About Banting
MY UNDERSTANDING OF BANTING – THE REAL MEAL REVOLUTION
1. THE MENTAL ASPECTS:
1. THE MENTAL ASPECTS:
• Decades of social conditioning (eat a high carb/low-fat diet) has predisposed us to ‘carbo – load” and not to eat (animal) fats -the cholesterol scare tactic
• What has not been revealed, is that the “good carbs” that are being promoted are in fact
“empty carbs” that also contain a host of additives and sugars that simply perpetuate the hunger cycle
• The cycle works as follows:
+ eat carbs – blood sugar rises and is then released into the blood stream
+ the pancreas responds by releasing INSULIN (the “enemy”)
+ insulin converts whatever glucose not immediately used into glycogen and stores this in the liver and in the muscles
+ once these storage areas are full, the balance is converted into fat and stored as FAT by the body
• Refer bullet 3 above. Because the carbs are nutrient deficient, you feel the need to eat more, so perpetuating the cycle -you get FATTIER and more INSULIN RESISTANT (IR)- all bad news from a weight and health perspective.
Hunger regulation (the APPESTAT) mechanism in the brain, responds to the bulk and nutrient density of the food we eat i.e. bulky but nutrient deficient food (modern carbs and sugars found in almost all of the foods we are encouraged to eat, re-stimulates the hunger cycle after a short interval). And carbs are the least important food component required for survival.
What must be done, by all caught in this cycle, is to reconfigure your APPESTAT!
2. FALLING IN LOVE WITH ANIMAL FAT
Credibly produced ANIMAL PROTEIN AND FAT (free range, no antibiotics, no additives etc), is the key to reversing the above cycle. But, after years of conditioning, is very difficult to embrace as a way of life -this is MENTAL CHALLENGE NUMBER ONE.
Fall in love with FAT in order to reconfigure your appestat.
The reason for this is that, unlike carbs, when you are eating animal protein and fat that are rich in micro-nutrients, you simply don’t get as hungry as quickly – your appestat reconfigures!!
Be warned, however. In your enthusiasm, never FORCE FEED yourself -there is no “right amount”.Listen to your body, it will tell you when enough is enough providing you eat slowly and with mindfulness.
FAT IS THE TOOL TO USE TO MAINTAIN ENERGY LEVELS AND APPETITE- LOVE fT!!!!
3. WHAT IS BANTING
Banting is a HIGH FAT, MEDIUM PROTEIN, and LOW CARBOHYDRATE eating regime. It IS NOT a high protein diet!! In a nutshell, the Banting way of life comprises mainly animal proteins (meat, poultry, eggs and fish), SATURATED ANIMAL FATS (lard, duck fat and butter), oils like coconut, macadamia and olive oils, FRESH VEGETABLES (grown ABOVE ground), some cheeses and dairy products, some nuts and seeds (except peanuts and cashews). There are NO grains, seed oils and sugars, NO processed foods and NO fast foods – NO means NEVER!!! Fruit (except berries) and alcohol, are severely limited!! The rules of engagement are:
• Avoid all processed foods
• Exclude all sugars
• Eliminate all grain products
• Replace all seed oils
• Eliminate all refined carbohydrates
• Include all full cream dairy products
• Avoid all soya products
• Include a cup of broth(see recipe) as part of the liquid intake
• Avoid all carbonated drinks
• Drink 8 glasses of water /day
4. THE CARDINAL SIN:
Avoid mixing and matching with other eating plans – “cherry picking” will leave you dead in the water!! And FATTIER!!
ADOPT THE BANTING LIFESTYLE AND DO IT PROPERLY!!
5. DIABETICS:
The fatal error that has beset diabetics whatever their type, came about in the mid-part of the last century when these people were advised to alter their food intake to conform to the emerging US Food Triangle which elevated carbs to form the bulk of the daily intake with animal protein and fats restricted.
The bogey man that was highlighted, quite incorrectly, was blood cholesterol (hardening/blocking of the arteries= heart disease) to which diabetics were pre-disposed. The real culprit is now known to be blood glucose levels. Since diabetics do not have normal insulin secretion and since Type Two persons are Insulin Resistant, the only LOGICAL TREATMENT given the insulin cycle outlined in Section (1) above, is to LIMIT CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE which makes the challenge of managing blood glucose levels that much easier.
The aim for diabetics should be to limit daily carbohydrate intake such that their blood haemoglobin
(HbAlc) concentrations are as close to 5% as is possible. (Note: if this factor rises to 7%, that person is at seven times the risk of developing heart conditions}.
6. MENOPAUSE:
There is a strong reported correlation between body fat (particularly around the waistline) and cognitive decline. The adrenal glands (two little blimps that sit on top of the kidneys) play a very prominent role in helping menopausal women control emotions, increase stamina and produce essential hormones.
By limiting carbohydrates, the IR factor common to most menopausal women can be reversed.
The “spare tyre” disappears and so does the memory loss.
7. FOOD ALLERGIES AND INTOLERANCES:
Sometimes food intolerances are symptomatic of other conditions. Therefore not all sensitivities are TRUE sensitivities. Six months into the Banting lifestyle and many previous food intolerances are reported to have disappeared.
8. HOW AND WHERE TO BEGIN:
• Toss out all offending foods -cupboard and fridge
• Replace with green list ingredients
• Include “indispensables” -roast chicken, eggs, above ground vegetables
• Stock biltong or CURED (not processed ) cold meats- salami, chorizo
• Nuts and seeds on the green list
• Avos
• Cheese
• Filtered water
b) VEGETABLES:
• Above ground, vegetables are less than 5g (net carbs/cup) and almost all allowable carbs should come from this source – STEAMED never boiled
• Brightly coloured, vegetables are a must
• Likewise garlic, tomatoes, and onions – best sauteed in animal fat
c) PROTEIN
• Only animal and seafood protein – poultry, eggs, lamb, beef, game, fish and dairy products – are complete proteins {contain all the essential amino acids)
• NOTE: Vegetarian protein is not complete protein
d) FATS
• Unstable fats – partially or fully hydrogenated oil e.g. margarine, all seed oils and trans fats are BAD FATS and must be avoided!!
• Stable fats of animal origin – lard, duck fat, butter – as well as coconut, macadamia, and olive oils
– are GOOD FATS and must be embraced.
e) CARBOHYDRATES
• As indicated, carbs are not essential to health and should be minimized to less than 50g/day as these stimulate the insulin cycle which results in fat being stored in the body
• Insulin must be kept as low as is possible and this can only be achieved by drastically reducing carbohydrate intake
f) SOYA.CORN AND MSG:
Avoid full stop!!
g) FERMENTED FOODS
Embrace – very good for the gut
THE REAL SECRET TO BANTING IS THAT, BY EATING MORE FAT AND LESS CARBOHYDRATE, YOU BECOME LESS HUNGRY AND THEREFORE EAT LESS – CALORIE INTAKE LESSENS.
9. FOOD LISTS:
• Embrace all items on the GREEN list
• Minimize the intake of items on the YELLOW LIST
• Avoid (totally) items on the RED LIST
Download the APP that allows you to calculate the net value of carbs in the various food items.
10. THE SPEED BUMP:
Several people who try Banting do well initially at losing weight then get “stuck”. This is particularly so for people who have been overweight for a long time and/or who are IR. The first port of call is to check for thyroid imbalance. Then to pay diligent attention to the following list of commandments:
• EAT ENOUGH ANIMAL FAT AND VEGETABLES
• DON’T CHEAT/ LIE TO YOURSELF AND DON’T SNACK (EVEN ON ORANGE UST ITEMS)
• DON’T OVER OR UNDER EAT
• AVOID TOO MUCH PROTEIN (BANTING IS NOT A HIGH PROTEIN DIET)
• AVOID TOO MANY FRUITS AND NUTS
• CONTROL YOUR DAIRY
• BE ALERT FOR HIDDEN CARBS
• BESTRONG
Bill Oliver
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