Comments on: Low-carb info from the Drs. Heller

By: Regina Wilshire

Regina Wilshire — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 15:09:11 +0000

Regarding the references of the Hellers – none were in the context of a dietary pattern with low sugar and high saturated fat intake….a high carbohydrate diet combined with a high saturated fat intake – disaster in the making……low carbohydrate intake with a high saturated fat intake – lower glucose, lower insulin. As I posted, Noakes et al just recently published findings comparing three different diets – very low carb with high saturated fat; very low fat and moderate fat high in unsaturated fat….only the low carb group had statistically significant lower glucose and statistically significant lower insulin (p=0.038 on the two combined; glucose was p=0.016 and insulin response was p=0.001

By: Beth

Beth — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 21:53:12 +0000

Regina, here’s what they have to say (from p. 111-2):

Either a diet high in carbs or one high in saturated fats (and/or trans fats) is likely to increase your insulin levels (or increase insulin resistance), which of course translates tinto more cravings and less weight loss (or none at all).

They don’t provide any specific citations or notes, but the text does refer to these studies:

Remember that not all fats have been shown to raise insulin levels. From Dr. A. R. Folsom’s study of over four thousand healthy, middle-aged adults, to Dr. K. D. Ward’s research in the Normative Aging Study; from Dr. J. A. Marshall’s study of over a thousand men and women from twenty to seventy-four years of age, to Dr. E. J. Mayer’s study of nondiabetic women, the findings are the same: saturated fats increase insulin levels while unsaturated fats do not.

The one thing I like about the Hellers’ approach is that it seems to me that folks who are loathe to reduce their carbs to Atkins or Protein Power levels might find they could comply with the Hellers’ version.

That said, I do not believe that insulin is the only biochemical process that is related to a high carb intake. Those aspects of carb metabolism related to addiction-like pathways (e.g., serotonin, beta-endorphin, dopamine) may or may not be directly tied to insulin response.

I look forward to reading what you find out, either here or on your blog (I’ll cross-link if you choose the latter).

By: Regina Wilshire

Regina Wilshire — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 19:34:43 +0000

Another interesting claim they make is that saturated fat can cause an insulin response. So they, like South Beach, recommend avoiding fatty meats and anything with lots of trans-fats.

What evidence are they basing this on? Fat is metabolically neutral – doesn’t provoke a glucose response, ergo, doesn’t provoke an insulin response. Are they using mixed macronutrient percentages high in carbohydrate to support their contention?

Noakes et al just recently published a paper that clearly showed both fasting and post prandial insulin and glucose levels/responses were significantly lower in participants following a very low-carb, high saturated fat (61% total fat calories) diet compared with those following a very low-fat (20%) diet and a high unsaturated fat (30% total fat calories) – all groups consumed similar 20% protein.

By: neca

neca — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 18:11:10 +0000

Their point about having less frequent high carb meals is interesting in that it aligns neatly with the old body building credo of doing mostly low carb, but “loading” your carbs near the beginning of the day. So your breakfast would be your “heavy” carb meal, and your dinner would be much lower. I’ve heard several people with good results & fewer cravings going that route.