2014

Sugar vs Fat: Which is better for powering our bodies

Sugar vs Fat: Which is better for powering our bodies
[caption id="attachment_14132" align="alignright" width="450"]The two doctors featured in the programme are identical twins and each was assigned a special diet: either a low-fat diet or a low-sugar diet according to a nutritional plan devised by Amanda Ursell.The two doctors featured in the program are identical twins and each was assigned a special diet: either a low-fat diet or a low-sugar diet according to a nutritional plan devised by Amanda Ursell.[/caption]

Questions, questions, questions... I hear it quite often via Twitter, Facebook and during coaching sessions throughout my life. Nutrition is a very dynamic, ever-changing landscape as it relates to our overall wellness and in many cases, whether we meet our goals or not.

That being said, here's a 9 questions (and of course I've heard many variations on these) I hear quite often. Any of them sound familiar to you?

9 Questions about fats, carbohydrates and proteins



  1. Is fat good or bad for you?

  2. Are all sugars bad for you?

  3. Will I lose weight on a low-fat, high-carb diet?

  4. Are high-fat, low-carb diets going to help me lose weight?

  5. Can I be a competitive athlete when eating a low carb, high protein diet?

  6. Is fat a good energy source?

  7. Is it okay to eat something sugary before I workout?

  8. What's better, fat or carbs? Is one worse than the other? Why?

  9. I try not to eat fat, I hear it will help me lose weight, is that true?


[box type="warning" align="aligncenter" ] Too much sugar might kill you...  That’s according to  a new study  out in the journal  JAMA Internal Medicine  that found Americans who get 25 percent or more of their calories from added sugar are nearly three times more likely to die of heart disease than those who consumed less than 10 percent—the amount recommended by the World Health Organization. *  [/box]

BBC Horizon special: Sugar vs Fat


I found this awesome video of twin doctors Chris and Xand Van Tulleken. These two go on a month-long diet - one doing high-fat while the other does high-sugar. Then they race to find out which macro-nutrient is better for powering our bodies during exercise.

(Note this isn't absolute, nor is it 100% exact, but it is pretty damn interesting and raises other questions as it relates to diet, nutrition and health)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5RqPWeqhlI

What can we learn from this experiment?


A diet based on natural, healthy, unprocessed whole-foods (like Paleo ) is the key to well-being and for preventing degenerative diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

The video ultimately addresses some of the 9 questions asked above, so have a watch and comment below with your thoughts.


 
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