I get a lot of questions on how much fat is in my recipes. Why don't I label it? Well, because fat is my source of energy. I even run marathons with this diet and I never 'hit the wall.'
People often complain of low energy when they first start a low carb diet because they are "sugar-burners." This is not only inefficient, but very detrimental to our health. For one reason, cancer LOVES sugar! This is why cancer patients drink a huge glass of glucose to see where the caner is in their body. Cancer feeds on sugar, if you eat more sugar, the more the cancer grows.
Energy actually comes from a chemical we produce in our body called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). We can produce energy 2 ways: anaerobic and aerobic.
1. Anaerobic ('without oxygen') bacteria break down glucose to produce energy. Our cells can use this method.
2. Aerobic ('with oxygen'). All human and animal life requires oxygen to function.
As we breathe in oxygen, we carry it through the hemoglobin to the mitochondria (the powerhouse of our cells) where we burn fat and produce energy. The more mitochondria the more energy and fat burning going on. AND the more healthy fats = more mitochondria. You can also increase the amount of mitochondria with certain supplements which I discuss in my book Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism. One supplement I take everyday for this is CoQ10 (click HERE to find).
*Please note that if you have a food allergy, you can't absorb iron properly which will inhibit you from carrying oxygen to the mitochondria. This will cause exhaustion due to low ATP production along with other problems.
Energy Can Come From:
1. Glucose: created with carbohydrates and protein
2. Fats, both from the diet and from stored body fats
3. Ketones which are derived from the metabolism of fats
GLUCOSE and ENERGY = EAT PROTEIN
Some cells, such as the kidneys have very little mitochondria so they don't use fat for energy, so this is why eating protein for glucose is important. If we go too long without eating, we maintain glucose levels by breaking down glycogen in muscle proteins with a process called gluconeogenesis. BUT this is not healthy. There is a detrimental phenomena called SARCOPENIA where we lose 1% of our muscle every year starting at age 25, which is terrible because 1 pound of muscle burns 50 calories and 1 pound of fat burns only 2...even when we sleep!
So we don't want to be cannibals to our muscles. Eating adequate amounts of protein will produce glucose (healthy carbs such as non-starchy veggies and almond/coconut flour will too). Our cells need a steady supply of protein to sustain a healthy structure. Any protein over and above 1 to 1.5 grams/kilogram of lean body weight/day can be used as a source of glucose. Anything less will cause you to start eating healthy muscle tissue. When you eat protein, you convert about 58% to glucose. So 100g of protein will produce 58 grams of glucose.
KETONES and ENERGY = EAT HEALTHY FATS
So if you want to stop being a "sugar burner" you must derive energy from another source. Enter fat. When we start eating a healthy low carb diet, our bodies slowly switch from burning sugar to burning fat. This is where eating becomes an "art." Energy must be derived from healthy fatty acids and ketones produced from foods such as coconut oil. At first the body will feel lethargic due to the mechanisms switching over; burning sugar is easy, burning fat takes a few days to adapt.
The brain prefers to use ketones instead of glucose for energy (in Alzheimer's the brain can no longer convert glucose for energy, coconut oil is VERY healthy for these patients!).
Eating a very low carbohydrate diet stimulates the production of ketones from body fat; which is why people lose so much weight on this diet. Cutting out carbs and reducing protein also leads to a lower insulin level in the blood. A normal blood sugar is 1 TEASPOON of sugar in you blood. Many Americans consume over 63 teaspoons a day! If you can conquer a normal blood sugar, it reduces the problems associated with high insulin levels; insulin resistance, leptin resistance, high blood pressure, Metabolic Syndrome, weight gain, sleep issues...
To produce ketones, focus on carbs being only 10% of your total intake. For diabetics, the level may need to be lower to counteract insulin resistance. Typical levels of carb intake for a type-2 diabetic are around 50 grams per day; the level should be lower still at about 30 grams a day for a type-1 diabetic. Here is a good ratio to follow for calories/macro-nutrient consumption:
10-15% carbs
20-39% protein
60-70% fat
So, please listen: don't eat just lean proteins! It is not tolerated well in our body. It leads to nausea in as little as three days. A high healthy fat diet, however, is the traditional diet to sustain for a lifetime. Eating only lean protein causes excess intake of nitrogen, which leads to hyperammonaemia, which is a build up of ammonia in the bloodstream and is toxic to the brain. Many traditional societies survived on a purely animal product diet, which was naturally high in fat...they didn't have George Foreman Grills.
Our paleo ancestors actually consumed more fat than protein; with a ratio of about 80% calories from fat and 20% from protein. During prolonged periods of starvation or something such as marathon running, fatty acids are converted into ketones, the preferred energy source for highly active tissues like those found in the heart and muscles. Ketones provide a long lasting energy to all cells with mitochondria. Ketones are used to generate ATP. If you use glucose for energy, it needs the intervention of bacteria, ketones can be used directly.
*Note: Using a quality REAL salt is also essential for electrolyte balance. We start skipping the salt and we get low energy. I'm not talking about pre-packaged and fast food junk salt. A Celtic Sea Salt filled with minerals will help with energy.
My favorite electrolyte product for athletes is ENDUROLYTES FIZZ. Click HERE to find.
The healthiest more energizing fats come from animal sources. Quality animal sources like free-range egg yolks and grass fed beef!
"Healthifed" Chili Cheese Fries
CHILI:
2 pounds grass fed ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 green chilies chopped
4 pieces bacon (fried, drained and chopped)
1 cup beef broth
¼ cup chili powder
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp Celtic salt and pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp stevia glycerite
FRIES:
2 heads of cauliflower stems
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
OPTIONAL: Top with "Healthified" CHEESE SAUCE OR 1 (8 oz.) block Cheddar cheese, shredded
CHILI: Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble the ground chuck and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain off excess grease. Pour in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers, chili peppers, bacon, and beef broth. Season with chili powder, garlic, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and stevia. Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. After 2 hours, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder if necessary. The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste. Remove from heat and serve, or refrigerate, and serve the next day. Makes 12 servings.
FRIES: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the stem out of the cauliflower (you can also use the whole cauliflower if you want, but it won't look like "french fries"). Cut the stem into french fry shapes. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Spray the 'fries' with coconut oil spray and sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Spoon chili over fries and top with cheese.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Chili Fries = 409 calories, 28 carbs, 6 g fiber (22 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Chili Fries = 396 calories, 12 carbs, 4 g fiber (8 effective carbs)
VARIATION: You can also use my other "French Fry" ideas, such as Eggplant Fries found in my cookbook: Nutritious and Delicious
To read more check out: Fat is the most valuable food known to Man
PROFESSOR JOHN YUDKIN
