Tell HN: You owe it to yourself to understand nutrition

Just had a really eye-opening conversation with ChatGPT about the effects of macro-nutrients on the body and fat storage. I know there might be some inaccuracies in there, so I have been cross-checking with actual research.

Guys, there are a lot on misconceptions most of us have about nutrition, even those of us who think we are better informed. Here are some points I gleaned from my conversation:

- Dietary fat is most easily stored as fat in the body. Frequently you hear the current understanding is that dietary fat is not the devil, but carbs are. But now I know it it more complex: carbs are converted into glycogen, but they are NOT easily converted into fat (through a rare process called de novo lipogenesis, only if glycogen stores are full, AND there is still excess calories to store). The reason it appears carbs make you fat is that carbs have what is termed a fat- and protein- sparing effect: by freeing up dietary fat to be stored as body fat, because the fat now no longer needed for energy in place of the carbs.

- There is also a thermic effect of various macro-nutrients, which is the energy required to digest them. Again, it takes very little energy to digest fat, a moderate amount for carbs, and a high amount for protein. This should be taken into account when evaluating how each affects the body in a caloric surplus situation.

- Even healthy oils/fats, like olive oil and Omega-3 fats, are still basically fat easily stored as such in the body as described above, if there is a caloric excess. But they are used in cell membranes, brain tissue, and anti-inflammatory signaling before being stored, so they are less likely to go directly to "storage" as it were.

- It gets more complex: Carbs spike insulin, which promotes fat storage and inhibits fat burning. BUT, the fat must be there to store in the first place, and this only happens in a calorie surplus. AND, even without carbs spiking insulin, having a lot fat tissue reduces insulin sensitivity, a driver of diabetes. Also, some carbs, like sugar/fructose, have bad effects other than simply contributing to fat storage: insulin resistance due to frequent spikes, liver fat accumulation, systemic inflammation, gut microbiome disruption, dental decay, etc.

So, major devil is a caloric surplus or excess. If eating some high quality fat helps you to maintain a caloric balance, then fine. But this devil is horrible in fat form, less bad in carb form, and almost redeemable in protein form.

But generally, everybody is different. You need to read up more on these to understand your body + diet as an entire system, and you will be in a better position to care for your nutritive health. I notice HN'ers are quick to express all kinds of strong opinions on nutrition, drowning out those with actual expertise.