Dr. George L. Dixon - "Talking Fitness"

FUEL AND STORAGE

Your fuel is food. Calories. Carbohydrates, protein and fat. Carbohydrate is for fuel. Protein is for building. Fat is for storage. Calories from one can rarely be used for the other.

Carbohydrates, at 4 calories each gram, are used primarily for energy in the form of glycogen. Its major origin is simple sugar, its complex sugar origin is from bread or pastas. Glycogen can be used right now, or stored for a short time in the blood stream, and liver and probably near muscle tissue. It is used rapidly and even in great quantities has no ability to become stored as fat.

Proteins, at 4 calories each gram, are used primarily for the continuous rebuilding of tissues of all kinds, including muscle. It's major origin is in meat of all kinds and in many vegetables, especially beans and other legumes. In times of nutritional crisis, protein can be used as energy by the body. It has no ability to be stored as fat.

Fat, at 9 calories per gram, is used for energy, cellular building and storage for future energy use. It's major origin is in preparation of other foods, fried, sauces, dressings; it is an important component of most meat, less so in the white meats. When glycogen from carbohydates is used up fat can be easily used as energy by your body. When glycogen is plentiful fat is placed in storage. It becomes your pantry, and is readily available for energy use but not until all glycogen and much of the available protein is used up. Fat is used this way whether it comes from solid or liquid fat sources. (Liquid fat is considered to be better for your heart.)

The message? Eat less fat, more carbohydrate and some protein.

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