Dear Mark: Glycogen

Dear Mark,

I’m trying to understand how glucose that’s created by proteins and fats is used and stored. Is that ~200g of glycogen stored in the muscles to be used for exercise, or is it stored in the liver and used to fuel the brain and “day-to-day” functions? Also, if muscle glycogen is depleted, will ingested carbohydrates be used first to replenish muscle glycogen and then to fuel other daily functions, or are they used the other way around? I’d like to be able to use ketones to fuel my daily activity, but still have enough muscle glycogen stores to fuel intense exercise.

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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Primal Pies: Fill ‘er Up

A few weeks ago we previewed a recipe for a flourless pie crust. Our only regret? We didn’t actually tell you what you could be filling those pie crusts with!

With the fall season now in full swing (seriously… where did summer go?) we wanted to offer up a few Primal pie fillings. Granted, some are higher than we’d like in carb counts, but when you compare it to the alternatives, it looks a whole lot…errr…sweeter!

Posted By: Worker Bee

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The Dope on Energy Drinks

It’s impossible to walk through a bar, college campus, city park, gym(!), or even company break room without spying one. You know, those gi-normous cans with the graphics so obnoxious (e.g. lightning bolts, claw marks, neon slashes and splatters) they leave your eyes bloodshot. (Can you tell we’re in the mood for a rant?)

It used to be if you were tired you grabbed a morning/afternoon cup of joe. Nothing fancy. It was simple, “old school” (if you will), and mercifully cheap. (Relatively bland and weak by today’s standards, but did most of us know any different back then?) Then came the Starbucks/Seattle revolution, and suddenly coffee – and all manner of coffee related drinks – were practically an official American accessory. Seemingly more omnipresent (or at least obviously visible). More potent. Decked out. Pricier to be sure. Not only did the cost and flair go up with this new wave, the caffeine and sugar content of our coffee did as well. (Ever wonder what’s in that special syrup that makes a mochachino a mochachino?)

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Reader Response: Better Fish Choices

Thanks so much to everyone for their comments and emails on last week’s “Farmed versus Wild Salmon” post. The response, both posted and personal, was amazing. It’s what I love about doing the blog – getting you, our MDA readers, the information you want and the resources you can use. Keep those comments and suggestions coming!

I wanted to follow up on a few questions in particular. A number of folks, including David, wanted to know if you could tell how “wild” salmon was from the label. Also, what other kinds of fish would I recommend if salmon, for financial and/or personal environmental commitments, is off the table? Finally, readers like Brett were interested in knowing whether other canned fish like mackerel and sardines were necessarily wild and healthy alternatives.

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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Dear Mark: Visting Family – Primal Compromises and Grain Alternatives

Dear Mark,

Browsing the Crossfit nutrition forums, I recently came across an interesting discussion about buckwheat, a possible Primal-friendly grain alternative. It caught my eye because I’ve been on the lookout for alternatives to pasta and bread ever since I found out that my Standard-American-Diet family will be visiting for an entire week (!) next month. What are your thoughts on buckwheat in particular and my conundrum at large?

I’ve previously covered a number of popular grain alternatives in my post about quinoa. In that post you’ll find suggestions like eggplant, butternut squash, crustless quiche, sweet potatoes and stuffed mushrooms. These are good go-to options when you are feeding family members that are used to starchier foods, or when you are making the transition to Primal eating and are finding it difficult to not revert back to eating your usual biscuits, pasta dishes, pancakes and croissants. But what of buckwheat?

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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