Science is Fun!!!

I’m so happy that all my good examples of eating healthy is finally rubbing off on others, well mainly one other person. Boyfriend calls today and asks “Is Beef Jerky ok to eat?” To my surprise he took the time to think about what he ate and to my surprise Beef Jerky is an ok snack to have if you are trying to lose weight. According to Men’s Health magazine that is. My quick Google search led me to find out that not only is Beef Jerky and ok snack but it’s often misunderstood. It’s high in protein and will not raise your insulin levels. And not only should you consume .36g of protein per 1lb of body weight, but 1 ounce of Beef Jerky contains 11g protein, 70 calories and only 1g fat. However I did read that you should try and find a lower sodium Jerky or a lean meat Jerky, which usually means don’t buy it at the 7-11 but go to your nearest whole foods market. I also found out that increased insulin levels will tell your body to store fat!!!

So here is your Biology Lesson for the day:
Fat does not make you fat. Carbs make you fat. So what happens when we eat too much carbs? Our body takes in carbs and converts it to glucose through the liver. The liver stores the carbs as glycogen but has a limited capacity in how much it can store. Which is approximately 60 to 90 grams in other words 2 cups of cooked pasta. Once your Liver reaches their limits the excess carbs end up as excess fat. As you eat high carb foods the rapid rise in blood glucose will tell the pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin is a storage hormone, which saves away your excess carbs in the form of fat for that future famine you may encounter. So a high carb diet tells the body to STORE FAT!!! You think that sounds bad, I then read this: Not only do the increased levels of insulin tell the body to store carbs as fat, they also tell it not to release any stored fat, making it impossible to use your own stored body fat for energy. EXCESS CARBS NOT ONLY MAKE YOU FAT THEY MAKE YOU STAY FAT!!! I’m really going to think twice before I stuff my face with pasta and bread.

Back to why protein – Beef Jerky – doesn’t raise insulin levels: Protein is an amino acid which provides cells with the building material they need to grow and maintain their structure and Carbs provide cells with energy. Ingesting protein also causes the release of insulin but also the release of glucagon. Glucagon stimulates the release of glucose from the liver to the blood stream which pretty much means it moves the fat out of its storage unit. Glucagon also suppresses insulin.

Bottom line: glucagon and insulin do opposite things and therefore proteins and carbs do opposite things to your body. High levels of insulin/carbs can lead to obesity.

When you are about to consume your excess amount of pasta, bread, your favorite baked good, remember this line from my favorite TV show Friends: “A moment on the lips, forever on the hips” and now we know why!