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 !
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.
Apart from the above said information, one of the best things to do is to follow a well designed low carb diet plan. It is very good and effective.
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