So, yesterday I posted that of the three macronutrients - protein, fat and carbohydrate, the only one you could live the rest of your life by not consuming is carbohydrate. I’ll say it again - if you never consumed a single gram of carbohydrate again, you would live a normal lifespan. So I have to make good on my claim. This is a very simplified explanation of incredibly complicated biochemistry.
The only cells in your body that require glucose for energy are red blood cells. Red blood cells do not have mitochondria (cell furnaces if you like that can burn fat or glucose for energy). All other cells in the body have mitochondria. It’s often said that the brain uses only glucose for fuel, not true - it runs perfectly, in fact optimally burning ketones - made from fat in the liver.
So having established that, there is still need for glucose, if you cut ALL carbohydrate from the diet, where does it come from?
That’s where gluconeogenesis (literally 'new sugar') comes in. This is glucose easily made from the breakdown of protein. So, if you have protein and fat as your food source (Inuit of Canada) then you’re good to go.
However, what if your only food is fat?
What then?
Well, not as efficient as synthesis from protein, but glucose can be synthesised from fat. And here’s the definitive example without me providing multiple links.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
This man, under rigid clinical conditions fed himself ONLY fat (from his stores) for 382 days, and if carbohydrate were an ESSENTIAL nutrient he would be dead. And by the way, that fat was SATURATED fat.
Am I advocating cutting out all carbohydrate? Not at all, green vegetables and other low carbohydrate, nutrient dense plants are just fine (but yes - when we come to highly processed, fast digested junk) but as an exercise in shifting thinking I think it works and illustrates the incredible efficiency of the body if treated properly.
And remember, keeping insulin low (by cutting carbohydrate right back) is an excellent way to lose weight, become insulin sensitive and reverse T2 diabetes.
Hormones playing role in balancing blood sugar levels
Chromium picolinate a great suppliment for diabetics
Alpha Lipoic Acid and its benefits
How to Manage Your Type 2 Diabetes with Diet (an article)