Caloric intake vs. Caloric expenditure

For decades, the dietary recommendations to combat heart disease was high carbohydrates, low protein, and minimal fat. This approach has contributed to an incredible number of Americans having obesity, diabetes, and other chronic disease. Most healthcare professionals and health enthusiasts are starting to realize this high carbohydrate prescription is probably not the greatest idea. Many throw out the terms glycemic index and carbohydrate count to simplify dietary recommendations. Some say that if you eat too many carbohydrates or the wrong carbohydrates a person will become obese. For the most part this is true, but many seem to believe that carbohydrate count and especially glycemic index is the only parameter that matters. Many say do not eat any processed carbohydrates. Obviously, the less processed our food the better it is for you.

It is important to consume carbohydrates that are not significantly processed and lower on the glycemic index scale if someone wishes to lose weight. I have been told to never eat any processed carbohydrates. This may seem good in theory, but almost all carbohydrates are processed to some degree. Sweet and white potatoes are processed. Oatmeal is processed. Ezekiel bread is processed. All pasta is processed. There is a notion that carbohydrate count and especially glycemic index are basically the only parameters that really matter. While this is very important, the daily caloric intake is the most important. The protein, carbohydrate, fat, and sodium count is used to develop planned meals. The glycemic index is a measure of how fast glucose measured in milligrams per deciliter rises for a certain food item. For this reason, a food item with a low glycemic index can be chosen and still make an individual fat.

Orange juice and pineapple juice contain fructose and therefore are low on the glycemic index scale, but if a person drinks too much it will deposit fat. A former roommate of mine was a big man at six foot three inches tall at almost three hundred pounds, but very muscular. He ate eggs, sausage, two pancakes without syrup, and black coffee every morning. He often did not eat lunch. The thing was he could eat four dozen chicken wings three of four times per week. This made him fat. The incredible amount of fat he consumed made him fat. The caloric intake was greater than the caloric expenditure regardless of glycemic index. The Twinkie diet worked because the math was right. Too much or too little of any nutrient may be unhealthy and obviously high glycemic foods are not recommended. It is caloric intake versus caloric expenditure and percentages of macronutrients consumed daily that determines weight and body composition.