Which macronutrient (carbs, fats, proteins) is nonessential?

[Addict]

I know the answer, but I'd like to see what you guys guess it to be without looking it up.

Which of the three big macronutrients is nonessential? In other words, you don't need it to live or your body can produce it on its own or from the others. I'm not trying to prove a point with this poll, but I think it'll generate some interesting discussion.

I actually got the idea after having an argument with a friend about this.

[Zukin]

Is this a trick question?

[Zukin]

nevermind, I guess this is for real. I used Google and found this guy's signature:
(don't look until after you've taken the poll!)
The Journey To A Six-Pack - Keto Style - Page 2 - Bodybuilding.com Forums

[Addict]

I meant to add a "none of the above", but didn't remember until after I posted it.

[Zukin]

***SPOILER ALERT***

I figured it out because some people have gluten sensitivity and can't eat carbs but still manage to live.

[NotesMaeve]

While carbs aren't needed, I know how much better I feel and look eating a high carb diet.

[Addict]

Ok, I guess I made this poll too easy!

The argument I had with my friend started because he's being incredibly skeptical of my diet (which is fine), but he then he said it wouldn't work because "we need starches." And I began to think about it. Do we really need starches? The answer is no.

Now, vegetables and fruits are terrific, but I am thinking more and more that grains and starchy vegetables aren't necessary or even beneficial. A potato is all starch. It's very low on nutrients and we consume so many potatoes and act like we need them. We don't. I'm coming just about to the end of my first month cutting out grains and my experience has been good. Yet the conventional thinking is that these completely nonessential foods should be the foundation of our diet and I think that's just plain wrong.

We're still living with the decades old, incorrect notion that "fat makes you fat." And many people act like protein isn't very important. The truth is you have to get fat and protein in your diet. Why build our diet around something we don't need?

[WanderingOak]

Originally Posted by Addict

Now, vegetables and fruits are terrific, but I am thinking more and more that grains and starchy vegetables aren't necessary or even beneficial. A potato is all starch. It's very low on nutrients and we consume so many potatoes and act like we need them.

You are right in that most of the calories in a Potato come from starch. However, potatoes (skin on) are rich in nutrients- in particular vitamins C and B6, Potasium and Manganese. They are also very easy to grow, and store well. I don't base a whole meal around them, but I do eat them the same way I would any other vegetable.

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by Addict

We're still living with the decades old, incorrect notion that "fat makes you fat." And many people act like protein isn't very important.

It's actually a fairly new notion. Until less than a century ago people had a much more positive view of fat and protein. Going back to hunter gatherer societies, people focused on eating the fat along with the nutrient dense organs, while often giving the low-fat muscle meat to the dogs. Now people are starting to get back to the basics with such cookbooks as Nourishing Traditions.

[SmellyOrc]

I'd like to see a diet with 0.0 grams of carbs in in, please.

[Uplift]

Originally Posted by SmellyOrc

I'd like to see a diet with 0.0 grams of carbs in in, please.

Traditional Eskimo's diet.

[Addict]

^Exactly. This is known to some as the "zero-carb" diet:
Zero-Carb Diet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm not advocating this idea at all. Just pointing out that it is possible and you won't have problems with nutritional deficiencies. If you do the opposite and try to cut out fats or proteins completely, you're in for some bad news. Now, I'm sure this type of diet could increase the risk for many dieases in the long run (but it can also reduce the symptoms of others like diabetes).

[Uplift]

Originally Posted by Addict

^Exactly. This is known to some as the "zero-carb" diet:
Zero-Carb Diet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm not advocating this idea at all. Just pointing out that it is possible and you won't have problems with nutritional deficiencies. If you do the opposite and try to cut out fats or proteins completely, you're in for some bad news. Now, I'm sure this type of diet could increase the risk for many dieases in the long run (but it can also reduce the symptoms of others like diabetes).

Yeh, and the bad news is you die.

I ate minimal carbs for around a dozen years. I based my diet on protein and fat. And mainly eggs, 20 - 30 a day. And as much cream and butter as I could eat. Plus fresh milk (goats milk when I could get it), and yoghurt and cheese, and meat.

The only carbs I ate were a few nuts, and a few greenish bananas and occasionally some potato every few days. Zero fruit and vegetables, zero sugar.

I had all sorts of blood and cholesterol tests. When the doctors used to remark on my awesome health, I would take great delight in telling them what I ate, and to throw their books in the bin. Very entertaining.

I had a humongous training and activity load, and until I ate that way had difficulty retaining muscle and recovering. previously I had tried various natropath's organic diets, based on carbs. All I got was a bloated guts, sore butt and limits to what I wanted to do physically. I was always considered fairly fit, and played top level basketball, which mean't I mixed and trained with top athletes from all types of sport. Eating that way was a ridiculously awesome boost, I added heaps of muscle, and had awesome energy and recovery levels and deluxe health. My team mates and associates were always getting mystery viruses, flu's and injuries. They would continually ask me what I was doing, but couldn't get their heads around it, despite the fact that I could literally trample opposition players and that my ever improving fitness was a constant talking point. Everyone was waiting for me to die, or I was going to be horrendously afflicted in later life. Both fallacies. The opposite has happened.

I only reluctantly altered my eating because I changed my beliefs, and decided it was morally wrong. It took a while to adapt, and to figure out a way to get similar protein and fat with out killing anything, and limiting cruelty. I have to have more carbs now to get the other micro nutrients. I am extremely selective when it comes to carbs. But I have tons more protein and fat than most people I know.

If it wasn't for my moral choice, I would eat like I did before in a flash. All that would change is the amount, as I no longer compete. It would be so easy. It gave me such an advantage it was almost like cheating.

[escapee]

There is a reason why Carbohydrate is not listed in the wikipedia as ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS because human body can synthesize it from the dietary essential nutrients (ex : Protein ). As for fats, only the 2 parent polyunsaturated fats are essential whereas monousaturated, saturated fats (can be made from carbohydrate) and derivatives of Omega 3/6 are non essential.

Carbohydrate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Essential nutrient - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Carbohydrates are not essential nutrients: the body can obtain all its energy from protein and fats [3] [4]. The brain cannot burn fat and needs glucose for energy, but the body can make this glucose from protein.

Of course I still eat plant based food like vegetable, fruit, Nuts (high protein and fats ) and some whole grain because of the availability of other essential nutrients like Vit B1,Vitamin C, folic acid, Minerals/magnesium ( dark green vege) and etc. I think a zero carb/plant based diet is only possible if you are eating clean/uncontaminated animal food mostly RAW like the traditional eskimo and Masai( no incidence of scruvy, vitamin C is not destroyed in raw organ/meat ).