to Deanna (Re: a few carb questions (Deanna, Heidi, Wanita)

[Guest guest]

> Would you please

> expand on the idea that we need certain carbs for " optimal proteic

> assimilation?

>

Hi Deanna:

I am owing you the answer to this question. Actually I had to be home

to give it to you, because I have to look up in my books. There are

some technical names I still don't know by heart. If I knew that you

knew how to read French, I would try to scan the whole text for you

(though I don't have a scanner at home). It is a rather long

explanation. I will sum it up, ok?

* Insulin is not only the hormone for carb metabolism. Truly enough,

it allows glucose to penetrate the cell membrane, but not only that:

it also allows the aminoacids and the fatty acids to go through the

same membrane. Therefore, insulin is the real hormone for nutrition.

* Let's take a first meal of meat and one kind of carb (rice or

potatoes). There will be a major secretion of insulin and a minor

secretion of glucagon. In this case, the glucose coming from the

digestion of the carbs will meet with enough insulin in the blood to

be able to penetrate the cell membrane. Likewise, the fatty acids

coming from the digestion of the fats, always present in every meal,

meeting with enough insulin, will be able to penetrate the cell

membrane in order to feed the cell. The same thing will apply to the

aminoacids, coming from the digestion of the proteins. In this case,

a correct nutrition will have been assured.

* Now let´s take a second meal, consisting of meat and non-starchy

vegetables (celery, for instance). In this case, we will have a minor

to moderate secretion of insulin and a major secretion of glucagon.

In consequence of this, the aminoacids and the fatty acids coming

from the digestion of the proteins and fats will not meet with enough

insulin in the blood and will not be able to enter the cell. The cell

will be so to say " locked up " for them. They will remain in the

blood. Now the glucagon will have a role. It will make glucose out of

the aminoacids and fatty acids. What is the consequence of this? You

will have a poor proteic nutrition, even if you are eating enough

protein. Part of the proteins will be used to make glucose. In some

cases, this poor proteic nutrition may lead to fatigue (tiredness),

anaemia, muscle loss, osteoporosis, impotence, mental depression,

amenorrhea, immunity loss, etc.

So that is it in a nutshell. Forgive me for my poor translation. But

I think I can see people raising their fingers, or not?

José