Good Fats Bad Fats

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Dr Carter

Just so we are on the same page I’ll include some dictionary definitions of fats

  1. The ester of glycerol and one, two, or three fatty acids. The esters with three fatty acids are called triglycerides, which you may have noticed on your blood test results.
  2. Any of various soft, solid, or semisolid organic compounds constituting the esters of glycerol and fatty acids and their associated organic groups.
  3. A mixture of such compounds occurring widely in organic tissue, especially in the adipose tissue of animals and in the seeds, nuts, and fruits of plants.
  4. Animal tissue containing such substances.
  5. A solidified animal or vegetable oil.
  6. From a chemical standpoint, an ester is any of a class of compounds produced by reaction between acids and alcohols with the elimination of water. Oils are liquid esters and fats are solid esters.
  7. Edible oils are triglycerides that are liquid at room temperature.

So what makes humans, or any animal for that matter, deposit fat in the body? Carbohydrates do not make you fat, nor does protein or fat. Eating more of any kind of food than your body needs will lead to fat deposition. Satiation is the state of being satisfactorily full and not needing to take on more. For most people, protein and fat are more satiating than carbohydrates. Eating carbohydrates in excess of those required for energy and filling glycogen stores in the body, results in their conversion to fat by the liver. The type of fat produced by the liver is palmitic acid, and three chains of this fatty acid are then joined to a glycerol backbone to make a triglyceride. Palmitic acid is a major component of palm oil and it is a 16 carbon saturated fat.  The newly constructed triglyceride is transported from the liver to the tissues inside a lipoprotein called VLDL (very low density lipoprotein); the final destination of the fat contained in the lipoprotein is your fat cell, an excellent place to store excess energy as a stable fat.

Where fat is stored in the body makes a huge difference in your disease risk. Researchers in Germany found that fat accumulated in the abdomen can be far more dangerous to your health than fat in other parts of the body. Their study (New England Journal of Medicine, November 2008) found that excess weight around the abdomen nearly doubled a person’s risk of death from a variety of diseases, including cancer, stroke and heart disease. A large waist circumference was even more indicative of health risks than body mass index (BMI). The results of the study, involving nearly 360,000 participants from nine European countries, adds to research that shows abdominal fat is harmful.

In particular, deep abdominal fat is by far the most dangerous fat in terms of risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke,” Manson says. “Most of the research studies suggest that this abdominal fat at least triples the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and abnormal cholesterol levels. Harvard University endocrinologist Dr. JoAnn Manson

Belly fat is much worse than other types of fat because it functions differently. While subcutaneous fat (fat located under your skin) sits in storage waiting to be burned for energy, abdominal fat is much more metabolically and biologically active. These fat cells tend to be more active in producing hormones and chemical messengers that cause inflammation throughout the body. The location of this fat is what makes it so problematic. The hormones and chemicals produced by abdominal fat can affect nearby organs, particularly the liver. When broken down, this fat drains directly to the liver causing increased fat within the liver, which is also a risk factor for insulin resistance. Thankfully, belly fat is usually the first fat deposit to be eliminated when a good diet is introduced. Unfortunately it is the first fat to come back if the diet becomes poor again – sugars, grains, and industrial seed oils being the main offenders.

Which fats are good fats and which fats are bad? To understand how the good fats got a bad reputation you really need to look at the history of medical research in the 1950-1970′s period. Between researcher Ancel Keys and the senate McGovern committee, it was decided that saturated fats were bad and polyunsaturated fats were good, not because of scientific evidence, but because it was politically expedient and Keys was influential. If you want a good rundown of this bit of history, read Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. I really enjoyed reading it as it is an example of how bad science and political clout is adopted as truth, becoming enduring dogma. The saturated fats, as it turns out, are actually the good fats, because they are non-reactive and don’t oxidize; they don’t harm the body by increasing oxidative damage and inflammation.

Under the rubric of “fat” we have the perfect human fuels – what I call #1 Diesel – long chain saturated fatty acids (LCSFA) like Myristic (C14), palmitic (C16) and Stearic (C18) acid as found in the milk and meat of ruminants. These are, by no coincidence, the same saturated fatty acids we humans use to store energy in our own bodies – our own internal #1 Diesel. As far as I can tell, there is no limit to the amount of this kind of fat that you can eat, as long as your protein and micronutrient needs are being met. You cannot eat “too much” saturated fat unless you are not getting enough of something else. This is just the principle of displacement, though, and has nothing to do with any toxicity of these fats as food. Of course, these LCSFAs are the very fats that, in the bizarro-world of conventional nutritional wisdom, are supposedly the most dangerous and cause heart disease and cancer. That there is no real evidence for this belief, and that LCSFA are actually one of the most healthful sources of caloric fuel, is what makes embracing them and rejecting the lipid hypothesis the lodestar of any rational approach to diet. You can’t take the most important step in improving your diet until you do this. From Kurt Harris, MD There is No Such Thing as a Macronutrient Part I - Fats Saturday, January 29, 2011

Dr Harris statement that you cannot eat too much saturated fat is true physiologically. Saturated fat is very satiating to people. (“Normal” people. I’m sure there are some examples of aberrant eaters who could prove him wrong) If you eat more fat than you can absorb it will result in diarrhea; a rational person will reduce their fat intake accordingly.

Good dietary fats include animal fats from pasture fed ruminants, mainly because they are low in omega-6 fats. Beef tallow typically has 3% omega 6 and 1% omega-3. Pork lard has 10% omega-6 and no omega-3. Chicken fat contains about 25% omega-6. For optimal health we want an omega-6:omega-3 ratio of between 4:1 and 1:1. The best way to accomplish this is by minimizing omega-6 fats in the diet. Other good dietary fats are cow and goat butter fat (2% and 3%  omega-6 respectively), coconut fat/oil (2% omega-6) and palm kernel oil (2% omega-6). Olive oil is OK at 10% omega-6.

Ruminant: any even-toed, hoofed mammal of the suborder Ruminantia, being comprised of cloven-hoofed, cud-chewing quadrupeds, and including, besides domestic cattle, bison, buffalo, deer, antelopes, giraffes, camels, and chevrotains.

Non-beneficial dietary fats, ranging from just plain unhealthy to disastrous, would include chicken, and all of the industrial seed oils in common use. Here is a listing of the omega-6 and omega-3 content in percentage of common oils: Key: Oil name (O6, O3)

  • Flax (16, 53)
  • Almond (17, 0)
  • Canola (22, 10)
  • Peanut (32, 0)
  • Sesame (45, 0)
  • Walnut (51, 5)
  • Cottonseed (54, 1)
  • Soybean (54, 7)
  • Corn (58, 1)
  • Sunflower (68, 1)
  • Grape seed (73, 0)
  • Safflower (78, 0)

The industrial seed oils are unhealthy not only because of their high pro-inflammatory omega-6 content, but because they are manufactured at high temperature. High temperatures result in oxidation of the double bonds in these polyunsaturated fatty acids and eating these oxidized fats causes both increased inflammation in the body and damages cell membranes; damaged cell membranes equals damaged organ and tissue function, think cardiovascular disease, cancer, nervous system disease.

 

Wait a minute! Isn’t flax oil a healthy oil? I personally do not find it wise to intentionally take omega-6 containing oils in a concentrated form. Ground flax seeds are OK if you need a bit of fiber, and they contain beneficial lignans, but consuming the oil can give you a significant dose of unnecessary omega-6. Likewise, taking the popular Omega 3-6-9 oil supplements is misguided. Fish oils containing only omega-3 EPA and DHA are the only omega oils I recommend supplementing. Omega-6 oils are considered essential fatty acids, because the body cannot make them from other fats, however, the amount we need is very small. There is plenty of omega-6 in the diet even when industrial seed oils are avoided, so supplementing them is like adding fuel to the inflammatory fire.

 

What about trans-fats?

People often get confused when saturated fats are mentioned in news articles because these fats are always demonized. It is rare to find a news report that distinguishes between naturally occurring saturated fats and the saturated fats produced by saturating the polyunsaturated seed oils via an industrial process. The naturally saturated fats are useful for cooking but are expensive relative to industrial saturated fats like Crisco. Historical note: Crisco, a modification of the phrase “crystallized cottonseed oil.” Trans fats refers to lipid molecules that contain one or more double bonds in trans geometric configuration. The chemical structures below represent in order: trans, cis, and saturated fatty acid
Top : Elaidic acid, trans fatty acid = bad
Middle : Oleic acid, cis fatty acid = good
Bottom : Stearic acid, saturated fatty acid = good

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consumption of trans fats increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by raising levels of LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of HDL cholesterol. Trans fats also damage cell membranes by altering normal structural characteristics. Crisco now claims to have no trans fats – but that is stretching the truth a bit. The US FDA allows companies whose products contain less than one-half gram of trans fats per serving to list the content as “zero” on the Nutrition Facts panel. So you can still get damaging doses of trans fats from Crisco, other shortenings, and the dreaded partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Crisco and similar low trans fat products are produced by the interesterification of a mixture of hydrogenated oils and partially-hydrogenated oils. The composition of the triglycerides formed is random, and may contain fatty acid combinations not found in nature; this is normally a negative for good health. A recent study showed interesterified fat increased subjects blood sugar by 20 percent while lowering HDL. I would really suggest avoiding industrial atrocities masquerading as food.

The medium chain fats found in coconut, palm kernel and butter will be a subject for another time. These fats are beneficial in many ways. Stay tuned.

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil

Omega-6 %

Omega-3%

Flax

16

53

Almond

17

-

Canola

22

10

Peanut oil

32

-

Sesame

45

-

Walnut

51

5

Cottonseed

54

1

Soybean

54

7

Corn

58

1

Sunflower

68

1

Grape seed

73

-

Safflower

78

-
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Protein Sources and How to Prepare Them

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Dr Carter

I’ll get right to the meat of the issue in saying that the best protein source is organic pastured (grass fed) ruminants because the meat has lower levels of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats, antibiotics, hormones and pesticides. The organ meats of these animals are also a good source of proteins and nutrients, as are the bones for both marrow and making soup stock. Other acceptable protein sources include organic pork, chicken, and turkey. Fish are great protein sources as long as they are low in mercury, so stream & lake fish from clean waters are good, as are Alaska salmon and sardines. Fish at the top of the food chain can contain significant amounts of mercury: Atlantic halibut, king mackerel, oysters (Gulf Coast), pike, sea bass, shark, swordfish, tile fish (golden snapper), tuna (steaks and canned albacore). Bison and wild game are other good protein sources as are eggs.

Meats, fish and eggs are known as complete proteins, because they contain all of the essential amino acids; essential amino acids need to be consumed as part of the diet, because they cannot be synthesized in the body from other amino acids. Soy protein isolate is a complete protein, but I do not recommend the use of soy as food, with the exception of fermented products: soy sauce, miso, tempeh, and natto. These are normally consumed in small amounts and the fermentation process decreases the concentration of anti-nutrients native to the soy plant. Soy is rated as the second most allergenic food to humans, with the first being peanuts, and it is the most common genetically modified “food” plant – it is the penultimate GMO and is not fit for human consumption.

There is one acceptable manufactured protein source, whey protein. It is usually sold as a powder and it is useful for supplementing protein intake before and after exercise as well as during weight loss programs. Whey is useful for exercise programs because of its ability to be digested rapidly. It is an abundant source of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) that are used to fuel muscles and stimulate protein synthesis (muscle growth). I really recommend purchasing good quality pure unflavored whey protein and adding other foods to make a flavorful smoothie. Good quality means the product was manufactured with low heat. A lot of commercial whey protein has added sugars, flavorings and additives that add nothing to its nutritional value.

Healthier methods of preparing meats

Meats can be damaged by high heat due to the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Studies have shown that high levels of PAHs are found in meat cooked at high temperatures resulting from grilling or barbecuing, and in smoked fish. PAHs are a concern because some of the compounds have been identified as carcinogenic (cancer causing), mutagenic (cause DNA mutations) and teratogenic (able to disturb the growth and development of an embryo or fetus). Another class of chemicals, heterocyclic amines (HCAs), are carcinogenic chemicals formed during the cooking of meats such as beef, pork, fowl, and fish. HCAs form when amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and creatine (a chemical found in muscles) react at high cooking temperatures. Researchers have identified 17 different HCAs resulting from the cooking of muscle meats that may pose human cancer risk. Temperature is the most important factor in the formation of HCAs. Frying, broiling, and barbecuing produce the largest amounts of HCAs because the meats are cooked at very high temperatures.

Cooking meats at lower temperatures will reduce both PAHs and HCAs and one of the simpler methods of ensuring lower temperature cooking is to insure that water is present in the cooking vessel. Cooking meats in soups, stews and sauces is pretty obvious as all of these recipes are water-based. The method I use most often is to cook in a Crock Pot. Crock Pots are ideal for people who like to have the main course of their evening meal ready when they get home from work; the cooking time I normally use is 8-10 hours using the Low temperature setting. It is a very simple affair to cook roasts (beef, pork, game) or chicken (whole or parts). Please be imaginative with spices as they can really improve the flavor of your meat choice. There are certain spices that help decrease the formation of HCAs, and the most common are garlic and onions. PhlP is the most abundant of the various carcinogenic HCAs and its concentration in cooked meat can be decreased by marinating meat with garlic, adding onions or eating garlic or onions with the meat. It is best to cook the meat with the garlic or onions.

Sidebar: Ronald D. Thomas, PhD and his team of researchers at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee have found that adding a garlic compound known as diallyl sulfide (DAS) to PhlP completely neutralized its carcinogenic activity in human breast cells. The DAS from garlic prevented PhlP’s ability to rev up production of cancer-causing enzymes. Ordinarily PhlP boosted activity of the cancer-causing enzyme 40 times in human breast cells. Adding the garlic-derived DAS to the PhlP completely blocked it from becoming carcinogenic, said Dr. Thomas. DAS is the chemical in garlic that accounts for its strong, pungent garlicky taste and odor, Thomas points out. Diallyl disulfide is produced by decomposition of allicin which is released upon breaking the cells of the Alliacea species of plants, especially garlic, onion and leek.

Bacon is one of my favorite meats once or twice a week. Bacon is often preserved with sodium nitrite. When meat containing nitrites is heated (particularly at high temperatures), the result is nitrosamines, compounds that have been linked with cancer.  The work-around to this problem is to take vitamin C when eating bacon; the nitrosamines are neutralized.

Sidebar: About 1970 it was discovered that ascorbic acid inhibits nitrosamine formation. Consequently, the addition of 550 ppm of ascorbic acid is now required in the manufacture of cured meat in the U.S. Actually, most cured meat manufacturers add erythorbic acid (an isomer of ascorbic acid) rather than ascorbic acid. Although erythorbic acid has reduced vitamin C activity, it is as effective as ascorbic acid in inhibiting nitrosamine formation and is also cheaper than vitamin C. Another antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), is added to some cured meats to inhibit nitrosamine formation. As a result of these strategies, there are now significantly lower levels of nitrosamines in fried bacon and other cured meats than there were some years ago. Ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol inhibit nitrosamine formation due to their oxidation-reduction properties. For example, when ascorbic acid is oxidized to dehydroascorbic acid, nitrous anhydride, a potent nitrosating agent formed from sodium nitrite, is reduced to nitric oxide, which is not a nitrosating agent. The discovery that ascorbic acid can inhibit nitrosamine formation was serendipitous. Reference: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/f-w00/nitrosamine.html

Meats can be either exquisitely tasty, or a bit boring, and the delicious meats simply take a bit of imagination. I rarely cook with recipes, but I am not afraid to experiment and the results are mostly very good. We cook a lot of roasts in the Crock Pot, it is a very easy method and the meats come out very tender. Use the low temperature setting if you are starting cooking in the morning before leaving for work. Adding spices helps with flavor: the basics are salt and black pepper. Cayenne pepper can be used for a bit more fire, onions and garlic are usually appropriate, and herbs such as rosemary, sage, cloves can be used with different types of meat. Ground Bison is common in Montana and I will either prepare it as meat patties or mixed with onions, vegetables, spices and good fats as either a sauté or a soup using beef stock.

I will often add fat to the meat either before cooking, in the pan or Crock Pot, or after cooking. Fat adds a lot to the flavor and palatability: butter on chicken and coconut oil or lard with beef, coconut milk and Thai curry with almost any meat. When preparing left-over meats I usually use liberal amounts of coconut oil, red palm oil, or lard (we render our own by purchasing pork fat trimmings from the local meat store). Sometimes I will use bacon fat.

For those who know a little about nutrition, you will notice all of the fats listed in the last paragraph are saturated. What is that about? These are the fats demonized by mainstream medicine and they are, in fact, the safest and most non-reactive edible fats; they do not cause heart or cardiovascular disease. By non-reactive I mean that these fats don’t oxidize and cause inflammation in the body. I’ll go over fats in future posts. If you want a great review on fats go to Kurt Harris blog at http://www.paleonu.com/ and read his post dated Saturday, January 29, 2011 titled There is No Such Thing as a Macronutrient Part I – Fats. Dr Harris is a very clear writer and makes statements based on extensive research.

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Protein – How much?

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Dr Carter

Protein is the principle macronutrient that is required in specific amounts for optimal health. Once you have determined your protein requirement, fat and carbohydrate are used to complete your daily caloric needs. The foundation program used at Bozeman Weight Management is moderate protein, restricted carbohydrate, and moderate-to-high fat.


How much protein is sufficient?

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein according to U.S. government guidelines is 0.8 gram per kilogram (2.2 pounds) or 0.36 gram per pound of ideal body weight for adults. This protein RDA is said to meet 97.5% of the population’s needs. The RDA increases by 30 grams per day during pregnancy and 20 grams per day during lactation. During growth, different amounts are needed. For example, 2.2 grams of protein are needed per kilogram of body weight each day in the first six months of life, and 2.0 grams per kilogram for the next six months. The protein RDA is based on “ideal body weight,” that is calculated according to the following

Woman’s ideal body weight:

· US measure: 100 pounds for 60 inches in height
+ 5 pounds for each additional inch over 60 inches

· Metric: 45 kilograms for 150 centimeters in height
+ 0.85 kilograms for each additional centimeter in height

Men’s ideal body weight:

· US measure: 106 pounds for 60 inches in height
+ 6 pounds for each additional inch over 60 inches

· Metric: 48 kilograms for 150 centimeters in height
+ 1 kilogram for each additional centimeter in height


A male, who is 6 feet in height, or 72 inches, has an ideal body weight of 178 pounds according to these calculations. When I set up weight loss programs for people I always check the Metropolitan Life tables of height and weight; they were called “desirable” weights, which would indicate those persons with the lowest mortality rates. The Met Life desirable weights are based on height and body frame size, so our 6 foot man could be healthy with a weight of 138 pounds (at the low end of the range) if he had a small frame, and if he had a large frame he would still be at a healthy weight at 179 pounds (at the top end of the range). The ideal weight does not consider frame size, and so will overestimate healthy weight for most people except those with large frames. This may not be a very accurate method, as people normally choose frame size based on their own body image, which may or not reflect reality. You can go to http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/met.htm to see the tables and get an explanation of how they tried to estimate frame size.

The protein RDA for our 6 footer would be 64 grams protein daily. But is this amount really sufficient for a person who is not sedentary? Here is a better estimate of protein intake depending on how physically active you are – this information is from Montana State University http://btc.montana.edu/olympics/nutrition/eat11.html

Who and how much protein per day?

RDA for sedentary adult 0.8 g/kg

Physically active adult 1.0 g/kg

Endurance athlete 1.2 – 1.4 g/kg

Strength athlete 1.4 – 1.8 g/kg

Adolescent athlete 1.0 – 2.0 g/kg

Maximum for adult athletes up to 2.0 g/kg


Amino acids are not stored whereas carbohydrate and fat are. The majority of amino acids function as part of proteins, enzymes, or are used to form hormones, neurotransmitters, or nucleic acids. The free amino acid pool accounts for no more than 1.0% of all amino acids in the body. Free amino acids that are not used for protein synthesis can be broken down and used to make glucose, oxidized for energy or stored as fat. The amino portion (of the amino acid) is metabolized to urea which is excreted in urine or sweat. Research on strength athletes shows that at a daily protein consumption of 2.4 g/kg, amino acid oxidation increases and no additional protein synthesis occurs. Consuming more protein than is required promotes protein oxidation, urea formation, urination, and can increase dehydration risk.


What does 100 grams of protein look like in food?

Food Amount Protein (grams)

Turkey breast 2 ounces 17

Swiss cheese     1 ounce 8

Steak (beef) 8 ounces 68

Baked potato 1 medium 5

Broccoli 1 cup 6

Total: 104


Here are the daily protein recommendations from several people who are up to date in their nutritional knowledge:

· 50 grams/pound body weight : Ron Rosedale, MD, author, The Rosedale Diet

· 0.7-1 gram/pound lean body mass: Mark Sisson, author, The primal Blueprint.

Lean body mass = Weight minus (% body fat X weight), for example a 170 pound man with 15% body fat has a lean body mass of 144.5 pounds (170 – 25.5 = 144.5). This is a great book for not only diet but also lifestyle and exercise; an all around great read.

· 500-600 calories (125-150 grams) daily on carbohydrate restricted diet; 200-600 calories (50-150 grams) if eating higher carbohydrate amounts, e.g. greater than 150 grams daily: Paul Jaminet & Shou-Ching Jaminet (both Ph.D.), authors, Perfect Health Diet. This is the only book on healthy eating that I agree with everything the authors suggest, clearly written and well referenced for the scientifically oriented.

· 27-50 grams at each of three meals, smaller and inactive people eat at the lower end of the range, whereas larger and more active people may need protein at the higher end of the range : Joseph Mercola, D.O., author, The No-Grain Diet

· 25-30 grams/meal and 15 grams/snack for women, 40-45 grams/meal and 20 grams/snack (assuming three meals daily) : Natasha Turner, N.D. author, The Hormone Diet. I think the Paleolithic theory of what we need to eat in order to be healthy is the most effective guide to eating. Dr Turner may indeed have developed a good method for people to lose weight, but I don’t agree with her unrestricted approach to choosing carbohydrates. There are too many problems with the gluten containing grains to suggest them as a suitable food source for humans.


I like to use a simple method of determining initial protein needs when I give people their eating plan for weight loss. If a person is not too physically active I recommend 0.5 grams per pound body weight; if they are more active then I go up to 0.75 grams per pound. A typical 170 pound man working a sedentary job, e.g. IT tech., who exercises 3 times weekly, would be advised to eat 85 grams protein daily. Another 170 pound man working construction and spending a lot of time outside in cold temperatures (a very common occupation in Bozeman) would eat about 127 grams daily. If this man was a professional athlete he may be able to get by on 127 grams daily, but would need higher carbohydrate intake after training than our construction worker.


Using lean body mass, it takes 0.5 gram per pound to maintain muscle structure. If you are moderately active you will need 0.7 grams, and if you work out on a regular basis or are under stress you may need as much as one gram per pound.


Excess protein will be converted to sugar in the liver, so it is best during any time that you want to lose weight to stay with an ideal protein intake to meet your metabolic needs, but not more. Dr Rosedale feels that 0.5 gram per pound meets these needs without being excessive, and I agree with him.


Protein is the most satiating of the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate and fat) and so it is better to eat your protein at the start of the meal, and finish up with vegetables, salads, and safe carbohydrates. I will be Blogging about carbohydrates in the near future, but just so you are not in the dark, safe carbohydrates include sweet potatoes, yams, common potato varieties without their skins, white rice, tapioca and other “root or tuber” derived carbohydrate sources.

Next post: Protein sources and how to prepare them.

I’ll also be researching how to control text formatting in WordPress.


Protein is the principle macronutrient that is required in specific amounts for optimal health. Once you have determined your protein requirement, fat and carbohydrate are used to complete your daily caloric needs. The foundation program used at Bozeman Weight Management is moderate protein, restricted carbohydrate, and moderate-to-high fat.

How much protein is sufficient?

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein according to U.S. government guidelines is 0.8 gram per kilogram (2.2 pounds) or 0.36 gram per pound of ideal body weight for adults. This protein RDA is said to meet 97.5% of the population’s needs. The RDA increases by 30 grams per day during pregnancy and 20 grams per day during lactation. During growth, different amounts are needed. For example, 2.2 grams of protein are needed per kilogram of body weight each day in the first six months of life, and 2.0 grams per kilogram for the next six months. The protein RDA is based on “ideal body weight,” that is calculated according to the following

Woman’s ideal body weight:

· US measure: 100 pounds for 60 inches in height
+ 5 pounds for each additional inch over 60 inches

· Metric: 45 kilograms for 150 centimeters in height
+ 0.85 kilograms for each additional centimeter in height

Men’s ideal body weight:

· US measure: 106 pounds for 60 inches in height
+ 6 pounds for each additional inch over 60 inches

· Metric: 48 kilograms for 150 centimeters in height
+ 1 kilogram for each additional centimeter in height

A male, who is 6 feet in height, or 72 inches, has an ideal body weight of 178 pounds according to these calculations. When I set up weight loss programs for people I always check the Metropolitan Life tables of height and weight; they were called “desirable” weights, which would indicate those persons with the lowest mortality rates. The Met Life desirable weights are based on height and body frame size, so our 6 foot man could be healthy with a weight of 138 pounds (at the low end of the range) if he had a small frame, and if he had a large frame he would still be at a healthy weight at 179 pounds (at the top end of the range). The ideal weight does not consider frame size, and so will overestimate healthy weight for most people except those with large frames. This may not be a very accurate method, as people normally choose frame size based on their own body image, which may or not reflect reality. You can go to http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/met.htm to see the tables and get an explanation of how they tried to estimate frame size.

The protein RDA for our 6 footer would be 64 grams protein daily. But is this amount really sufficient for a person who is not sedentary? Here is a better estimate of protein intake depending on how physically active you are – this information is from Montana State University http://btc.montana.edu/olympics/nutrition/eat11.html

Who and how much protein per day?

RDA for sedentary adult 0.8 g/kg

Physically active adult 1.0 g/kg

Endurance athlete 1.2 – 1.4 g/kg

Strength athlete 1.4 – 1.8 g/kg

Adolescent athlete 1.0 – 2.0 g/kg

Maximum for adult athletes up to 2.0 g/kg

Amino acids are not stored whereas carbohydrate and fat are. The majority of amino acids function as part of proteins, enzymes, or are used to form hormones, neurotransmitters, or nucleic acids. The free amino acid pool accounts for no more than 1.0% of all amino acids in the body. Free amino acids that are not used for protein synthesis can be broken down and used to make glucose, oxidized for energy or stored as fat. The amino portion (of the amino acid) is metabolized to urea which is excreted in urine or sweat. Research on strength athletes shows that at a daily protein consumption of 2.4 g/kg, amino acid oxidation increases and no additional protein synthesis occurs. Consuming more protein than is required promotes protein oxidation, urea formation, urination, and can increase dehydration risk.

What does 100 grams of protein look like in food?

Food Amount Protein (grams)

Turkey breast 2 ounces 17

Swiss cheese 1 ounce 8

Steak (beef) 8 ounces 68

Baked potato 1 medium 5

Broccoli 1 cup 6

Total: 104

Here are the daily protein recommendations from several people who are up to date in their nutritional knowledge:

· 50 grams/pound body weight : Ron Rosedale, MD, author, The Rosedale Diet

· 0.7-1 gram/pound lean body mass: Mark Sisson, author, The primal Blueprint.

Lean body mass = Weight minus (% body fat X weight), for example a 170 pound man with 15% body fat has a lean body mass of 144.5 pounds (170 – 25.5 = 144.5). This is a great book for not only diet but also lifestyle and exercise; an all around great read.

· 500-600 calories (125-150 grams) daily on carbohydrate restricted diet; 200-600 calories (50-150 grams) if eating higher carbohydrate amounts, e.g. greater than 150 grams daily: Paul Jaminet & Shou-Ching Jaminet (both Ph.D.), authors, Perfect Health Diet. This is the only book on healthy eating that I agree with everything the authors suggest, clearly written and well referenced for the scientifically oriented.

· 27-50 grams at each of three meals, smaller and inactive people eat at the lower end of the range, whereas larger and more active people may need protein at the higher end of the range : Joseph Mercola, D.O., author, The No-Grain Diet

· 25-30 grams/meal and 15 grams/snack for women, 40-45 grams/meal and 20 grams/snack (assuming three meals daily) : Natasha Turner, N.D. author, The Hormone Diet. I think the Paleolithic theory of what we need to eat in order to be healthy is the most effective guide to eating. Dr Turner may indeed have developed a good method for people to lose weight, but I don’t agree with her unrestricted approach to choosing carbohydrates. There are too many problems with the gluten containing grains to suggest them as a suitable food source for humans.

I like to use a simple method of determining initial protein needs when I give people their eating plan for weight loss. If a person is not too physically active I recommend 0.5 grams per pound body weight; if they are more active then I go up to 0.75 grams per pound. A typical 170 pound man working a sedentary job, e.g. IT tech., who exercises 3 times weekly, would be advised to eat 85 grams protein daily. Another 170 pound man working construction and spending a lot of time outside in cold temperatures (a very common occupation in Bozeman) would eat about 127 grams daily. If this man was a professional athlete he may be able to get by on 127 grams daily, but would need higher carbohydrate intake after training than our construction worker.

Using lean body mass, it takes 0.5 gram per pound to maintain muscle structure. If you are moderately active you will need 0.7 grams, and if you work out on a regular basis or are under stress you may need as much as one gram per pound.

Excess protein will be converted to sugar in the liver, so it is best during any time that you want to lose weight to stay with an ideal protein intake to meet your metabolic needs, but not more. Dr Rosedale feels that 0.5 gram per pound meets these needs without being excessive, and I agree with him.

Protein is the most satiating of the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate and fat) and so it is better to eat your protein at the start of the meal, and finish up with vegetables, salads, and safe carbohydrates. I will be Blogging about carbohydrates in the near future, but just so you are not in the dark, safe carbohydrates include sweet potatoes, yams, common potato varieties without their skins, white rice, tapioca and other “root or tuber” derived carbohydrate sources.

Next post: Protein sources and how to prepare them.

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Body Image and Misinformation about Weight Loss

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Dr Carter

I wanted to do some local marketing so I rented booth space at the What Women Want to Know Expo in Bozeman October 30. I thought that this would surely be a good venue for those wanting to lose weight to get information about my weight loss programs. Karen graciously consented to help me out during the day as I expected to have a lot of visitors to the booth and wanted knowledgeable backup. The experience of the Expo was very different than my expectations.

We set up the booth with a nice banner, an informative but succinct handout regarding our services, and had our electric impedance device on hand for estimating body fat percentage. We committed to staffing the booth for seven hours, so we had plenty of time to observe the people who passed by. I expected to have a lot more visitors to the booth than we had; the two costume jewelry booths on either side of us had a steady stream of people whereas we had very few. I guess I really didn’t have an understanding of “What Women Want to Know.” Bozeman is a pretty physically fit town where a lot of people do outdoor pursuits as well as workout in gyms; there are a lot of competitive athletes who base out of Bozeman. It is very common to see slim and fit people in town, but we have our share of people who are overweight or frankly obese. I contrast this with Portland, Oregon where I lived from 1990-2003 – it was rare to see a female of normal weight, even among those of high school age. I can’t even imagine what it must be like to live in Mississippi, the fattest state in America.

Who were the people that came by our booth for information? We had few overweight people, a few who had abdominal obesity but who otherwise appeared normal weight, and quite a number who were normal weight or even underweight. We offered to measure body fat by impedance and body mass index (BMI) calculation to our visitors; no one who was obviously overweight wanted to do the measurements. We had no obese visitors, although quite a few walked by with focused disinterest. People who were not obese would look at us and either visit or go to another exhibitor, those who were obese looked away and in general, would not visit the adjacent booths. We were not there to judge them (the obese) but to offer them an effective plan to lose fat and avoid the many diseases associated with obesity. Why didn’t they stop? Was it embarrassment, discouragement with past diets, a too public venue, denial of their pathological body composition? I’ve thought about this a lot, and it is most likely all of these reasons and others I don’t understand. Why is there so much obesity in the United States and why don’t  most weight loss methods have lasting results?

Obesity is multifaceted but the most obvious reasons for the epidemic is poor guidance from the normal sources people should be able to trust, namely the United States Department of Agriculture, who publish national diet recommendations and mainstream medical centers who should know better. There is also a lot of influence from the advertisers of “weight gaining products” such as soft drinks, snack foods and highly processed carbohydrates.  I have a lot of compassion for people who are overweight, because it is a treatable and preventable condition if you have good information. The following paragraph is from a blog post at Robb Wolf’s site written by a woman who finally discovered an eating plan that really worked to improve her health – it is worth reading her whole story as it shows the frustration and setbacks caused by misinformation.

“There is a stigma attached to being obese. You are viewed as undeserving. You are ridiculed and snubbed. People find you disgusting. And worst of all – you think these same things, and worse, about yourself. What I hated the most was that I was obviously weak. I have never felt like a weak person. I am forceful, opinionated, intelligent, confident, and optimistic. I’m a Leo for god’s sake! We RULE! How could I be so weak when it came to food? I found countless things over the years to blame it on, but in the end I would hate myself even more knowing that I was an adult and had the power to let that stuff go. I’ve always despised individuals with a victim mentality and I hated it even more in myself. But then I read Robb’s book. I no longer look at myself and see someone weak and repugnant. I see a girl who has been fed a steady diet of nutritional misinformation, confusion, contradiction, and outright big fat lies. We don’t look at diseased people and find them repulsive and yet that’s how the obese are seen. But in fact, obesity is just a huge red flag that a very ugly disease is looming. After reading Robb’s book I no longer believe that I’m weak or that I have a problem with will-power. When I look in the mirror now what I see is a very sick girl who is finally getting the help that she so desperately needs.”

via Robb Wolf | The Paleo Solution book and podcast | Paleolithic nutrition, intermittent fasting, and fitness.

I made the point in my last post that the Foundation Diet that I recommend people follow is a carbohydrate restricted, optimal protein, high good fat way of eating that is essentially a Paleo eating plan.

How is the misinformation perpetuated? Here is a good example from a recent blog post by Dr Michael Eades. Dr Robert Eckel is a national authority on obesity who supports current USDA dietary recommendations.

“I do want to take a moment to show how easily a mind can be closed.  Dr. Eckel is a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado and has held numerous lofty positions in the academic world including the presidencies of the American Heart Association and the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, now the Obesity Society, the organization of academic obesity researchers. (Full disclosure: I am a member of the Obesity Society.) Dr. Eckel has written and lectured extensively on the dangers (as he perceives them) of the low-carb diet, and has attacked numerous specific low-carb diets and their developers, including yours truly.

Dr. Westman makes the case that a recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine demonstrated that low-carb diets raised HDL-cholesterol levels. Most of the readers of this blog – at least those who have gone on a low-carb diet – know that HDL-cholesterol goes up on such a diet. We all know that saturated fat raises HDL-cholesterol levels. And we all have seen or at least know of the countless studies showing the benefits of having higher levels of HDL-cholesterol. In fact, a number of studies performed over the past few years have shown that infusing HDL into subjects with coronary plaque brings about a reversal of the plaque. Dr. Eckel has got to be aware of at least some of these studies, but look what he says when Dr. Westman raises the issue:

“This claim that Atkins preserves the HDL level” is irrelevant, he [Eckel] says, since “the science is not advanced enough yet to say whether a rise in HDL is a good thing. To make any conclusions on this is really premature.”

The very model of a modern closed-minded academician.

And it’s obvious that Dr. Eckel wants to remain close minded. He doesn’t even want there to be the possibility that the low-carb diet could be shown to be beneficial.”

via Rooting out more anti-low-carb bias | The Blog of Michael R. Eades, M.D..

Dr. Eckel, an academician with very good credentials, is knowingly or unknowingly perpetuating nutritional information that interferes with reliable weight loss plans and the effect of diet on health. The American Heart Association sells its heart check mark signifying endorsement by the AHA as conforming to some basic heart healthy requirements. Here is another example of the disconnect between commercialism and health. Many breakfast cereals get the heart healthy approval simply because they don’t contain cholesterol or saturated fat, and in the case of oats they may help lower cholesterol due to soluble fiber. Chocolate Cheerios – Our Cereals – Cheerios.

Next post: How much carbohydrate is enough but not too much, what carbohydrates are both toxic and best to avoid, and what carbohydrates are most beneficial?

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Foundation Program for Fat Loss

Posted on October 28, 2010 by Dr Carter

The foundation program follows the basic hormonal physiology and biochemistry of eliminating excess body fat by regulating blood levels of glucose, insulin and leptin; the last two are hormones that  fundamentally control fat deposition, fat breakdown and hunger.

This program utilizes an ideal amount of protein based on your body weight, restricted carbohydrate intake, and the use of good fats to control appetite and satiety. The foundation works very well for people with visceral adiposity, belly fat, the “apple” shape body. Metabolic syndrome utilizes the foundation program, with appropriate modifications for each person. The foundation program is not a calorie restricted diet. The foundation program is related to Paleolithic Diets as opposed to Neolithic Diets (foods that have become common in the last 10,000 years) which are associated with the common diseases of civilization including diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart disease and stroke.

By eliminating Neolithic foods, the most common of which are the gluten containing grains, we can significantly decrease the occurrence of autoimmune diseases, for example, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, systemic lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Most of the chronic degenerative diseases that are common in modern society are caused by bad diets and will not be cured until the diet is changed. Nutrients are always beneficial at low doses but at high doses nearly every nutrient becomes toxic. Some foods contain toxins that outweigh their nutritional benefits even when eaten in small amounts and these foods should be avoided. Simple sugars such as sucrose (table sugar) honey, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and agave nectar need to be limited strictly during the weight loss period. Fructose especially contributes to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance occurs when there is higher sugar/starch intake than the body can effectively metabolize; this raises insulin levels and when sugar storage needs are met (as glycogen) the remainder is converted to fat by the liver and stored in fat cells.

Leptin is a hormone produced by your fat cells. When leptin is present it tells your brain that you are hungry, how much to eat, and when to stop eating. When blood leptin levels are measure in overweight people most showed high values; when measured in obese people almost all had high leptin levels. In other words, people with a lot of body fat become insulin and leptin resistant. The fat cells overproduce leptin in order to decrease overeating behavior, but the body can’t “hear” the message, it has become leptin resistant. Certain foods cause the vicious cycle of overproduction of leptin, namely carbohydrates. The worst offenders are grains, breads, cereals, pastas and starchy vegetables.

The makeup of the human body is a good guide for eating by the principle of “eat what you are.” This means that a good ratio of macronutrients for a lean healthy body comes in at close to 74% fat and 26% protein by calories. What does this translate to in the amount of foods we eat? We do well when (somewhat) less than 74% of our diet is fat and protein plus carbohydrate fills the remaining 26%; the liver can manufacture carbohydrate from protein. The actual diet will consist of about 60% fat, 20% protein and 20% carbohydrate. Good fats are a very safe source of caloric energy.

Recommended daily intake is about 2000 Calories for an adult woman, and 2500 for an adult male; this varies greatly based on age, activity level, and weight. The actual diet noted above would contain 133 grams fat, and 100 grams each of protein and carbohydrate for women, while the male’s diet would contain 167 grams fat, and 125 grams each of protein and carbohydrate. During the fat loss phase of the foundation program carbohydrate intake is limited to 60-100 grams daily, with the lower amount being preferable. This is easily achieved by eating vegetables as the sole source of carbohydrate. Vegetables do not include “safe” carbohydrates such as sweet potato, yams, potatoes or white rice; safe carbohydrates may be added in appropriate amounts when your goal weight has been achieved.

What constitutes healthy and toxic sources of fat, protein and carbohydrate will be discussed in future posts.

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