Insulin: The Fat Hormone

Excerpt from the book, "The Atkins Essentials", Atkins Health and Medical Information Services

....Insulin transports glucose to the cells and drops it off first to the cells that need it for immediate energy. If the cells already have plenty of glucose for fast energy, the excess is turned into glucogen, which is stored in the liver and muscles, where it is readily available for later use. However, once all the glycogen storage areas are filled - and we have only a limited capacity for storage - the body has to do something with the leftover glucose. And when you think about how much carbohydrates most Americans consume each day - and how little energy they expend - you know we're talking about significant amounts of leftover glucose. Here's what happens: The liver converts the remaining glucose to fat, which becomes the stores of jiggly body fat on your belly, thighs, buttocks, and elsewhere. That's why insulin is known as the fat hormone. Think about all those people out there who still think that its fat that makes them fat! Now you know better: Excess carbohydrates are the true culprit.

As follow-on reading, we encourage you to read about net-carb (scroll down).