Whats the difference carbs per day vs per meal?

(Consensus is Politics) #1

First, I know the difference between per day or per meal. But I couldn’t find a shorter way to ask this.

So, my target is to keep to 20 grams of carbs or less per day. But what if I eat those entire 20 grams in a single meal? Compared to splitting them somewhat evenly through the day at, 6.33 grams per meal? What is the advantage of one way over the other? Does it make any difference at all?

I seems to me that a single burst of carbs at one time would have a more drastic effect on BG levels, and insulin, and staying in Keto compared to splitting them up over the day. But I concede that I know next to nothing about the biologic aspect of this. I have a better understanding of electro-mechanical things than biological.

(Chris) #2

Doing it in one meal means one insulin response, vs 3 meals meaning 3 insulin responses. My guess it doing it once would be optimal.

(Consensus is Politics) #3

I guess thats what I’m looking for. But wouldnt the insulin response be larger on the 20 gram carb load? Or would the three responses to 6.33 gram carb load have a bigger impact having it happen 3x in one day. I realize we are still talking very low carb loads. I’m just looking at min-maxing as we call it in certain gaming circles.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

It’s not just the level that your insulin reaches, but also how much time it spends elevated. If you have 6.66 g of carbs at three meals each, your insulin level will hardly have time to come down before you send it back up. Or so I understand the matter, anyway.

(Ken) #5

When you’re talking about so few carbs, it’s better to think of them as incidental, as those found in veggies. Such as those found in fibrous ones like broccoli, cauliflower, etc. It’s OK to eat those types every meal if desired, the carbs are so few and so lowly glycemic it doesn’t make a significant difference, as long as you’re eating fat.

#6

Believe OMD would be optimal. Right know I’m at 2 meals a day. I think along the same lines as PaulL the least amount of spikes the more insulin sensitive one becomes. Also you give your digestive system more down time. Let’s the body use it’s energy elsewhere.

(Consensus is Politics) #7

I’ve been down to one meal a day for the past couple of weeks. It hasnt been difficult for me to do that. I was worried that getting all my carbs in one sitting might be counter productive. It doesn’t sound like it is. Of course, I doubt I’m even getting that many in anyway. But I hate having a question go unanswered. Thanks guys, takes a bite out of my OCD, I can let than one go.

#8

And I’m worried about all the protein at once lol

(Consensus is Politics) #9

Now that’s another subject altogether! I’m often worried that I’m getting way to much protein, but I think I’m getting mostly fat, so I could be wrong. I hadn’t been measuring anything but carbs. But I don’t even do that anymore.

#10

I track all. Getting 60-80g if protein a meal right now and staying in ketosis the whole time I believe. According to my weekly blood ketone test. I also test glucose 2x a day and seems to corralate to ketone levels. So I’m pretty sure that you’d have to massively overeat protein daily to get your body to convert protein to glucose. Don’t think it’s something most need to worry about.

#11

The impact of 20g once per day vs 7g three times per day is very individualized. Ditto with how much protein we can tolerate.

Best way to determine is do an n=1 experiment and measure glucose levels before the meal and then 30 minutes later and 2 hours later. There should be a modest spike and by 2 hours later it should back to normal if you’re insulin sensitive. If there’s a large spike then you’ve eaten too much protein or carbs.

I’ll use myself as an example. Yesterday, my fasting glucose was 65. I ate 12 oz of salmon and guacamole (1 avocado) my glucose rose to 90. This morning, it was still 88 because I’m very insulin resistant. So for someone like me, the fewer insulin spikes the better because it won’t drop in between meals. I suppose measuring ketones might tell the same story (my ketone level dropped from 5.8 to 4.9) but because they’re more expensive, I only measure them once a day, whereas I have no hesitation about measuring glucose multiple times a day if I’m trying to determine how my body is reacting to something.

(Consensus is Politics) #12

This… This is why I spend so much time on this forum. Actual, useful, info. Thanks 4dml, much appreciated.

(Erin Macfarland ) #13

Agree! Unless you’re severely insulin resistant eating carbs from veggies at three separate meals probably won’t spike insulin dramatically.

(CharleyD) #14

This speaks to the power of IF. If you consider the area under the curve of insulin for a keto OMAD eater compared to a SAD eater, even compared to a keto 3 meals a day, you’re still better off getting the carbs in one sitting, to bend the curve flatter.

If you buy into the Cephalic phase response thing, you’re going to provoke insulin anyway when you’re used or triggered to eating, but it’s half life is so short, if you don’t give it carbs or excessive protein to act against, you will be fine.