to nourish”.  Nutrition is nothing but, the substances required by the body that must be obtained from the diet.

Nutrients required for the survival of all living being and can be divided into two categories. They are macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients. 

In this post, we will see only about Macro-nutrients. 

Macronutrients are the chemical substances required for growth and other human body functions. Our body needs in large amounts (of macronutrients) to provide energy (calories).

The major macro-nutrients are carbohydrate, protein and fat which contribute the major portion of our food as energy-giving caloric constituents.

Carbohydrates :  are sugar compounds that found to be simple or complex (Depending on their chemical structure) The shorter length of the carbohydrate molecule chain is known as simple carbohydrate and the longer length of the carbohydrate molecule chain is known as complex carbohydrate.

Simple carbohydrates (are easily broken down) and complex carbohydrates (like starch, takes longer time to break down) are break down in our body to single units of sugar, called glucose.

 

Foods with high glycemic index are known as simple carb (raises the blood sugar rapidly) and the foods with low glycemic index are known as complex carb. (raises the blood sugar tardily) 

Complex carbohydrates are found (as starch form) in cereals, grains, legumes, dairy, fruits and vegetables. Simple carbohydrates found in natural foods like grains, cereals, vegetables ect.

Also, there are man-made (“manufactured”) carb’s (sugars) are available in the processed food (by many hidden names) are known refined carbohydrate sources. (fast food,  candy, cola,  juice, ice cream, refined white sugar, brown sugar and wheat and corn based sugar products) 

Apart from complex, simple and refined carb’s listed above, the non digestible carbohydrates like cellulose are found in grains, cereals, fruits and vegetable is known as dietary fiber.  Since, it’s not digestible, doesn’t contribute any calories (energy) to the body.

In general, carbohydrates can provide 4 calories per gram. (In Physics calorie is defined as “A calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree”).  

Good about Carb : Easily digestible, provides (quick) energy, triggers insulin (by raising blood sugar) which enable the storage of glycogen and fat. (used during starvation) {will discuss later, in detail on the metabolism post}

Bad about Carb (if exceeds more than 50g/day)  : reason for blood sugar roller-coaster, causes insulin resistivity, triggers the appetite cravings and contributes to obesity, diabetic, hypertension, high triglycerides, small and sense LDL and coronary artery /cardiovascular diseases.

The bottom line is, whatever the carb, the digestive system changes carbohydrates into glucose, (glucose is the most simple sugar compound) which raises the blood sugar. (cells uses as an energy) The excess sugar in the blood stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen and the rest converted into fat and stored in the fat cells.

Fat (s):

The most misunderstood macro-nutrient (Thanks to the flawed research) Most of the people believe (or told) that eating fat will makes you fat, which is NOT true.

Fat is one of the three important and most calorie-dense macro-nutrients. Fat has about 9 calories per gram which is more than double of carb and protein. Extra fat is stored in adipose tissue and around the organ as subcutaneous as reserve, to burn when the body run out of fuel or need more fuel. (We will discuss later, in detail on the metabolism post)

Fat is an essential to human life and we cannot live without it. The basic units of fats are fatty acids and glycerol.  (Glycerol is a water-soluble compound that can bind up to three fatty acids)

Fatty acids can be divided into three groups namely, Saturated, Unsaturated fatty and Trans fatty acids, based on their chemical structure. We will discuss about this in detail in another post.

Fat is the calorie-dense nutrient and not only essential for growth and development, also acting as the backbone to important hormones, insulation for nerves, skin and hair health, and absorb nutrients and vitamins from foods we eat.

Saturated fat : mostly tend to be solid at room temperature as it contain more saturated fatty acids. Foods that are rich in saturated fats are animal products like, red meat, lard, tallow, poultry , Dairy products, such as fresh /heavy cream, butter, cheese, whole milk, from plant, coconut oil.

Saturated fats are totally healthy, only on low carb diet. They are harmful when combined with refined carb and high carb.

Unsaturated fat : mostly tend to be liquid  at room temperature as it contain more unsaturated fatty acids. It further classified into Monounsaturated fatty acids & Polyunsaturated fatty acids (depends on the kind of chemical bond)

Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) also known as omega-9 fatty acids. Good sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, avocados, and most of the nuts. Our body is capable to convert the saturated fat into monounsaturated if required.

Monounsaturated fats are totally healthy only on low carb diet. They are harmful when combined with refined carb and high carb.

Polyunsatured fats (PUFA) provide essential fatty acids, including omega-6 (linoleic acid) and omega-3 (linolenic acid) fats. (Body can’t make omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids of its own. Food is the only source)

Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil, and hydrogenated soybean oil are few examples, for Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Foods rich in omega-6 fatty acids are safflower, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and corn oils.

The body functions well (ideal ratio) with an omega-3 and omega-6 ratio between 1:1  - 1:2.

Trans fatty acids:  When unsaturated plant oils are treated industrially with hydrogen to make them semi-solid, some of the molecules are converted into a form known as ‘trans’fat and chemically similar to saturated fats.

Commonly found in commercially produced baked goods, snack foods, fast foods and margarine.  Trans fat should be completely avoided.

Triglycerides (Lipids)

The body converts the excess calories (to provide energy between meals) in the form of triglycerides in the fat cell. (Triglycerides formed by attaching a glycerol with three fatty acids) Most fats in food and in our bodies are in the form of triglycerides. (kind of safety mechanism build-into withstand starvation)  (We will discuss later, in detail on the metabolism post)

High triglycerides level in the blood has been shown to increase the risk of developing heart disease. Note that, glycerol is the backbone of triglyceride. (formation of triglycerides directly proportional to glycerol availability or formation of triglycerides depends on glycerol availability) Body produces Glycerol thru Carb (rich food) metabolism or directly from the processed Food

Cholesterol :

Sterols are compounds that have a multiple-ring structure. Cholesterol is an example of sterols. Both plant and animal foods contain sterols, but only animal foods contain cholesterol.

Our body needs cholesterol every day. (that’s why body equipped to synthesis to make its own cholesterol) Cholesterol serves as the starting material for many important body compounds including bile acids, sex hormones, adrenal hormones, and vitamin D. Cholesterol is also needed to form cell membranes and the myelin sheath around nerve fiber.

Apart from your diet source, the liver synthesis about 800 to 1500 mg of cholesterol each day and  Our body requires around 2000 mg of cholesterol per day (for Adult).

Cholesterol is made in many cells, but liver cells make the majority of cholesterol. If we eat more dietary cholesterol, the body makes less cholesterol. If we eat less dietary cholesterol, the body makes more cholesterol. (Strain or more work to liver)

Since, Cholesterol doesn’t mix with blood, and need to be transported all over the body; we need the lipoproteins (as a shuttle) to carry cholesterol from the liver through the body. These are known as LDL.

HDL lipoproteins are released from the liver and circulate in the blood to pick up excess cholesterol from the body and carry it back to the liver and to be removed from the body.

Total blood cholesterol measurements include cholesterol in both the LDL and HDL lipoproteins.

Small and dense LDL increases your risk of heart disease. Large and fluffy LDL and Higher HDL cholesterol decreases your risk of heart disease.

Measuring LDL cholesterol pattern, Ratio of HDL cholesterol and triglyceride is a better indicator of heart disease risk. NOT the total cholesterol.

Good about Fat : Fat function as structural building blocks of the body, forming cell membranes for every cell in your body, to build nerve tissues, hormones, control the inflammation and brain function

Fat also helps your body absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K (micronutrients) from the food we eat.

Fat acts as an insulator, helping us to maintain the correct body temperature. Fat provides a cushion to help protect our vital organs (subcutaneous)

Fat is the key to manage our moods, stay on top of your mental game, fight fatigue, and even control the body weight. Fat is a vital for proper brain development and function. Provide foods with good taste, flavor and texture.

It is efficient to store energy as fat instead of carbohydrate because fats are calorie dense. Storing fat means the body has less weight to carry.

Less or no dietary fat, the body becomes exposed to malnutrition since fats are needed to absorb crucial nutrients.

Protein :

Like Fats, many not aware of the importance of protein and its daily requirement. The word protein comes from a Greek word meaning “of primary importance,” 

Proteins are the building blocks of the body and repairs and maintain body tissues, making essential hormones and enzymes and supporting immune function and as an energy source. (providing energy is not protein’s most important function)

The proteins we consume as part of our diet are broken down in the gut into 20 different amino acids. Nine of these amino acids are described as ‘essential’, which means that the food we eat must contain proteins capable of supplying them. The other amino acids can be synthesized by the liver if not provided by the diet.

Protein in the diet that comes from animal sources contains all of the essential amino acids needed, whereas plant sources of protein do not.  Protein provides 4 calories per gram. (Same as carb’s)

Other Sources of energy :

Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram. Alcohol, however, is not a macro-nutrient because we do not need it for survival. (toxic to the body, irrespective of quantity)

Water might not always be considered a macro-nutrient and not contain any calories, but it sure is an essential nutrient needed for all body functions in large amounts. (USDA lists water as part of Macro-nutrients but, UNICEF is not) Water is found in the body’s cells and transports nutrients to cells and removes toxins from our body. Water regulates the body temperature by our sweat. We get about 50% of the water we need from our food.