I just read with great interest the well-written paper by Buchholz and Schoeller that discusses thermodynamics and weight-loss diets (1). However, the authors ignored the fact that the energy utilization of different diets depends on the biochemical pathways taken (2). For example, a low-carbohydrate diet dramatically increases gluconeogenesis relative to a high-carbohydrate diet. Obviously, gl...

Grapes and grape-derived products have worldwide importance due to its consumption by human, however, they may also be used for ruminant feeding when their price or quality is low. The objectives of current study were to determine the nutritive value, in terms of chemical composition, in vitro rumen gas production kinetics and predicted nutrient supply, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic ...

We tested whether carbohydrate source (corn starch, sucrose, Polycose) influences the choice between a high-fat and high-carbohydrate diet in spontaneously feeding rats and in rats stimulated to eat by neuropeptide Y (NPY) administration or food deprivation. Rats were tested under three diet options: 1) a high-fat diet versus a high-corn starch diet; 2) a high-fat diet versus a high-sucrose die...

Metabolic disorders induced by high-fat feeding in rodents evoke some, if not all, of the features of human metabolic syndrome. The occurrence and severity of metabolic disorders, however, varies according to rodent species, and even strain, as well as the diet. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the long-term obesogenic and diabetogenic effects of three high-fat diets differing b...

I just read with great interest the well-written paper by Buchholz and Schoeller that discusses thermodynamics and weight-loss diets (1). However, the authors ignored the fact that the energy utilization of different diets depends on the biochemical pathways taken (2). For example, a low-carbohydrate diet dramatically increases gluconeogenesis relative to a high-carbohydrate diet. Obviously, gl...

Proteins employ aromatic residues for carbohydrate binding in a wide range of biological functions. Glycoside hydrolases, which are ubiquitous in nature, typically exhibit tunnels, clefts, or pockets lined with aromatic residues for processing carbohydrates. Mutation of these aromatic residues often results in significant activity differences on insoluble and soluble substrates. However, the th...

Nutritional status is a primary factor in the effects of xenobiotics and may be an important consideration in development of safety standards and assessment of risk. One important xenobiotic consumed daily by millions of people worldwide is alcohol. Some adverse effects of ethanol, such as alcohol liver disease, have been linked to diet. For example, ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in animal mod...

CONTEXT Carbohydrate-restricted diets have been popular in recent years. The theoretical glycemic impact of these diets, compared with other popular weight-loss diets, has not been reported. OBJECTIVE To assess the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) of 2 popular, carbohydrate-restricted diets (South Beach and Sugar Busters!) and compare them with a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet (Orn...

In an attempt to define the relationship between plasma insulin and triglyceride concentrations, we have studied the effect of suppression of the postprandial insulin response upon the secretion and plasma concentration of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-triglycerides. Eight nondiabetic subjects with a wide range of fasting plasma triglyceride levels (100-358 mg/dl) were studied during thre...

A low fat, high carbohydrate diet in combination with regular exercise is the traditional recommendation for treating diabetes. Compliance with these lifestyle modifications is less than satisfactory, however, and a high carbohydrate diet raises postprandial plasma glucose and insulin secretion, thereby increasing risk of CVD, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity and diabetes. Moreover, the curr...