Can Protein and low calories vegetables(kale, spinach) be used as sole source of energy?
To my knowledge the body must have it's 'main' source of energy as either fat(ketosis) or carbohydrates.
However I was wondering if it could be done with protein alone(e.g. fat boiled out of meat). If not what if you also ate 'low calorie green vegetables e.g. kale or spinach. Obviously you could not get enough calories from low calories vegetables but would it allow you to gain weight whilst using protein(without fat) as the main source of calories?
Thanks
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We have evolved to eat meat, vegetables, dairy etc. The closer these ingredients are to their original form, i.e. less processed and chemically amended purely for marketing purposes, the better. We also evolved to eat fermented foods, including (sourdough) bread and pickles of various kinds. We need protein, vitamins, minerals and various trace elements. Our bodies are pretty good at self-regulating and sometimes even filling in some deficiencies in diet, but the diet must not be synthetically limited or deficiencies can develop into problems. Our digestion and processes that feed all our cells are highly complex intertwined chains of processes. Just as you can't feed plants with large dose NPK fertilizers and expect healthy plants, you can't feed humans with a large dose of protein + one or two other thing and expect healthy humans.
The often used analogy of an engine is much miss-aligned with biological processes.
Going on such a diet (one that is void of fat) for sustained periods of time is simply not possible. Fat is an essential macronutrient your body needs. Never go on a diet that is void of fat.
Fat is mandatory for the digestion and absorption of fat soluble micro nutrients (Vitamin A, D, E, and K).
Fats are also sources of EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids).
EFAs play an important role in the life and death of cardiac cells.
EFA deficiency results in a dermatitis similar to that seen in zinc or biotin deficiency.
EFAs are modified to make:
the classic eicosanoids (affecting inflammation and many other cellular functions)
the endocannabinoids (affecting mood, behavior and inflammation)
the lipoxins from ?-6 EFAs and resolvins from ?-3 (in the presence of aspirin, downregulating inflammation)
the isofurans, neurofurans, isoprostanes, hepoxilins, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and Neuroprotectin D
EFAs form lipid rafts (affecting cellular signaling)
EFAs act on DNA (activating or inhibiting transcription factors such as NF-?B, which is linked to pro-inflammatory cytokine production)
Fats play a vital role in maintaining healthy skin and hair, insulating body organs against shock, maintaining body temperature, and promoting healthy cell function.
Fats also serve as energy stores for the body, containing about 37.8 kilojoules (9 calories) per gram of fat. They are broken down in the body to release glycerol and free fatty acids. The glycerol can be converted to glucose by the liver and thus used as a source of energy.
Fat also serves as a useful buffer towards a host of diseases. When a particular substance, whether chemical or biotic—reaches unsafe levels in the bloodstream, the body can effectively dilute—or at least maintain equilibrium of—the offending substances by storing it in new fat tissue. This helps to protect vital organs, until such time as the offending substances can be metabolized and/or removed from the body by such means as excretion, urination, accidental or intentional bloodletting, sebum excretion, and hair growth.
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