Is ketosis really the "backup" system?

Ignoramus16674" wrote in message
...
They say that burning carbs is the "primary" system of getting energy,
and burning fat is secondary. I am curious what is the basis for
putting one first and another second.

I'm inclined to agree with you on this issue. I think glucose may be the
backup system...

Peace,
Pen

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 13:12:15 -0400, Penelope Baker
wrote:

Ignoramus16674" wrote in message
...
They say that burning carbs is the "primary" system of getting energy,
and burning fat is secondary. I am curious what is the basis for
putting one first and another second.

I'm inclined to agree with you on this issue. I think glucose may be the
backup system...

Peace,
Pen



It's probably based on that if you eat carbs, you'll burn carbs before you
burn ketones (and likely won't be in or will be kicked out of ketosis
anyway). Now, which one was more prevalent in the past, I'd say in winter
ketosis and in summer carbs.

--
Bob in CT
Remove ".x" to reply

Ignoramus16674 writes:
They say that burning carbs is the "primary" system of getting
energy, and burning fat is secondary. I am curious what is the basis
for putting one first and another second.

If you eat both, your body burns the carbs and stores the fats.

The only time it's the other way is if you're following a cyclic diet
like UD2 and you're going from ketosis and full glycogen depletion to
a high-mostly-carb post-workout repletion, in which case it will use
the carbs for glycogen and continue burning fat. But, that's a forced
anomaly that only lasts a short time.

Ignoramus16674 writes:
They say that burning carbs is the "primary" system of getting
energy, and burning fat is secondary. I am curious what is the basis
for putting one first and another second.

If you eat both, your body burns the carbs and stores the fats.

The only time it's the other way is if you're following a cyclic diet
like UD2 and you're going from ketosis and full glycogen depletion to
a high-mostly-carb post-workout repletion, in which case it will use
the carbs for glycogen and continue burning fat. But, that's a forced
anomaly that only lasts a short time.

Ignoramus16674 wrote:
:: They say that burning carbs is the "primary" system of getting
:: energy, and burning fat is secondary. I am curious what is the basis
:: for putting one first and another second.

IMO, the basis is nothing more than the fact that the body will burn (use)
carbs first and easier than it will fat. But, note that the body will burn
alcohol before carbs, and alcohol is supposedly toxic to the body. So, it
could be that carbs are toxic too, at least in large amounts.

I think that it was possibly believed that since carbs are used up faster
than fats, that it must be the primary or prefered source of energy. It
seems to me that if a natural diet is followed, it would be tough to get
enough carbs from plants other than fruits which would have been seasonal.
To figure out which is "our" primary fuel source would be based on a
different question. Were we basically meat eaters that supplemented our diet
with plants when meat was unavailable, or were we plant eaters that evolved
over time to get our energy from meat using an existing process that breaks
down fat from nuts? If we could determine what is our true food source, it
would be easier to answer what our primary energy source is. I have read
though, that we can survive on only meat, but would have great difficulty
surviving on only plants.
Tom
210/180/180
-----------------------------------------------------------

"Ignoramus16674" wrote in message
...
They say that burning carbs is the "primary" system of getting energy,
and burning fat is secondary. I am curious what is the basis for
putting one first and another second.

i

Roger Zoul wrote:
Ignoramus16674 wrote:

:: They say that burning carbs is the "primary" system of getting
:: energy, and burning fat is secondary. I am curious what is the basis
:: for putting one first and another second.

IMO, the basis is nothing more than the fact that the body will burn (use)
carbs first and easier than it will fat. But, note that the body will burn
alcohol before carbs, and alcohol is supposedly toxic to the body. So, it
could be that carbs are toxic too, at least in large amounts.

It's interesting that when you get into the chemistry, ketones
are the only fuel. Both fat and glucose get converted to ketones
before getting burned.

That makes ketones the primary fuel. Fat, carb, protein, all of
those are just secondary sources of the primary fuel. It's about
as valid as calling carbs primary because they are second in line
after acetate/alcohol.

Penelope Baker generously shared with us this little ditty:
Ignoramus16674" wrote in
message
...
They say that burning carbs is the "primary" system of getting
energy, and burning fat is secondary. I am curious what is the basis
for putting one first and another second.

I'm inclined to agree with you on this issue. I think glucose may be
the backup system...

I'm inclined to think of it as 'bonus' energy. As in: You've got a
chance at the bonus round Bob you lucky dog you... bannanas or pears?

--
revek
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage
to change the things I can and the wisdom to hide the bodies of the
people I had to kill because they ****ed me off.

Roger Zoul generously shared with us this little ditty:
Ignoramus16674 wrote:
They say that burning carbs is the "primary" system of getting
energy, and burning fat is secondary. I am curious what is the basis
for putting one first and another second.

IMO, the basis is nothing more than the fact that the body will burn
(use) carbs first and easier than it will fat. But, note that the
body will burn alcohol before carbs, and alcohol is supposedly toxic
to the body. So, it could be that carbs are toxic too, at least in
large amounts.

Very good point. Gee, I wonder why dieticians/nutritionists never bring
*that* one up?
--
revek
This .sig may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, by any means,
including but not limited to: Mechanical reprints, electronic storage
or scanning, theatrical release, musical ballads, word of mouth, sign
language, braille, pantomime, hetero- or asexual reproduction, genetic
engineering, or inclusion in other .sigs.

Tom generously shared with us this little ditty:
I think that it was possibly believed that since carbs are used up
faster than fats, that it must be the primary or prefered source of
energy. It seems to me that if a natural diet is followed, it would
be tough to get enough carbs from plants other than fruits which
would have been seasonal. To figure out which is "our" primary fuel
source would be based on a different question. Were we basically meat
eaters that supplemented our diet with plants when meat was
unavailable, or were we plant eaters that evolved over time to get
our energy from meat using an existing process that breaks down fat
from nuts? If we could determine what is our true food source, it
would be easier to answer what our primary energy source is. I have
read though, that we can survive on only meat, but would have great
difficulty surviving on only plants. Tom
210/180/180

Check out our teeth and gut. They give good clues. We (homo sapiens
sapiens) have evolved to eat primarily fish--other meats being not as
good for us I don't think, and supplementing on plants. (I lean toward
the aquatic ape theory as at least possible).
--
revek
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage
to change the things I can and the wisdom to hide the bodies of the
people I had to kill because they ****ed me off.