Good Fats or Bad Fats

In the previous article we observed the different types of fats. Which type is good for our health, and which kind of fat we should avoid?

Any given fat is composed of all three types, but usually has one type more predominant. If we are eating whole foods appropriate for our metabolic type, we needn't be concerned about the fats in the foods. We can eat and enjoy meat, eggs and dairy products, nuts, olives and avocados. It's slightly trickier deciding what fat or oil to use for cooking and condiments. Now that we know how fats work, let's look at a summary of good and bad sources of additional fat.

GOOD FATS
Butter (and cream): primarily saturated. Contains short chain fatty acids that only come from butter, and medium chain that only come from butter & tropical oils. These have anti-microbial & immune enhancing properties and are easily absorbed for energy, making them less likely to cause weight gain. Contains CLA (Conjugated Linoleic acid) which has strong anti-cancer properties and only comes from pasture fed butter. Has small but equal quantities of omega-6 and omega-3 EFAs. Contains other vital nutrients like Vits A & D, Activator X (from spring & fall pasture fed cows), lecithin, cholesterol, glycosphingolipids & trace minerals.

Beef & mutton fat (tallow) & pork fat (lard): primarily saturated & monounsaturated. Stable & can be used for frying.

Chicken, duck & goose fat: primarily saturated & monounsaturated. Semi-solid & quite stable. Widely used in kosher cooking (duck or goose preferred).

Coconut oil: primarily saturated. Contains medium chain fatty acids (see butter). Extremely stable & can be stored at room temperature for many months. Use for cooking or baking.

Palm oil: there are three different products available from the palm fruit, all of which are extremely stable & can be stored at room temperature for many months:
* Red palm oil comes from the flesh of the fruit, and is a rich source of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, vitamin E (both tocopherols and tocotrienols), lycopene and other carotenoids. It is used a lot in traditional African cooking, especially soups and stews, but has a distinctive taste that not everybody finds appealing. Primarily saturated & monounsaturated.
* Clarified (or RBD - Refined, bleached and deodorised) palm oil, which is tasteless and white in color, is more commonly found. It doesn't have the phytonutrients found in the unrefined red oil, but is still a safe and stable cooking suitable for breads, baking and cooking.
* Palm kernel oil comes from the seed of the palm fruit, is yellowish in colour and has a mild flavour. It is 80-85% saturated, with about 50% coming from Lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid. Sometimes called just palm oil on food labels.

Olive oil: primarily monounsaturated. Good for salads & cooking at moderate temperatures. Rich in antioxidants. Don’t overdo though, as longer chain acids are more likely to cause weight gain than short/medium.

Peanut oil: primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Relatively stable, so can be used for stir fries, but not too often due to high Omega-6 content.

Sesame oil: primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Unique antioxidants not destroyed by heat, so can be used for stir fries, but not exclusively, due to high Omega-6.

Flaxseed oil: primarily polyunsaturated. Very high in Omega-3 EFAs, so useful for balancing EFA intake. Use on salads or smoothies in small amounts (no more than 1 tsp per day). Never heat it and store in fridge. Some people cannot utilise this form of Omega-3 and need to supplement with fish oils instead.

Macadamia oil: primarily monounsaturated. Has small but equal quantities of omega-6 and omega-3 EFAs. The oil is quite biscuity so has limited culinary use, but eating the whole nut (after soaking and drying) is excellent. Eat all nuts in moderation as they can contribute to weight gain in excess.

Avocado oil: primarily monounsaturated. Can be used as a salad oil, but others are better. Best to eat the whole avocado.

Fish oils and fish liver oils: an easily absorbed source of Omega 3 EFAs. Fish liver oils, of which cod liver oil is the best known, are also good sources of the fat soluble vitamins A & D. Do check your sources though, and make sure they've been tested and found free of mercury.

BAD FATS
Safflower, Sunflower, Corn, Soybean, Hemp oil: primarily polyunsaturated. High in Omega-6, which are dangerous if overeaten. Unstable so high likelihood of being rancid. Strictly limit use & never use if heated.

Cottonseed oil: primarily polyunsaturated. As above, plus may have toxic elements. Totally avoid.

Canola oil: primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The deodorising process creates trans fats. It is unstable and goes rancid and mouldy easily. Creates Vit E deficiencies. Totally avoid.

Processed oils & fats to avoid:
* Vegetable oils that have been extracted by heat or chemicals ie. only use cold pressed or expeller pressed oils
* Margarine or shortening, due to the hydrogenation process which creates trans fats
* Homogenised fats including some milk and some coconut cream
* Anything that has been deep fried in vegetable oil (which is most takeaways these days) as they will be rancid, creating free radicals
* Powdered milk or egg products, which contain oxidised cholesterol
* Smoked or processed meats, which may contain rancid fats.

What fats to eat

For sauteing and stir-frying - Butter, lard or tallow, chicken, duck or goose fat, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil at moderate temperatures, peanut or sesame oil in small quantities;

For deep-frying, lard or tallow. Potato chips, or doughnuts (whole grain, soaked flour doughnuts, of course!) are suitable foods for deep frying.

For baking - Butter or coconut oil

For salad dressings - Extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil

On hot vegetables - Butter, cultured creams, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil

To garnish soups - Butter, cultured creams, yoghurt

In dips or sauces - Cultured creams, yoghurt, avocado, tahini (ground sesame)

On breakfast grains - Butter, cultured creams, yoghurt, flaxseed oil, macadamia or other nut oils, slivered nuts

For snacks - Nuts, fresh coconut, avocado, cheese

One common sense rule:

Try to avoid eating carbs with high GI (glicaemic index) with fat products. Eat meat dishes, cheese with the fresh salads without bread. Eat breakfast cereals with only small addition of good fats, and your body will thank you soon. For more information see The French Diet .

More: Macronutrients. Fat (We Like It, Don't We?)

Tags: CLA, good+fat, bad+fat, oil, GI

Macronutrients. Fat (We Like It, Don't We?)

There is a wealth of information, misinformation and outright propaganda about fats available - "Saturated fats cause heart attacks", "Margarine is better for you than butter", "Keep your fat intake down to lose weight" and "Keep your fat intake up to give you energy to exercise better". Let's look at what we really need to know.

There are three main ways the body uses fats :
* Structural - Our bodies need fat as a building block. It is incorporated into cell membranes and other body structures, and used in fatty tissue.
* Metabolic - Affects hormones, including prostaglandins which affect metabolism.
* As fuel - It can be burned for energy. In fact, it is the body's preferred source of energy.

As well as that, fats are a valuable source of micronutrients, some of which can't be obtained from other foods.

So it is very important to eat enough fat, but also to make sure we eat the right kinds of fats. The wrong ones can have a profound effect on many body functions. There are two main debates about fat - how much we should eat, and which kinds we should eat. Let's look first at the different types of fat.

There are several different ways of defining fats:

* Degree of saturation - saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. This is the main way that people differentiate fats and we'll go into that in more depth shortly.
* Animal fats vs vegetable oils. This largely ties in with degree of saturation, with animal fats and tropical oils being mostly saturated, and vegetable oils being mostly unsaturated.
* Chain length. Short and medium chain fatty acids are found in butterfat and tropical oils, have anti-microbial & immune enhancing properties and are easily absorbed for energy, making them less likely to cause weight gain. This is why MCT (or Medium Chain Triglycerides) are often used in sports supplements. Unsaturated fats are generally made up of long or very long chain fatty acids.
* Cis form vs Trans form. In nature, most fats occur in a "cis" form. In this form, they "fit" the fat receptors in our body, and can be utilised. Modern processing methods (including heating, hydrogenation, bleaching & deodorising) turn cis fats into trans fats, which no longer fit. Our body still tries to use them, but they don't do the job properly and disrupt your cellular metabolism, resulting in a variety of health hazards.

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats are straight chains of carbon and hydrogen that pack together easily so that they are relatively solid at room temperature. They are found predominantly in animal products and tropical oils.

Fats in general, and saturated fats in particular, have been widely vilified by health authorities and nutritionists since the introduction of the Lipid Hypothesis in the 1950's. This stated that heart disease was caused by high intakes of saturated fats and that changing to polyunsaturates would improve your health. Fats have also been blamed for obesity and many other diseases, and low fat foods abound. Many people will tell you that a low fat diet is the healthiest.

But when we look at the facts we find that much of this is unfounded. Weston Price, in his studies of healthy people eating their traditional diets, found that all included high levels of saturated fats. All of the societies understood the importance of getting enough fats in their diet and sought them out as much as possible. The foods eaten included unpasteurised dairy products, eggs, meats and organ meats and seafood, and the fatty portions were the most prized.

A look at some cookbooks from the late 1800's show that our recent ancestors, while not eating a wholly traditional diet, were also eating diets that were high in saturated fats. Diseases like cancer and heart disease were rare up until the early parts of the 20th century. As our saturated fat intake decreased and our polyunsaturated fat intake increased, the prevalence of these and other degenerative diseases also increased. Obesity is rife, despite the rate at which low fat products fly off the shelves. The lipid hypothesis seems to be wrong.

You may be thinking "What about all the studies that prove saturated fats cause heart disease?". In fact, many of these studies were done using hydrogenated polyunsaturates, not saturated fats at all. Many other studies have shown that those with the highest levels of saturated fat intake had the better health. And many other studies were inconclusive due to the many other factors involved.

Saturated fats are needed for many of our bodily processes. Just some of them are:

* They are needed to maintain cell membranes, which are at least 50% saturated fat, giving them stiffness and integrity.
* They keep our bones strong and healthy by allowing calcium to be incorporated into them. This requires >50% of dietary fat to be saturated.
* They lower Lp(a) a substance in the blood that indicates proneness towards heart disease
* They enhance the immune system
* They aid in utilisation of essential fatty acids, and help to retain omega 3’s in the tissues
* Short & medium chain fatty acids have anti-microbial properties and protect against harmful micro-organisms in the digestive tract

But what about cholesterol levels? We are often told that eating saturated fats increases cholesterol levels. Well, first of all, that hasn't been satisfactorily proven. It has been suggested that the reason that blood cholesterol levels drop when saturated fats are replaced by polyunsaturates is to do with the integrity of the cell membranes. When polyunsaturates are incorporated into their structure they become limp. To regain their stiffness, they must rob cholesterol from the blood, temporarily lowering the amount stored there. And secondly, there is now some doubt as to whether cholesterol levels are an accurate indicator of your likelihood of getting heart disease. Cholesterol is another substance that is vital to your body's health, and is made by the liver as needed. For more information on cholesterol, visit the Cholesterol and Health website.

So it seems that there is nothing inherently bad in saturated fats. In their natural states, as part of a whole food and part of a varied diet, they are balanced and nutritious. It is when they are processed that problems arise.

* Pasteurising milk, for example, destroys the beneficial enzymes needed to assimilate it's nutrients, which could be why many people are dairy intolerant. It also explains why people frequently get osteoporosis despite being milk drinkers - they are unable to utilise the calcium.
* Homogenisation of milk strains the fat particles of the cream through tiny pores under pressure. This makes the fat particles very small so that they stay suspended in the milk. Sadly, the once highly nutritious fat is now more likely to be rancid and oxidised. This process has been linked to heart disease by some researchers.
* Low fat dairy products have been stripped of many of their fat soluble vitamins, and should be avoided.
* Powdered eggs and milk have had their cholesterol oxidised by the processing.
* Smoked and processed meats often have rancid fats caused by the processing.

We are all different and need different amounts of saturated fats. But there is no need to avoid them, cut every bit of fat off your meat, or seek out low fat products. A good rule of thumb is : If it's a whole food, properly prepared, eat it. If it's been tampered with (processed), don't.

Monounsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated fats have one double carbon bond, which means they are missing two hydrogen atoms. They are usually liquid at room temperature, but solidify when refrigerated. They are quite stable. They are mostly found in olives, nuts and avocados.

These types of fats don't seem to be subject to the same level of dissention as saturates. It seems to be generally agreed that these are a healthful form of fat. One caveat though - eaten to excess, they can cause weight gain. This is because they are longer chain and not as easily converted to energy as short or medium chain fats. But some extra virgin olive oil on a salad, a small handful of correctly prepared nuts, or some avocado dip with vegetables are all nutritious, tasty foods.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fatty acids come mostly from oils extracted from seeds. Their molecules have kinks in them at the point of the unsaturated double bonds. They do not pack together easily and therefore tend to be liquid at room temperature. These oils are extremely unstable and go rancid very easily.

One very important category of polyunsaturated oils are the essential fatty acids or EFAs. They are called essential because they can't be made by the body, so must come from the diet. They are:

* Linoleic acid, an Omega-6 oil - present in large quantities in most vegetable oils, and in smaller quantities in animal and tropical oils.
* Alpha-Linolenic acid, an Omega-3 oil - flaxseed is considered the best source of it. There are also smaller quantities in hemp, canola and soybean oils, and in some animal fats, depending on the feed. It is far less readily available than Omega-6.

These essential fatty acids are also used by the body to make other fatty acids.

* Linoleic acid (Omega-6) is used to make Gamma-Linolenic acid, which is also found in evening primrose, blackcurrant & borage oils.
* Alpha-linolenic acid (Omega-3) is used to make Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexanoic acid (DHA). But some people lack the enzymes to make the conversion. This is especially common amongst people whose ancestors ate a lot of oily fish. These two acids are abundant in fish oils, and it seems that their bodies lost the ability to convert the acids as they didn't need to. So for some people, it is also necessary to eat fatty fish like salmon, sardines or mackerel on a regular basis, or to supplement with fish oil.

Maybe it is because some polyunsaturates are essential, that it was hypothesised that more is better, leading to the dramatic increase in their consumption that was seen during the 20th century. But Weston Price found that only small amounts were eaten in traditional diets, and there has been no evidence that more is better. In fact, there are a number of dangers associated with excess consumption of polyunsaturated oils, especially Omega-6.

It is generally agreed that Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are needed in balance. Some researchers are now saying that the ideal ration is 1:1, but the intake of Omega-6 is much higher than Omega-3 in the average diet. This is because Omega-6 is so much more prevalent in the vegetable oils that are frequently eaten. So the first danger of excess consumption is that if the ratio is wrong, it can stop the Omega-3 fatty acids from being absorbed.

Further, many studies have shown that increased consumption of polyunsaturates correlates with high incidences of cancer, heart disease, immune system dysfunction, damage to liver, lungs & reproductive organs, depressed learning ability, impaired growth, obesity.

And the news doesn't get better. These types of oils go rancid very easily. Unless they are expeller pressed or cold pressed, they are likely to be rancid, oxidized or chemically tainted before they are even bottled, with high levels of free radicals. If they are used for cooking, more free radicals will be created. Among other things, free radicals are associated with wrinkles and premature aging, tumours, plaque in the blood, autoimmune diseases.

And as if that isn't bad enough, they are often made into margarines by hydrogenation. This process creates trans fats which block absorption of EFAs, increase blood cholesterol, paralyse the immune system, are associated with cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity and problems with bones and tendons, are also associated with sterility, birth defects, low birth weight babies & difficulty in lactation.

These are the dangers associated with eating too much polyunsaturated fat, eating the wrong ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 or eating oils that have been badly processed or hydrogenated. But that doesn't mean you have to avoid all polyunsaturated fats. Small amounts of certain oils, that have been cold pressed and carefully stored, is recommended. Flaxseed is a important source of Omega-3 fatty acids which most people can benefit from, either freshly ground or in oil form. Remember that flaxseed oil should always be stored in the fridge in an opaque bottle.

How much fat do we need?

Everybody has a different opinion here. Some low fat diets recommend as little as sub 20% of calories, the Zone diet recommends 30% of calories, whereas some high protein diets are much higher. Weston Price found that the traditional diets he studied derived 30% to 80% of their calories from fat, with only 5% of calories coming from polyunsaturated oils.

The truth is - it all depends on our own individual metabolism. If you are a Hunter-Gatherer or Protein type, you will likely need a higher level of fat, and a higher proportion of saturated fats. If you are an Agriculturist or Carbo type, you will need less overall fat, and may need slightly less saturated fat, and a little more unsaturated. But aim to keep Onega-3 and Omega-6 intakes about even and don't eat more than about 5% of your calories in polyunsaturates.

The first thing to do is to get rid of the bad fats in your diet, and replace them with good ones. See the next post about it. Eat a level of fat in line with whatever your chosen diet plan is. Then adjust to suit. If you are feeling hungry between meals, eat more fat. If you eat what seems like a fatty meal and feel a little sick, then reduce the fat or try a different type of fat. Some types of fat may suit you better than others. The last thing to remember is that you may have food sensitivities that need to be taken into account.

More: Good Fats or Bad Fats, Macronutrients. Carbohydrates, Macronutrients. Protein

Fat

Tags: MTC, fat, saturated+fat, unsaturated+fat, polyunsaturated, animal+fat, vegetable+oil

Macronutrients. Protein

After water, the biggest component in the body is protein. Over 98% of the molecules in body are replaced every year. So we need protein as a building block. If we don't get enough protein, or if we are eating poor quality protein, our bodies will not grow strong muscles, bones, blood, teeth, etc.

There's no definitive answer how much protein do we really need. Every expert has a different opinion. Here are a few examples:

Let's start with sports nutrition expert Michael Colgan. His research suggests that the type of sport you do has an effect on the amount of protein you need. Strength sports people need approx 2.0 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight per day. Athletes who need speed first, then strength, then endurance need about 1.7 g/kg/day & endurance athletes need 1.4 g/kg/day.

This requirement is based on a high level of training, 3-4 hours a day. If you are only training 1-2 hours a day, your requirement will be less, by approx 0.3 g/kg/day. For an 80 kg man doing 1-2 hours riding a day, this would be 80 x 1.1g = 88 g per day. Doing 3-4 hours riding, he would need 80 x 1.4g = 112 g. These are his rough guidelines only, each person will have different individual needs.

The Zone's Barry Sears multiplies your lean body mass in lbs by a sliding scale ranging from 0.5 for couch potatoes, to 1.0 for very heavy training. Say our 80 kg cyclist has a fat % of 20%. That means his lean body mass is 64 kg (or approx 140 lbs). He would come into the 0.8 category, so would need 140 x 0.8 = 112 grams. However a very fit lean cyclist of the same weight with only 15% body fat, & a higher lean body mass, would need 120 grams.

The range we're talking about is slightly higher than Colgan, but depends on lean body mass, rather than weight. The other main difference is that the amount of protein, once calculated, must be strictly adhered to "to get into the Zone", and determines the amount of carbs & fat you can eat.

Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type diet's Peter D'adamo recommends different ratios for each blood type. His rough guidelines are 20% for A & AB, 34% for B, and 45% for O types. The metabolic diets don't specify protein requirements in grams, but Hunter-Gatherers need animal protein at every meal, whereas extreme Agriculturists thrive on a vegetarian diet.

Traditional nutritionists will probably recommend 10-15% of calories. A lot of naturopathic nutritionists are concerned that the level of protein consumption is too high. I have seen recommendations ranging from .6g/kg/day to 1g/kg/day.

So who's right? The best way to determine your need for protein is to determine your metabolic type first. That will give you a good idea of how high your protein levels need to be. If you are trying out a particular diet regime, start within those guidelines. Otherwise, start with Michael Colgan's recommendations and see how you feel. It's fairly easy to tell if you're not getting enough protein - you will lose (or at least not gain) muscle mass and strength. You may find that your muscles take a long time to recover after exercise, or your energy levels might be very low. Try adding a little more protein to your diet and see if you improve.

It's harder to tell if you're getting too much. If you are drinking lots of water and are feeling fine, you're probably doing OK. If you eat excess protein to a level that your kidneys can't handle, you will start to get kidney pain and feel generally unwell. It may take a bit of trial and error to get the balance right for you.

The best protein

The first factor here is bioavailability. Michael Colgan ranks protein sources in this order :

ProteProtein sourcein source	Bioavailablility
Whey peptide blends	110-159
Whey concentrate (lactalbumin)	104
Whole egg	100
Cow's milk	91
Egg White (albumin)	88
Fish	83
Beef	80
Chicken	79
Casein	77
Soy	74
Rice	59
Wheat	54
Beans	49

But you also need to take into account how your body responds to each of these protein sources. Some people don't digest whey products particularly well, even high quality ones. Your metabolic type will determine which proteins sources suit you best.

Some athletes following a whole food diet find they have excellent muscle growth and recovery eating raw egg yolks or raw liver after workouts, for example.

My take on this is : eat a variety of different foods - the ones that work for you - and get your protein from as many different sources as possible. If you find that you're not getting enough protein from your normal diet, you can add in a supplement. But if you're on a strict whole foods diet, you may find you can't have any of them.

If you are aiming to eat 120grams of protein a day, you might want 30 grams 4 times a day. 30 grams of complete protein would come from approx:

• 110-120 grams of lean meat or poultry

• 150 grams of fish
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup of cottage cheese
• 2-3 cups yoghurt
• 1 "shake" made from microfiltered whey protein powder, or whey protein concentrate
• try not to use soy as a major protein source

Nuts and seeds have some protein, but have at least 75% fat in them, so should be considered a fat source. Legumes and grains also have some protein, but are primarily a carbohydrate source. If you are following a vegetarian diet, you need to combine 2-3 of these 4 food groups at a meal to make complete protein. Some examples :

• Whole grains, with nut milk and some sunflower seeds or ground flaxseed

• Beans and rice
• Corn tortilla with mexican beans
• Hummus (chick peas and sesame paste) with whole grain pita breads

• Tempeh with stir fried with rice and veges, with a handful of pumpkin seeds

It's good to have a a dollop of protein at breakfast, 20-30 grams if possible. This helps keep your blood sugar steady throughout the day. If you are taking a supplementary "shake", take it when your body needs easily digested protein most, either an hour or two before hard training, or straight after. Other than that, spread your protein intake evenly throughout the day, and aim to have at least some protein and fat with every meal or snack.

More: Macronutrients. Carbohydrates, Macronutrients. Fat (We Like It, Don't We?)

Protein

Tags: macronutrients, protein

Macronutrients. Carbohydrates

Protein, essential fats and micronutrients are primarily used as building materials. Carbohydrate is really only used as fuel. To get lean, we want to burn up our supplies of excess fat, but to get consistently good performance, we need to give our bodies the right kind of fuel at the right time.

During exercise, we use ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which our bodies can get more easily from muscle glycogen and blood glucose than from stored fat. Muscle glycogen comes from blood glucose, which comes from the carbs that we eat.

You want your muscles to have a good supply of glycogen before you start exercising. Glucose in the blood still needs to be processed before it can be used, while glycogen in the muscles is ready to go. No amount of topping up during your ride will work as well as having a full tank to start with.

As soon as you finish one exercise session, you want to start preparing for the next. So, when you finish a ride, you want to rest, rehydrate and refuel. Your muscle glycogen stores replenish most efficiently straight after exercise - the first 4-6 hours is the best, especially the first 2, then it continues at a slower rate for about 24 hours. Straight after your ride, Michael Colgan recommends 225 grams of glucose polymers in liquid form, combined with a little glucose and fructose.

After that, you need to keep your carbohydrate intake steady, to keep your glycogen levels increasing. So it's better to eat your carbs in a series of small meals than in large ones that are widely spaced.

Before your next ride, you need to make sure your levels are topped up. 100-150 grams of an easily digested carbohydrate drink about 3 hours beforehand is the optimum.

You're ready for your ride. The question is : what shall I snack on during my ride? If you're only riding for an hour or so, and you've refuelled sufficiently beforehand, you probably don't need anything extra during. Just make sure you've got plenty of water. But if you're off for a longer session, it can be of benefit to keep the carbs trickling in. Colgan recommends 70-90g of a drink containing 5-10% of a solution that contains glucose polymers or glucose, plus a little fructose. Drink this at a rate of about 1 litre per hour.

Experts differ how much carbohydrate do we need. Training intensity and duration, as well as differences in your biochemical makeup, determine your carbohydrate requirements. The following table taken from "Optimum Sports Nutrition" by Michael Colgan gives a rough guide to the grams of carbohydrate you might need :

Bodyweight	Amount of training (hours per day)
kg	2	3	4	5	6	7
40	200	300	400	500	600	700
50	300	400	500	600	700	800
60	400	500	600	700	800	900
70	500	600	700	800	900	1000
80	600	700	800	900	1000	1100
90	700	800	900	1000	1100	1200
100	800	900	1000	1100	1200	1300
110	900	1000	1100	1200	1300	1400
120	1000	1100	1200	1300	1400	1500

This allows for a small amount of overfeeding - if you start putting on weight, reduce this. If you are doing very high intensity exercise, you might need to increase this allowance. Let's look at our 80kg cyclist from the protein page. Riding for 2 hours a day, he'd need approx 600gms of carbs, riding for 4 hours he'd need approx 700gms.

Barry Sears (the Zone) recommends a lower level of carbohydrate. Work out your protein requirement, then add a third on to get your carbohydrate requirement. Our 80kg man cyclist with 20% body fat needed 112gms of protein - his carbo allowance would be about 150gms. Our leaner cyclist who needed 120gms protein, would need 160gms. This is vastly different from Colgan's recommendation for two reasons - the Zone has a higher % of fat intake, and it is reputed to allow you to burn stored fat more efficiently, which reduces your calorific needs.

Peter D'adamo (Eat Right For Your Blood Type) recommends different ratios for each blood type. His rough guidelines are 72% for A, 60% for AB, 56% for B, and 38% for O types. The metabolic diets range from minimal carbs for extreme Hunter-Gatherers to high carb for extreme Agriculturists. Traditional nutritionists and naturopaths tend to favour high carb diets.

You've already decided whose protein advice you're going to take, so stick with that expert and see how it goes. The acid test is how you feel, how well you ride and how lean you get. Give it a bit of time, as your body takes time to adjust to a new routine. If you don't get an improvement in performance, have a rethink.

The best kinds of carbohydrates are those that release sugar into your system at a steady rate. Dr David Jenkins developed the Glycaemic Index to help diabetics control their sugar levels. The GI of a food measures how quickly and how much it increases your blood sugar level. If the level goes up too much or too quickly, you get that "sugar rush" high, but then your body pumps out insulin to balance out the sugar & your energy levels drop again. Proteins and low GI carbs will help keep your blood sugar levels steadily within the right range.

So how do you know what foods are low GI? Here is a table showing a sampling of common foods. This listing uses glucose as the "standard" food with a factor of 100. (On the links page, there is a site will give you a much more comprehensive listing. It uses white bread as a standard, however. To convert the factors to the same scale as the table below, x by 0.7)

Low GI Foods (below 55)/td>	Medium GI Foods (55-70)	High GI Foods (over 70)
Cereals
All Bran - 30	Vita Brits - 61	Weet-bix - 75
Porridge - 42	Nutrigrain - 66	Cornflakes - 77
Sultana Bran - 52	Sustain - 68	Rice bubbles - 89
Grains/Pastas
Egg fettuccine - 32	Basmati rice - 58	Brown rice - 76
Bulgur wheat - 48	Pizza - 60 (av)	Sunbrown quick rice - 80
Buckwheat - 54	Taco shells - 68	Calrose rice - 83
Breads/Crackers
Mixed grain bread - 45 (av)	Pita bread - 57	Wholemeal bread - 77
Oat bran bread - 47 (av)	Ryvita - 69	Rice cakes - 77
Pumpernickel (rye) bread - 50	White bread - 70	Water crackers - 78
Legumes
Kidney beans - 27 (av)
Lentils - 29 (av)
Chick peas - 33 (av)
Baked beans - 48 (av)
Vegetables
Green peas - 48	Sweet corn - 55	Pumpkin - 75
Carrots - 49	New potato - 62 (av)	Baked potato - 85 (av)
Yam - 51	Beetroot - 64	Parsnip - 97
Sweet potato - 54
Fruit
Cherries - 22	Sultanas - 56	Fruit leather - 70
Grapefruit - 25	Rock melon - 65	Watermelon - 72
Peach - 28 (av)	Pineapple - 66
Apple or pear - 36 (av)
Grapes - 43
Kiwifruit - 52
Banana - 53 (av) - note that ripe bananas have a much higher GI than starchy ones

You also want carbs that are high in micronutrients. So make sure a high proportion of your carbs come from fruit, vegetables, unrefined grains and legumes. The more vitamins and minerals you get in your food, the less likely you are to need a supplement. If you are committed to health, you might like to try eating only whole foods and no refined carbohydrates.

If you are following a metabolic or blood type diet, consult the detailed lists for the specific carbs that will suit you best.

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Carbohydrates

Tags: macronutrients, carbohydrates, carbs, atp, adenosine+triphosphate, glycogen, glucose, gi