Excess body fat, especially around your abdomen, increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, joint disorders, impaired immunity and even cancer. Taking in more calories than you burn each day can cause fat gain, whether those calories are from fat, carbohydrates or protein. The hormone insulin plays a role in how your body uses food energy and stores fat. However, insulin doesn't turn into fat.
Fat and Insulin
Body fat comes from glucose, fatty acids and amino acids converted into fat and stored in your body's fat cells, or adipose cells. Insulin is a hormone composed of protein. This hormone helps cells take in, use and store glucose. In this way, insulin directly affects fat storage. Nevertheless, insulin doesn't become fat.
Insulin and Obesity
Obese people tend to have high insulin levels, reports "The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance." This fact seems to suggest that high blood insulin levels promote excess fat storage. In reality, the reverse may be true. Excess weight impairs the body's ability to get rid of insulin, causing this hormone to build up in the bloodstream. What's more, lowering blood insulin levels don't necessarily result in fat loss.
Controlling Your Insulin Levels
Your pancreas produces insulin when your blood sugar rises after you eat. The greater the increase in blood sugar, the more insulin your pancreas produces to manage that blood sugar. Processed carbohydrates like white bread, fruit juice and candy cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and blood insulin levels. A diet high in processed carbohydrates increases your risk of insulin resistance, warn experts from the Harvard School of Public Health. Nevertheless, genes, lack of exercise and being overweight also play a role. Insulin resistance is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
Avoiding Insulin Resistance
Keeping your blood sugar and insulin levels stable helps you maintain your energy and reduce your risk of diabetes. To avoid blood sugar and insulin spikes, base your diet on whole grains, high-fiber vegetables and fruits, healthy fats and lean proteins. Aim to eat foods with a lower glycemic index, or GI. These foods raise blood sugar more slowly than foods with a high GI. Combining carbohydrate foods with protein and fat also helps produce a slower increase in blood sugar and insulin. In addition, cut back on starchy foods like potatoes, white bread and pasta, which raise blood sugar quickly.
References
- Colorado State University; Physiologic Effects of Insulin; R.A. Bowen, D.V.M., Ph.D.; August 2009
- "Bangor Daily News"; Know How Your Body Stores Fat; Stan Small; November 2010
- "The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance"; Weight Loss at a Cost: Implications of High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diets; Kathe A. Gabel and Robin J. Lund; February 2002
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source Carbohydrates: Good Carbs Guide the Way
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