Why full fat cheese/milk, etc?

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pjgtech

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Just been reading the Freshwell website and note that for low carb diets they recommend full fat cheese/milk, etc and just wondered why full fat and not low fat?
Cheers
 
pjgtech said:
Just been reading the Freshwell website and note that for low carb diets they recommend full fat cheese/milk, etc and just wondered why full fat and not low fat?
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Low carb is often abbreviated to LC/HF (Low Carb/High Fat) but most prefer to think of it as Low Carb/Normal Fat.
 
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Mostly it is because, if you dramatically reduce the carbs in your diet, you need to get energy from another source and between fats and protein (the other 2 macronutrients) fat actually has less impact on BG levels. About 40% of protein can be converted to glucose in the absence of enough carbs but just 10% of fat. Also eating fat promotes satiety, so you feel full for longer, which means cravings are reduced and it is easier to stick to this way of eating and in fact tend to resort to eating less naturally rather than having to restrict yourself. At least that is what many of us find, so we don't feel deprived which makes it more sustainable long term.
 
helli said:
I thought it was because low fat food often adds carbs/sugar to make up for the flavour lost when removing the fat.
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That certainly used to be the case but yoghurts and stuff now have sweeteners instead of sugar added, so whilst they might also have some modified starch to thicken them it is probably negligible to the carb content.
I personally think that full fat products taste better and are less likely to have additives, so those are advantages in my opinion. If you want to take it to the nth degree, glucose is water soluble not fat soluble, so the likes of full fat milk will have a tiny proportion less glucose and real double cream certainly has less glucose than milk because of this, hence having it in my coffee every morning..... plus it makes it taste really good, now that I can't have sugar!
 
rebrascora said:
Mostly it is because, if you dramatically reduce the carbs in your diet, you need to get energy from another source and between fats and protein (the other 2 macronutrients) fat actually has less impact on BG levels. About 40% of protein can be converted to glucose in the absence of enough carbs but just 10% of fat. Also eating fat promotes satiety, so you feel full for longer, which means cravings are reduced and it is easier to stick to this way of eating and in fact tend to resort to eating less naturally rather than having to restrict yourself. At least that is what many of us find, so we don't feel deprived which makes it more sustainable long term.
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This reminds me that I'm sure I read somewhere that, on Scott's final Antarctic expedition, the food that they took to the South Pole was very high in fat, given that they were having to haul their food and so they needed the total quantity of food to be as light in weight as possible. Unfortunately, though, they didn't realise that it's hard to burn fat when doing heavy exercise - and so they lost a dangerous amount of weight and strength, despite supposedly taking in enough calories in total.

I think, if I were to "dramatically reduce the carbs" in my diet, I'd want expert dietary advice on what balance (and what types) of fat and protein would be best for me to make up for the reduction in carbs.
 
CliffH said:
This reminds me that I'm sure I read somewhere that, on Scott's final Antarctic expedition, the food that they took to the South Pole was very high in fat, given that they were having to haul their food and so they needed the total quantity of food to be as light in weight as possible. Unfortunately, though, they didn't realise that it's hard to burn fat when doing heavy exercise - and so they lost a dangerous amount of weight and strength, despite supposedly taking in enough calories in total.

I think, if I were to "dramatically reduce the carbs" in my diet, I'd want expert dietary advice on what balance (and what types) of fat and protein would be best for me to make up for the reduction in carbs.
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Posting this with the utmost respect. On my “nice guy list.” First I heard it was lead poisoning from the sealed tins of food. (The canning tech back then.) Then for some reason I found this (bias looking) artical. The known symptoms of which could affect the outcome of an arduous mission. https://theconversation.com/lead-po...and-scott-to-the-south-pole-by-20-years-29800
 
Satan’s little helper said:
Posting this with the utmost respect. On my “nice guy list.” First I heard it was lead poisoning from the sealed tins of food. (The canning tech back then.) Then for some reason I found this (bias looking) artical. The known symptoms of which could affect the outcome of an arduous mission. https://theconversation.com/lead-po...and-scott-to-the-south-pole-by-20-years-29800
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Yes, I've heard that that was a possible contributory factor - as was the fact that some of their heating oil evaporated because of rubber seals shrinking, as well as the weather being worse than they were expecting. My understanding though is that the reason that all these various issues resulted in everyone's death was because hauling their supplies by themselves (rather than using dogs, as Amundsen did) meant that they didn't have enough time to get safely to the South Pole and back.
 
What I know is even full phat milk has lactose. A form of sugar like fructose in fruits? Also, there is a T1 “thing regarding treating hypos with milk. The fat slows the digestion of (you guessed it.) lactose/sugar on hypo recovery.
 
CliffH said:
Yes, I've heard that that was a possible contributory factor - as was the fact that some of their heating oil evaporated because of rubber seals shrinking, as well as the weather being worse than they were expecting. My understanding though is that the reason that all these various issues resulted in everyone's death was because hauling their supplies by themselves (rather than using dogs, as Amundsen did) meant that they didn't have enough time to get safely to the South Pole and back.
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My friend. We could possibly come up with a factual idea for a movie regarding this “derring do.” The tragedy fo a failed attempt. But our post will find themselves “unalived” if we continue when the admin clock on, tomorrow.
 
pjgtech said:
Just been reading the Freshwell website and note that for low carb diets they recommend full fat cheese/milk, etc and just wondered why full fat and not low fat?
Cheers
Click to expand...
I carb count. I set a limit of around 100g carbs initially as I'd read on here about dropping carbs rapidly leading to eye changes and temporary neuorapathy. However, it was much easier for me to stop eating wheat/potatoes etc than try to portion control so most days, I'm well below this. I found I needed the full fat versions of things to a) feel properly full and b)make sure I didn't feel deprived - I have a poor history of yo-yo dieting. This isn't a 'diet' anymore, its what I eat to protect my nerves, my heart, my eyes so it has to be a way that I like and can sustain. Full fat tastes so much better and the feeling of fullness and the enjoyment are vital to me sticking with this.

Also, low fat stuff is often loaded with sweeteners and other chemicals to try and give back some of the taste they removed with the fat! I find I react to some sweeteners (not all) just like I would sugar - my blood sugar still climbs. I also notice that meals where I pair protein and fat, my blood sugar rises are much shallower and I get a nice flat line on a CGM afterwards.

Freshwell was created by a couple of GPs so I guessing the advice comes from the data they've acquired from studying the results of their patients with diabetes whom they've supported.
 
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