The term “fat protein efficient” refers to a dietary regimen that emphasizes high fat foods while limiting carbohydrates and proteins. This is a relatively recent concept that gained popularity due to the rise of ketogenic diets and intermittent fasting.
While there isn’t much scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of such a diet, it does seem to make sense based on some of the research we’ve seen over the years. For example, a study published in 2017 found that people following a low carb diet had greater improvements in insulin sensitivity compared to those eating a moderate carb diet. Another study published earlier this year showed that a ketogenic diet improved glucose metabolism among overweight individuals.
In addition, studies show that carbohydrate restriction leads to increased levels of ketone bodies, which may help reduce inflammation and improve overall health. However, while the idea behind a fat protein efficient diet makes sense, there aren’t many concrete guidelines to follow. In fact, the best way to implement such a diet is still somewhat up for debate.
For example, one popular method involves replacing carbs with fats and eliminating processed sugars entirely. But some experts argue that cutting out certain types of fat could actually lead to nutrient deficiencies. Others suggest that a healthy diet should include both good fats and good carbs, but emphasize the former rather than the latter.
Ultimately, the best advice is to try things out yourself and see what works for you. If you’re interested in learning more about fat protein efficient diets, check out the video above. We’ll keep updating this post with additional resources and tips as we go along.
Metabolic Typing Diet
The fat protein efficient diet comes from the concept of a fat protein efficient metabolism. This concept has its roots in studies conducted nearly a century ago that focused on metabolism and the study of metabolic type diets.
First created in the 1930s, the metabolic typing diet focuses on how people digest food differently. The premise is that everyone’s digestion process is unique, and it’s determined by factors such as genetics, body type, lifestyle choices, and the activity levels of one’s autonomic nervous system. This theory suggests that we should eat foods that match our individual metabolism to ensure proper nutrient absorption.
The metabolic typing diet is often touted as being able to help people achieve better health outcomes, including losing weight. However, some nutritionists say that the science behind it isn’t strong enough to support claims about long-term health benefits.
Registered dietician Amanda A., MS, RD, LDN says: “This is a very popular diet because it uses a simple concept to explain why some people gain weight easily while others struggle to keep off pounds.” However, she adds that the information presented in the book is limited and doesn’t provide much evidence supporting the notion that certain diets work best for specific individuals.
Kostro Miller, RD with Smart Healthy Living explains the concept further: “According to the book, each person’s metabolism can be classified into one of three types: slow, medium, or fast. These classifications are determined by the way someone processes nutrients, and whether they use their parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous systems. For example, a slow metabolism is associated with high blood sugar levels, low energy, poor sleep quality, anxiety, and depression; a medium metabolism is linked to higher cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer; and a fast metabolism is linked to good sleep quality, low stress, and healthy immune function. Based on these findings, the authors suggest eating foods that fit your particular metabolic type to optimize your health.”
3 Metabolic Types
There are three metabolic types according to the popular theory. These include the slow metabolizer, the fast metabolizer, and the intermediate metabolizer. The theory suggests that people fall into one of these categories based on how quickly they break down food. For example, someone who eats a lot of meat might be considered a slow metabolizer. Someone who eats lots of vegetables and fruits could be classified as an intermediate metabolizer. And someone who doesn’t eat much of either could be considered a fast metabolizer.
The idea behind metabolic typing is that different foods affect you differently depending on what type you are. Slow metabolizers tend to feel sluggish after eating while fast metabolizers often experience energy spikes. Intermediate metabolizers may find themselves feeling neither too energized nor lethargic.
One thing to note about metabolic typing is that it isn’t necessarily accurate. Some studies suggest that it may even be a myth. But, if you’re interested in learning more, here are some resources to help you figure out what type you are.
Most people fall into one of three major categories:
– High carb/low fat – This diet is great for those with fast metabolisms because it provides lots of carbs. It is also known as the carbohydrate efficient diet.
– Low carb/high fat – This diet is perfect for people with slow metabolisms because it provides very few carbs and is based on high protein intake.
– Moderate carb/moderate fat – This diet is ideal for anyone who needs some carbs while still getting enough healthy fats.
Fat Protein Efficient Metabolization
A study published in the journal Obesity found that people who are most efficient at burning calories tend to prefer foods rich in protein and fat. They also tend to consume fewer carbohydrates. This makes sense considering how much energy it takes to digest proteins and fats compared to carbohydrates.
The researchers looked at data collected from hundreds of studies involving over 2,600 participants. They found that people who were classified as fat-efficient had a lower body mass index (a measure of obesity), consumed less total kilocalories per day, and ate fewer grams of carbohydrates each day than those who were classified as carbohydrate-efficient.
They also found that people who were classed as being fat-efficient tended to have a higher resting metabolic rate, meaning that they burn more calories while sleeping. This could explain why they were able to eat fewer calories overall.
Getting a Blood Test
You might think that knowing whether you’re fat-protein efficient is just about figuring out what you eat. You’d be wrong. Your body type influences how well it processes food, according to Dr. Michael Klaper, ND, founder, and director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
Metabolic typing is based on the idea that people metabolize nutrients differently depending on their body types. People with a fast metabolism burn carbohydrates quickly while those with slow metabolisms break down fats slowly.
The best way to determine your metabolic type is to take a simple blood test called the Metabolism Typing Test. This test measures levels of hormones like insulin and leptin that influence energy storage and use. See your local doctor for further information on getting this test in your area.
Signs You Are Protein Efficient
According to Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center, “There’s no one type of person who burns fat better than another.” However, he says that there are some traits that indicate someone might be fat-protein efficient. For example, a person with strong appetites, hunger pangs, and cravings for salty foods may be a good candidate.
These individuals tend to eat large meals throughout the day, burning lots of energy without feeling full. They don’t crave sweets as others do, and they usually feel hungry even though they’ve eaten enough.
What Foods Can You Eat on the Protein Efficient Diet?
The types of food include mostly healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, butter, coconut oil, and eggs. Protein sources are lean meats, poultry, seafood, beans, legumes, soy products, dairy, tofu, and egg whites are all considered high protein content.
It’s important to make a distinction here. Not all fatty foods are part of this diet. Rather, food with healthy fats.
To help make sure you don’t miss out on important nutrients, aim for the following macronutein ratio, broken down by calorie intake:
60% fat
30% protein
10% carbs
Protein Efficient Diet Food List
Foods that fit into a fat/protein efficient diet include:
chicken breast, salmon, tuna, eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, olive oil, almonds, peanuts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic, cucumbers, celery, carrots, apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, pears, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, green peas, white beans, brown rice, sweet potatoes, yams, zucchini, squash, oatmeal, peanut butter, almond butter, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, pecans, hazelnut flour, almond flour, coconut flour, hemp seed flour, buckwheat flour, quinoa, oats, barley, millet, amaranth, teff, kamut, sorghum, brown rice syrup, honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave nectar, stevia, turbinado sugar, coconut palm sugar, raw cane sugar, date sugar, coconut palm sugar crystals, maltose, dextrose, fructose, levulose, lactose, sucralose, aspartame, and saccharine.
High Protein Recipes
Some recipes that may be suitable for this diet include:
– Recipes that utilize ground chicken
– Country baked chicken breast
– Chicken and Asparagus Recipe
Risks of this Diet
The fat-protein diet is a popular low carb, high protein diet. You eat lots of fats and proteins, while avoiding carbohydrates. The theory behind it is that you burn more calories during exercise because of the extra energy needed to digest muscle tissue. However, a recent study found no evidence that the diet actually helped people lose weight.
In fact, the researchers found that men following the diet had increased levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, leptin, and cortisol. These are all factors that could increase risk of heart disease and diabetes.
There just isn’t much out here to back it up. In fact, there is only one published study that looked into the effects of the diet. This study didn’t find any benefits to the diet, either. The researchers tracked a small group of rugby athletes in New Zealand over several months. They used a metabolic typing questionnaire to determine whether the participants fell into a particular metabolic category. Then, they compared the test scores against actual measurements of metabolism and body composition. The scientists found no correlation between the two.
Other diets that may be more suitable for your body type include the leaner Dr Now Diet and also the Clear Liquid Diet. Both are far more aggressive at reducing your fat and carbohydrate intake.
In Conclusion
People differ greatly in their abilities to lose weight, maintain it, or regain it. Many of these differences are not well known and vary widely from one individual to another. If you think you may have a protein-efficient metabolism, then trying a high-protein diet may be exactly what you need to take advantage of the way your body processes food.
Even though the keto diet terminology is relatively new, the science behind it dates back to 1930 studies into the metabolic diet. You can therefore be confident that this is not a fad diet, but rather a type of diet that may be suitable for the way your body works.