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Name: Prashant S.
Status: Student
Age: 11
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
How are carbohydrates converted to fats? How does eating too much carbohydrates make us fat?


Replies:
Carbohydrates ...most of which are made of single units that have 6 carbons, are broken down in the body into 2 carbon units which can then be used to make fat...Fat is a series of carbons strung together like beads on a bracelet. The main problem in eating a diet high in Carbohydrates is that it raises a hormone called insulin. When insulin is high or even moderate it shuts down the breakdown of fat...so many scientists believe (me included) that high carbohydrate diets are not good for you and that if you are already overweight it will make it harder to lose weight. I Consider a balanced diet made of about 40% carbohydrates, 30 % protein and 30% oils and fats...Oils are liquids at room temperature and fats are solid...butter is a fat...olive oil is an oil...Oils are better than fats for the most part.

Peter Faletra Ph.D.
Senior Science Advisor
Office of Science
Department of Energy


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