Carbohydrates

Good day Mr. Jelínek,

I am intrigued by the distribution of meals from breakfast to dinner, where the intake of carbohydrates decreases in the afternoon. Is it possible to express in percentages how carbohydrates are represented in individual portions to ensure their sufficient intake? It occurs to me that each portion would have a glycemic load because if I had three meals a day with 250g of carbs, then breakfast would account for 100g, lunch also, and dinner 50g. Or am I thinking in the wrong direction?

Thank you.

There are several models/approaches that attempt to mathematically express the distribution and proportional representation of macronutrients in meals throughout the day. When considering the calculation of carbohydrate amounts and disregarding the differences between high-carbohydrate and low-carb approaches, the numbers vary most in relation to the number of meals per day.

In a three-meal-per-day regimen, the following generally applies:
1. It is beneficial to monitor the representation of all macronutrients in each meal (with the aim of eliminating extremes, rather than having a precise defined amount at all costs).
2. The distribution of macronutrients should be (approximately) balanced, yet best adapted to individual situations (e.g., in relation to sports or weight loss).
3. The quantity of quick energy sources (= carbohydrates) in the evening hours is more sensible to reduce, meaning it should be lower than with breakfast and lunch.

The calculation you provided is therefore one of the options that makes sense.

Hello,

In the lesson about the pancreas, it is mentioned that a large amount of carbohydrates burdens the pancreas. At the same time, it is often mentioned that a high-carbohydrate diet is the optimal diet. If I were to translate this into reality with an example - if a 55 kg woman consumes 200g of carbohydrates per day, are we already talking about high-carbohydrate dieting? The percentages are a bit beyond me at the moment, I understand that such a woman should consume about 55-65g of protein daily. And of course, she should only eat complex carbohydrates. But what is the daily gram limit she should adhere to in order not to overload the pancreas? Because perhaps she doesn't want to eat low-carb and believes that she can best maintain balance with a high-carb diet - due to a fear of higher fat consumption. Moreover, could a low-carbohydrate diet with an intake of 150g of carbohydrates be suitable? Because there is also a real fear of pancreatic strain and insulin resistance. Additionally, if she wants to find out about her status regarding insulin resistance, is it appropriate for her to go for blood tests and have not only fasting glucose but also HbA1c, C-peptide, insulin, and lactate tested? Or is there anything else needed?

Thank you very much.

In relation to the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet, we distinguish between a high-carbohydrate (where the carbohydrate content ranges from 50-60% of the total energy intake) and a low-carbohydrate (where the proportion of carbohydrates is usually below 40%) approach. The pancreas is "burdened" in relation to carbohydrate intake in situations where:

1. Carbohydrate intake is too high (meaning it exceeds the actual need).
2. The proportion of sugars from the total amount of carbohydrates is too high (such a diet has a high glycemic index and load),
3. The quality of carbohydrates is degraded due to industrial food processing (resulting in high glycemia).

In this case, it is not "just" about the gram weight, i.e., the mass proportion of carbohydrates, but it is more appropriate to relate the calculation to the overall energy intake, while also assessing the quality of the carbohydrates present (again, in relation to their ability to influence blood sugar levels).

It is a matter of individual preference whether one will be more suited to the traditional high-carbohydrate concept or if they will prefer low carb. In both cases, the condition should be an effort to prefer quality foods (i.e., avoid ultra-processed foods) and to control sugar intake. This relates to the generally presented rules, which we will discuss further in the course.

If you have concerns about developing insulin resistance, you should have a professional examination carried out. This area is currently very well monitored by the medical community with regard to efforts to address the growing incidence of type 2 diabetes.

Hello,
I would like to inquire about the trend of following various diets. In my surroundings, I've heard that someone is or was following a keto diet. The keto diet is based on a low intake of carbohydrates, but our body depends on a certain amount to function. So how is it really? Is it even healthy for our body? After all, we are not providing the body with all the nutrients to the extent that it can function properly.

When it comes to diets, it always depends on the purpose for which you practice them and how significant the nutritional restrictions are. Short-term restrictive diets are quite an effective means for faster reduction of body fat, but they always carry the risk of a certain burden on the metabolism, so they should not be manipulated long-term. The keto diet is an extreme that has (unfortunately) become a fashionable trend. Most proponents of this diet are unaware of the spectrum of risks associated with it, but this is practically normal and common, because the nutritional literacy of the population is at a relatively low level. Ketosis is indeed a natural metabolic state, which was historically an integral part of the range of conditions and influences that shaped the human genome, but it is not intended (= suitable) for long-term functioning. It has its advantages, but also a spectrum of negatives, all of which we will discuss further in the course. In practice, it is healthier and safer to choose approaches (dietary changes) that do not burden the metabolism as much - there are many of these, but in the eyes of the average diner, they are not as attractive because they do not provide sufficiently quick results.

Hello.
In the lesson, you mention carbohydrate supercompensation. In what ranges do carbohydrate compensation waves usually fluctuate in g/kg of body weight and % of daily energy intake?
Thank you.

Specific values are always a matter of an athlete's ability and willingness to find a system that suits their individuality. Carbohydrate supercompensation in fitness is a specificity aimed at pumping as much glycogen as possible into the muscles. This is always related to the individual's level of training in terms of gradually advancing their metabolic capabilities to produce the maximum amount of glycogen in the cells. The optimal approach is to work with a gradual decrease and increase in carbohydrate intake. This means that during low-carbohydrate days, the intake is gradually reduced to an absolute minimum, forcing the body to completely deplete glycogen stores (e.g., if the daily carbohydrate intake is at 400 g, the first day of this phase reduces to 150 g, the second day to 80 g, and the third to 30 g). This is followed by a loading phase, with the first day, for example, at 150 g, the second day 250-300 g, and the third 400-450 g. However, please perceive this as a general and moreover static model. In practice, it's a process that can last several weeks (2-4), within which the carbohydrate intake in individual micro-phases is increased, always in line with what suits the athlete. It's necessary to go through several such cycles before discovering the optimal carbohydrate amounts. The composition of the diet is, of course, also related, where one must avoid unnecessarily fast sugars that would lead to fat storage, while also avoiding slow ones (white rice is considered an "ideal" source in this community as it contains enough high-glycemic polysaccharides).

In practice, please be cautious about adopting others' opinions, especially from bodybuilders themselves. Since the competitive section of this sport is based on the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs, it has become customary since the early 1990s to use insulin, which accelerates the process of transporting sugar into the cells. The diet of such an individual thus looks completely different for understandable reasons than the diet of a natural athlete, meaning the numbers differ as well.

Hello Mr. Jelínek,

From various sources, I have learned so far that for an ectomorph, more carbohydrates and fewer fats are suitable. For an endomorph, more fats and fewer carbohydrates. You write for an ectomorph fewer carbohydrates, more fats, more proteins. And for an endomorph, at the same time significantly reduce carbohydrates, also half the fats of an ectomorph, and even fewer proteins. This would result in the endomorph eating about 60% of the calories compared to the ectomorph.

This is the first time I have encountered such contradictory information.

Thank you for clarification.

If you want to manipulate metabolism through dietary adjustments, it is always necessary to first know what the goal is. For example, a typical ectomorph, who has a fast ENERGY metabolism, has a fundamental problem in that they generate energy too quickly. They respond very well to carbohydrate intake, which is a more advantageous energy source for their metabolic profile, as it supports their genetically predetermined nature. However, if you want to think holistically, which means leading the individual towards balance, it is necessary to suppress the metabolic advantages that simultaneously lead them to extremes and enhance the traits that are less influential. A fast energy metabolism involves the risk of producing a greater amount of quickly generated energy (from carbohydrates), with a side effect of increased free radical production, thus heightened oxidative stress with all its long-term consequences.

Therefore, we recommend ectomorphs to have a higher proportion of proteins and fats and a lower representation of carbohydrates. This limitation primarily concerns the ratios between macronutrients, not their mass representation, which always depends on the energy balance. However, if the goal is to maximize the potential of an ectomorph, you will instead decrease the proportion of fats and increase carbohydrate intake - a typical ectomorph naturally responds best to this adjustment (but it is necessary to consider the consequences of such actions in the form of increased oxidative stress and resulting fatigue and injury risks).

Hello,

According to certain sources (e.g., David Perlmutter, MD, Drop Acid - https://www.amazon.com/Drop-Acid-Surprising-Controlling-Extraordinary/dp/0316315397), nutrition for diabetes should focus on reducing uric acid levels to ideally 4 – 4.5mg/dl, which can be quite challenging when reducing carbohydrates. His opinion can be summarized as that inflammation increases uric acid, and particularly fructose, which is directly metabolized into uric acid, and foods with a high content of nucleic acids (such as meat, yeast-based products) are the main culprits for rising uric acid levels. For example, he cites beer (even non-alcoholic, which has a high carbohydrate content and is made with yeast) as an example. He suggests getting home uric acid testing in capillary blood and measuring it on an empty stomach (in our country, for instance, easytouch - https://www.lekarna.cz/vyrobce/easytouch/). Just like with sugar, it’s probably an individual journey for everyone with common principles, where uric acid is a signaling molecule that increases glucose, raises blood pressure, and triggers insulin production, which as a storage hormone aims to store fat in the body. According to him, this is a signal for our ancestors that after eating ripe fruit in the autumn (fructose), it's necessary to raise blood pressure, increase glucose (to supply the brain with sugar so we wouldn’t get eaten by something), and accumulate some fat because winter is coming, and we want to survive it. However, he argues that we signal our bodies all year round that winter is coming, but it never really does (perhaps also because we live in heated apartments).

Would you suggest which principles to adhere to for lowering uric acid levels?

All these principles are incorporated into individual steps in modifying dietary regimes, which you aim to translate into practice through the ZOF application onto the plate. The principle involves understanding that while we have mapped individual metabolic pathways through biochemical reactions, they do not function in living systems the same way as we are accustomed to with software, i.e., on the principle of zeros and ones. We are the result of an evolutionary development that has lasted several hundred million years, and it has programmed the body's systems not only in a complex manner but also in a comprehensive way, with the goal of maintaining a healthy balance, which has a different range of flexibility in each individual. We know that increased fructose intake leads to the formation of uric acid, which is part of a spectrum of indicators signaling pro-inflammatory processes. We have population-defined reference values for sugar intake, including fructose, but adhering to them is not a guarantee of success with metabolic disorders because the organism behaves unexpectedly here. It is not possible to predict optimal nutrient intake values, but on the other hand, we should know how to apply them to the plate while simultaneously acting responsibly by diligently monitoring available metabolic indicators, among which uric acid in diabetes mellitus (DM) certainly belongs. Additionally, it is necessary to consider that metabolism will behave differently in DM1 and DM2. Because DM2 is a problem always accompanied by inflammation, dietary modifications should invariably aim to support anti-inflammatory factors. There are many of these, starting with monitoring the quality of food, the amount of proteins, sugars, trans fatty acids, the ratios of fatty acids led by O3:O6, fiber content, the share of alkaline elements, sufficient vitamins, and a higher intake of antioxidants. The whole "trick" lies in the fact that you will never know in advance which of the mentioned factors had a greater or even crucial influence on suppressing the pro-inflammatory environment and establishing potential metabolic balance. It thus pays to respect the entire spectrum of rules, with fructose intake control being just a needle in a haystack. In the process of body care with DM, it is necessary first to understand these holistic behavioral rules of biological systems (which involves coming to terms with the fact that they are such), subsequently start translating them onto the plate, and ultimately possess sufficient patience while waiting for results, which will moreover differ in scope for each individual.

Hello,

I do not understand why carbohydrates should be responsible for weight gain, and why they should be limited in the evening? Shouldn't it be about the overall energy balance, which is independent of whether or not there is a carbohydrate meal for dinner?

Thank you for the clarification.

Carbohydrates are a quick source of energy. If you consume more than you currently burn, they are stored in fat reserves through the action of insulin, regardless of whether you may be in a negative energy balance. For the same reason, it is beneficial to limit (but not completely eliminate) their quantity (including monitoring their quality - simple vs. complex) in the evening - if you do not plan to engage in significant physical activity after dinner, the body will tend to store the excess in energy reserves. A living organism is a set of complex systems where simple mathematics does not apply - that is, setting a negative balance is not a hundred percent guarantee that the body will shed fat reserves.

Good day, Mr. Jelínek.

I just have a question for clarification. When I am determining the amount of protein per kg of the client's weight (the same applies to carbohydrates and fats) who wants to lose weight, should I consider their current weight, the theoretical future weight they want to achieve, or their weight moderately reduced, e.g., by 5 - 10 kg if the difference between the current and future weight is very significant?

Thank you.

It is always optimal to adjust these values based on changes in body weight or body composition. Also, check the calculation of macronutrient amounts in relation to their percentage representation of the total energy intake, as the gram amounts do not always correspond to the percentages. By monitoring the progress of changes in the client, you will also have the opportunity to make necessary adjustments, making the path to achieving the result more efficient.

Good evening,

I hope this isn't a silly question, but why do we play with decreasing/increasing protein intake when slowing down/speeding up metabolism, given that carbohydrates are the ones that speed up metabolism? I was under the impression that we usually start with proteins as the basis for determining the rest of the macronutrients, i.e., proteins and fats, which is why I'm confused that proteins would be specifically decreased/increased when it might make more sense to adjust the carbohydrate ratio.

Thank you very much in advance for the answer.

When manipulating the speed of metabolism, it is important to differentiate which part of the metabolism you wish to influence:

A change in the proportions of energy substrates primarily affects the rate of energy metabolism, that is, the rate of energy production.

A change in the amount of protein intake primarily impacts the balance of anabolic and catabolic processes, thus influencing the speed of metabolism in a different way than carbohydrates and fats, and also in other systems of the organism.

Hello,

I have a question regarding fats: why is a higher ratio in the diet considered a health risk? I have noticed that many people feel better on a paleo or low-carb diet, where the fat ratio is somewhat higher. Additionally, I wanted to ask how to keep the glycemic load low on a high-carbohydrate diet. Despite using wholegrain foods, my meal plans often result in a higher glycemic load, especially with a higher energy intake. I usually compensated by increasing the fat content in the diet, which was then between 30-40%. I'm also curious if it would be appropriate for individuals with higher fasting glucose levels (possible pre-diabetes) to increase fats to 30-40% and limit carbohydrates to 40-50% with a low GI and GL?

Thank you.

A higher proportion of fats in the diet in itself may not be risky; this is only general information. It always depends on a number of factors, the most important being the individual's health status, the total amount of fats used, their quality, and the ratios between groups of fatty acids (saturated vs. unsaturated, monounsaturated vs. polyunsaturated, etc.). Essentially, it is valid to say that even a properly structured low-carb system is healthy considering the higher proportion of fats.

The glycemic load (GL) is an "artificial" parameter that should always be perceived with some reservation and simultaneously in relation to other nutritional characteristics. For example, if side dishes (as the main source of carbohydrates) are based on whole grain products (ideally in the form of whole unpeeled grains), and the fiber and fat content in the given meal (or daily diet) align with common standards, the metabolism will react to higher GL values with relatively slow sugar release into the bloodstream, so essentially such a situation will be completely fine (in terms of balanced energy balance). Always remember that in our studies, we aim to translate generally defined nutrition rules into practice, so theoretically presented numbers may not be translatable into reality down to the last detail.

For individuals with pre-diabetes, reducing the excess carbohydrates in the diet is always beneficial. In the context of monitoring the energy balance, you should compensate by increasing the proportion of fats, just make sure to be strict in adhering to all the related rules regarding fats.

Hello.
You write "Ketones are thus a very advantageous fuel for the brain," but I have ingrained in my mind that it is exactly the minimal amount of carbohydrates that serves as fuel for the brain, as it cannot utilize ketone bodies. Can you explain more closely what you meant by that?

The energy metabolism is forced to adapt to the conditions provided by our diet. If we reduce the amount of carbohydrates to the maximum possible minimum and thus force the body to switch into ketosis, most brain cells will begin to use ketone bodies as an energy source. Some types of brain cells are only able to utilize glucose as fuel, so in a state of ketosis, they use glucose obtained partly from the diet and partly through the conversion of glycogenic amino acids.

Hello, Mr. Pharmacist,

I have a question regarding your statement, "The body is capable of generating energy from them (specifically from carbohydrates, fiber, and fats, and more rarely from proteins)." I thought that proteins are a more potent energy source than fiber—even though it takes longer and a third of the energy is consumed in processing, proteins theoretically contain the same amount of energy as carbohydrates. I had not considered fiber as an energy source so far.

Thank you for your response.

This information suggests that while proteins contain the same amount of energy per unit of weight as carbohydrates, making them more energy-dense than fiber, the body does not use them as the primary (main) source of energy (metabolically, this is disadvantageous). Instead, carbohydrates and fats fulfill this function.

Hello,

I still can't find any sources for the mentioned carbohydrate intake of 120-150g. I am a nutrition advisor, and in school, we were taught that the brain requires approximately 120-130g, naturally, this amount is average and indicative. However, if we are to base our meal plans on some figures, then the mentioned amount of 120-150g does not fall into the low-carb zone but merely represents a reduction in daily carbohydrate intake in favor of another macronutrient, without necessarily leading to a shift from energy usage from carbohydrates to fats. Conversely, I have read that the body "switches" to using fats as the main energy source at about 100g. This issue is not elaborated on in the study materials, only the number is mentioned.

Thank you very much for your response, and have a nice day.

All the figures presented regarding the ratios of macronutrients in any diet are always indicative and primarily averaged, never reflecting the true needs of individuality, which need to be determined through practical testing. This also applies to the attempt to define general carbohydrate intake limits for a low-carb regime, where there are several perspectives and approaches derived from them:

1. It is possible to present a general range of values (i.e., 120 - 150 g, sometimes up to 180 g) - this carries a significant disadvantage in that it does not take into account the individual's body weight and level of physical activity, where these mentioned factors most influence carbohydrate needs.

2. We can calculate carbohydrate amounts relative to body weight - here, the most commonly presented range is 1.5-2.5 g/1 kg of body weight.

3. It is based on figures indicating the actual consumption of carbohydrates required to support brain function - here, the range of 120 - 150 g per day is presented, although this too does not account for the intensity of brain activity, which ultimately can result in differences in needs of up to double.

4. To determine specific carbohydrate intake values, a model can be used where foods that are reportedly not part of the diet of hunters and gatherers, such as grains, legumes, and some fruits, are excluded from the diet. Based on such a model, similar figures again emerge, although this approach is as inaccurate as the ones mentioned above (archaeological research proves that a certain proportion of grains and legumes appeared in the diet of our ancestors before the advent of agriculture...).

When reducing carbohydrate intake in this way, it is necessary to increase the proportion of fats as an energy source to the level required by the individual (weight reduction vs. balanced energy balance vs. weight gain), always maintaining a reasonable range of protein amounts. Metabolism, within adaptive processes, will have no choice but to adapt to this change, and due to differences in the metabolic profile of each person, the result will always be different. The carbohydrate intake threshold necessary for "switching" to the keto mode is not and cannot be fixed, as ketone bodies are produced in the body under many circumstances, and carbohydrate intake is not the only determining criterion, as is often stated. Moreover, it is necessary to distinguish between a classic keto diet and a low-carb way of eating, where in keto mode, the carbohydrate intake is much more stringent.