First, look at PROTEIN…
You have a lot of calories stored in protein. And you can easily convert it to sugar (a process called gluconeogenesis) to be used for
ENERGY.
But unless you’re starving… you never want to use protein for “energy”!
Protein is for building muscle and bone, producing antibodies, restoring organs, blood vessels and nerves, creating hormones and neurotransmitters. These demands are FAR too valuable to sacrifice for short term energy.
So, what about CARBS?
Most of us have fewer than 1,000 calories stored as glucose and glycogen. That’s a VERY small gas tank!
Carbs are like kindling. They burn bright and help you get the fire started. But they burn out fast and constant refuels are needed to keep the fire
burning!
Now, consider FAT…
Any trip to the mall or grocery store visually proves that the human body has almost unlimited capacity to store fat. And as the chart above demonstrates, even a person of average weight has enough body fat to power their metabolism for months!
When it comes to
the size of your “gas tank” – fat wins by a mile!
Now, let’s answer the next question…
What’s Your Most EFFICIENT Energy Source…
Which Fuel Provides the Highest “Miles Per
Gallon”?
Calories are a measure of the amount of “energy” contained in a food.
You’re probably aware that one gram of carbohydrate has four calories, while a gram of fat contains nine. By this measure, fat provides 125% more energy than carbohydrates.
But calories are not the
most accurate measure of energy. That’s because they must still be converted to a more basic form of fuel, known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
ATP is the “Energy Currency” for every cell… and nothing creates more ATP than FAT!
The number of ATP molecules – therefore the amount of pure cellular energy – produced from various fuels depends on how many carbon atoms
are chained together in the fuel source.
- Glucose and Fructose produce exactly 36 ATP
- Medium-Chain Fatty Acids produce an average 50 ATP
- Long-Chain Fatty Acids produce an average 155
ATP
As you can see, the average long-chain fatty acid – like those found in steak and seafood, eggs, olive oil and avocados – produces 330% more cellular energy than a molecule of sugar!
By this measure, fat is a FAR more efficient fuel than sugar.
And it gets even better, because 95% of the
flabby fat stored on your belly, butt, hips and thighs is in the form of triglycerides… and every TRI-glyceride holds THREE long chain fatty acids. That means every molecule of body fat you burn produces 465 units of ATP!
Compare that to the measly 36 ATP you get from carbs and the answer is clear…
You Produce 1,191% More Cellular Energy
From Body Fat than You Do from Sugar!
Considering the extreme differential, it is obvious why the number-one benefit cited by people who become “fat burners” is profoundly more energy! When your body is adapted to produce energy from stored
fat…
- You wake up feeling refreshed in the morning
- You no longer crave a jolt of sugar or caffeine to fight afternoon drowsiness, and
- You have all the energy you need for work… play... and exercise.
Energy is currency.
The more you have… the more success you will enjoy in every aspect of life!
So, when it comes to your health, your physique (and your success), the most important question you can answer about your “hybrid” human vehicle is...
Do You Want to Be a “Sugar Burner”… or “Fat Burner”?
If you’re a SUGAR BURNER you train your body to run on inferior fuel.
You draw energy from a tiny gas tank and rely on fast-burning “kindling” that puts your mood… hunger… and energy
levels on a constant roller coaster of peaks and valleys. It all revolves around when you can get your next carb fix!
And the calories you do consume add pounds of flabby fat to your body.
When you become a FAT BURNER your body operates on factory-specified fuel.
Your cells are
powered by a huge gas tank. And instead of kindling, you rely on dry logs that burn hot for many hours. Energy is high, hunger is low, mood is steady. And your metabolism effortlessly torches ugly flab – transforming your body in record time!
And the great news is that…
Training Your Body to Run on Fat is EASY…
Just Eat MORE Healthy Fat… and a LOT Less Sugar!
By restricting carbs, your metabolism adapts to find an alternative to glucose.
As you enter the state of “nutritional ketosis” fat burning goes into
overdrive.
The healthy fats you eat – and the unsightly flab on your body – is broken down and transported to the liver, where it’s converted into compounds called ketone bodies.
And just as they did for our Paleolithic ancestors, these “ketones” become your primary source of fuel…
In the words of Dr.
Cherubino Di Lorenzo, noted researcher and neuroscientist at University of Rome, you can think of ketosis as, “The body’s own biochemical liposuction…”
And that might not be the best part, as the doctor continues, “Each molecule of ketone bodies produces more energy than glucose, but less oxidative stress. So the brain and the muscles work more efficiently.”
Did you catch that?
Not only do ketones produce more “horsepower”… they burn cleaner too!
And that’s a VERY big deal, because running your “vehicle” on sugar promotes:
- Inflammation
- Glycation, and
- Oxidation (Free Radicals).
These destructive processes are the Pillars of Chronic Disease!
Ketones, however, are the highest quality fuel you can burn. Your muscles and organs function better on
ketones. And they produce fewer harmful byproducts!
But it gets even better…
Remember when I said you NEVER want to use protein for energy?
Well, that’s not exactly true.
As you age, damaged “junk” protein and other waste
accumulates in your cells. This debris reduces their function, effectively disabling your cells. So, wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to clear out the junk?
That’s exactly what ketones do!
Ketones transport cellular waste to a part of the cell (the lysosome), where it is turned into ENERGY! So not only are ketones your highest-quality
fuel...
The Keto Diet Performs Deep Cellular Detox
Clearing “Junk” from Your Cells & Turning it into Energy!
It’s no wonder why so many doctors and health experts recommend the keto diet for fat loss.
And the benefits certainly don’t end there…
A study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition states, “Increasing evidence has accumulated that very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets (VLCKD) could have a therapeutic role in numerous diseases.”
The keto diet dramatically reduces frequency and severity of seizures. It
can improve or eliminate acne, migraines, PCOS and digestive issues. And strong evidence shows it can help reverse diabetes… beat heart disease… fight cancer… and build a better brain!
And contrary to decades of dietary propaganda, a fat-fueled life promotes longevity too!
The PURE Study of more than 135,000 adults in 18 countries found that
high healthy-fat diets are associated with longer life… while those high in carbs are linked to early death!
Remember this the next time you hear that glucose is your body’s optimal fuel!
Want to Learn More about the MAJOR Benefits of a Fat-Fueled
Life?
Our friends at the Real Skinny on Fat have produced a free docu-series on the benefits and practical steps for following a ketogenic diet.
To Your Health,
Kelley Herring
Healing
Gourmet
REFERENCES
Mercola.com Metabolic Mitochondrial Therapy. https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/05/21/metabolic-mitochondrial-therapy-introduction.aspx
A Paoli, A Rubini, J S Volek, K A Grimaldi. Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses
of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013 Aug; 67(8): 789–796.
Stafford, P et al. The ketogenic diet reverses gene expression patterns and reduces reactive oxygen species levels when used as an adjuvant therapy for glioma. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010; 7: 74.
Krikorian R, et al. Dietary ketosis enhances memory in mild cognitive impairment. Neurobiology of Aging.
2012;33(2):425.e19-425.e27.
Stafstrom CE, Rho JM. The Ketogenic Diet as a Treatment Paradigm for Diverse Neurological Disorders. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2012;3:59.
Dehghan M, et al. Associations of fats and carbohydrate intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 18 countries from five continents (PURE): a prospective cohort study. The Lancet
STAT
News. https://www.statnews.com/2017/08/29/fat-nutrition-study/
