Hello, this is Monica Reinagle, the nutrition diva, here with your quick and dirty tips for eating well and feeling fabulous. Fabulous.

Sandy writes, a lot of people are promoting the idea that fats and not carbs are actually the body's preferred source of energy. Is there any truth to this or is this just the latest fad?

You know, one of the cool things about human metabolism is that we have an amazing ability to adapt to whatever

kind of fuel is available. Although the body turns first to carbohydrates to provide fuel for

the muscles and your brain.

If carbohydrates are not available,

it can also convert fat,

either from your diet or from your body's own fat stores

into energy.

As to what type of fuel works best,

I think it depends a lot on what you're asking your body to do.

Are you trying to think, sleep, lose weight, go long periods without eating, run faster,

run longer, lift heavier weights?

I've talked before about the pros and cons of low-carb diets for weight management, and that's episode

number 76, if you'd like to look that up.

And then in episode number 135, I talked about the effects of diet on brain function, but what about low-carb diets

for athletes?

Now traditionally athletes have regarded carbohydrates as the best source for fueling athletic performance because these can be the most quickly

converted into glucose. The downside is that you have to refuel regularly.

Fat contains more calories and it's more

slowly converted into energy so you don't have to refuel as often, but it's not as

good for quick bursts of energy.

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