Using carbohydrates as only calorie source

Hornsby

rankinsect wrote: »

RodaRose wrote: »

The body requires protein and fat.
It does not need carbs.

It absolutely needs all three to live.

However, it's capable of making all essential carbohydrates from either fat or protein, if dietary carbohydrates are not available. It can make many but not all types of fats, nor can it make all types of amino acids (and even those that it can make require a surplus of another type of amino acid, since it has to get the nitrogen from other amino acids).

Exactly. It's not just essential for our bodies, it is SO essential that our body creates it when unavailable through diet.

msf74

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

You'd die.

yarwell wrote: »

AnthonyX150X wrote: »

Also, what are the side affects with a diet like this?

Death.

^^^ The above.

lemurcat12

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

sashayoung72 wrote: »

so i looked up a list of the highest carb foods and it looks like most peoples BEFORE lol https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-highest-in-carbohydrates.php

It pretty much does.

Is the claim supposed to be that that list was what most people ate before MFP? Because I have to strenuously disagree. I certainly never ate most of those foods (fat free chips, blech) and not insane amounts of the ones I ate.

There seems to be this weird myth that everyone got fat eating mostly carbs, but that's not so. The SAD, pathetic as it is, is not super high carb and typically the macro percentages aren't a big problem (I think protein could often be higher, especially for many women, but others will argue that Americans eat more protein than most and more than necessary). The issue is choices within the macros. Personally, fat has always been more of a weakness for me than carbs, so I doubt my relative percentage of the two has changed (eat more of some kinds of carbs, like fruit, now), and I suspect I was eating about 45% or 50% carbs at most before improving my diet (I did increase protein some, although in ways I am not 100% satisfied with).

AnthonyX150X

So I guess it's safe to assume that even at maintenance calories we still couldn't survive on 100% carbs because fat and protein is essential to our body?

RoxieDawn

AnthonyX150X wrote: »

So I guess it's safe to assume that even at maintenance calories we still couldn't survive on 100% carbs because fat and protein is essential to our body?

100% accurate. I am going with a miserable death!

Michael190lbs

Michael190lbs wrote: »

You can live without Carbs you can't live without fat and protein. When I say "live" I'm not saying it would be a thriving life but technically protein and fat calories will be converted glycogen for later use as energy so possible. Not something I would want to do..

I'm standing by my original statement however Carbs make you thrive so why would anyone want to not eat them. When I go low carb (50 grams) my muscles look and feel flat then when I carb back upI look like a totally different person in like 24 hours.. I agree we need all three to be superman:):

RodaRose

AnthonyX150X wrote: »

So I guess it's safe to assume that even at maintenance calories we still couldn't survive on 100% carbs because fat and protein is essential to our body?

What is your real question?
Are you concerned about something?

AnthonyX150X

RodaRose wrote: »

AnthonyX150X wrote: »

So I guess it's safe to assume that even at maintenance calories we still couldn't survive on 100% carbs because fat and protein is essential to our body?

What is your real question?
Are you concerned about something?

I was just wondering if anyone can thrive on only eating carbohydrates and the impacts it would have on health.

RodaRose

Is that what you have been eating lately? Bread and rice and fruit?

AnthonyX150X

Well, I noticed most of my intake comes from carbs and I am usually low in fat or protein.

Hornsby

AnthonyX150X wrote: »

Well, I noticed most of my intake comes from carbs and I am usually low in fat or protein.

Eating ONLY carbs and eating MOSTLY carbs are miles apart...

solieco1

From the Potato guys FAQ - I found it interesting.
"Where do you get your protein?
From potatoes! The World Health Organisation recomends we get at least 5% of our total calories from protein. Potatoes contain 6-8% of calories from protein, so as long as I eat enough calories then I'll be getting enough protein. I average around 70 grams of protein from 3.5kg of potatoes each day. Potatoes also contain an excellent balance of all essential amino acids.

Where do you get fats?
From potatoes! Potatoes provided 2-3% of their calories from fats and in a good balance of omegas. I also have plenty of stored body fat to use up!

Where do you get vitamin C?
From potatoes! (see a pattern developing here?). Potatoes are very rich in vitamin C, I'm currently getting over 600% of my daily vitamin C requirements.

Where do you get iron?
From potatoes! Potatoes are very rich in iron, I'm currently getting over 500% of my daily iron requirements.

Where do you get vitamin A?
From potatoes! Sweet potatoes in particular are very rich in vitamin A.

Where do you get fibre?
Potatoes have heaps of fibre. I'm getting way more fibre than the recommended"

I would not have thought this - reinforces the fact that even what we think are pure carbs are not.

RodaRose

Oh, you are o.k. Add some protein like eggs, steak, tacos.

EvgeniZyntx

Hornsby wrote: »

AnthonyX150X wrote: »

Well, I noticed most of my intake comes from carbs and I am usually low in fat or protein.

Eating ONLY carbs and eating MOSTLY carbs are miles apart...

Whole foods that are ONLY carbs are rather rare.

jgnatca

So few foods we have available are purely one or another unless we've tampered with them somehow. Take the lowly potato. It's not just a carb bomb, baby!

MACROnutrients for a reason. We need them!

MichelleLea122

AnthonyX150X wrote: »

So I guess it's safe to assume that even at maintenance calories we still couldn't survive on 100% carbs because fat and protein is essential to our body?

We don't have to assume anything, it's science. Carbohydrates, Protein, and Lipids are distinct macromolecules that are broken down and utilized by the body in different ways. Biology and Chemistry aren't really my field of study, so I can't really tell you the exact science behind it, but there is plenty of nonscientific literature that can explain the importance of each macronutrient. I think a lot of people rely to much on mfp forums to answer their questions, but often forget that a basic google search will return more accurate and reliable information.

AnvilHead

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

AnthonyX150X wrote: »

So I guess it's safe to assume that even at maintenance calories we still couldn't survive on 100% carbs because fat and protein is essential to our body?

We don't have to assume anything, it's science. Carbohydrates, Protein, and Lipids are distinct macromolecules that are broken down and utilized by the body in different ways. Biology and Chemistry aren't really my field of study, so I can't really tell you the exact science behind it, but there is plenty of nonscientific literature that can explain the importance of each macronutrient. I think a lot of people rely to much on mfp forums to answer their questions, but often forget that a basic google search will return more accurate and reliable information.

Without knowing how to filter sources, a basic Google search can also turn up a bunch of wild, whacky crackpot junk science thinly disguised as facts. At least here on MFP there are people who recognize the tinfoil hat stuff and will point it out for what it is.

[ETA:] As to the OP, if a person were hypothetically able to find and subsist upon a diet composed entirely of carbohydrates, they would first become sick, then extremely sick, then they would die from it.