Why do so many people hate carbs?

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  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    Are we living in a world where carb is a four-letter word, or have we finally understood it's really about balance? I'm on the Glycemic Index Diet basically for life now and its philosophy is about how it's the *kind* of carbs you eat that make the difference, along with balanced eating. Can we all just understand that carbs aren't bad?

    How are different kinds of carbs different?

    I'll try to explain, but it's better if you read a book or well-researched article on it. All carbs are not created equal. Some almost immediately go to sugar -- the usual culprits, lots of white flour, crackers, white bread, regular pasta, white rice, giant russet potatoes are all high-glycemic and you see a spike in blood sugar that usually lasts, for me, a while (Refined sugar is only medium-glycemic.) Lower-glycemic choices are more complex carbs like whole wheat bread, new or fingerling potatoes, whole-grain pasta, brown rice, etc. which I assume is because of the dietary fiber. They don't spike your blood sugar as much and eaten with 3 oz. of protein and then the rest fruits/veg, that's your life from now on. It's been the only "diet" that I could see myself eating for life, so that's why I'm on it.

    Much of the emphasis is cutting out processed foods and "poor nutrient" choices such as potato chips, diet drinks (trying to quit!) and crackers. There's also a little bit of nutritional alchemy going on that allows sourdough bread (which seems like a white bread, but apparently is OK), encourages spicy foods and up to 1 oz. of chocolate (preferably dark) a day. The thing is the GI system isn't necessarily low-fat or low-calorie, so you have to watch your fat/caloric intake so you lose weight.

    Take a look at a glycemic index chart. Whole wheat bread is not significantly better than white bread. There are some whole grain breads that are better, but none of them are low. Sourdough bread, at 52, isn't low, and neither is table sugar, at 65.

    Eating your carbs with protein and fat should help, however there is no predictable formula that you can use. If you MUST regulate your blood sugar, you need to be able to test it with a glucose meter.

    http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm
    http://www.amsa.org/healingthehealer/GlycemicIndex.pdf
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    blame the media for misleading people.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    Some people have diabetes, or pre-diabetes, and restricting carbs is a very important tool for controlling blood sugar.

    True for some diabetics..... but not all diabetics....

    Which diabetics is it not true for?

    I've been a well controlled diabetic for 24 years. Depending on how much exercise I do I eat between 180-350 grams of carbs a day. My blood sugars run in the normal range most of the time and I am in excellent condition and health. My HG A1C levels run between 5.7-5.9 so it works well for me

    That could be a low carb diet for some people, or a high carb diet for others. I would want my A1C to be lower, but that's between you and your doctor.
  • randomgirlusa
    randomgirlusa Posts: 45 Member
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    Go CARB yourself!

    Just wanted to see what that would look like...

    XD
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    three-s-company-laugh-o.gif

    IN...

    for carb zits,
    protein breath,
    protecting my brain (from stupid & brainfreeze I hope)
    and my heart (from heartbreak/heartburn/heartdisease I hope)
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    This is my opinion....People like to eat more protein because you lose weight faster. Anytime I was on a low carb diet or restricted myself of breads and the like, I would lose weight really fast, but personally for ME, I cannot sustain on that diet long term so I am fiddling around with things...but I do eat carbs...I just eat more protein as well....but my focus is typically 40/30/30....but MFP's plan wants more carbs eaten than anything!!!!! I don't want to eat THAT many carbs...it's really about what works best for the individual.

    I've been trying to stick to 40/30/30 carb/protein/fat, which I consider to be a moderate carb restriction. I hope I never need to go lower than that because all my favorite comfort foods are rich in carbs.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Misinformation and insulin fairies
  • phyllisgehrke
    phyllisgehrke Posts: 238 Member
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    I do eat carbs.
    I am not diabetic, but I do have a Diabetic Diet Book from Mayo Clinic.
    I watch my Pyramid guidelines to see what I am having.

    I do not worry too much about carbs, try to limit my potatoes and pasta and breads to a minimum
    Eat lots of fruits, Love Strawberries and Blueberries and love my Avocados.

    I am a vegetarian, so do not eat Meat.
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
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    I love carbs, they don't love me,
    For whatever reason, they produce an inappropriate insulin response in me and so therefor, I have cut starch and sugar from my diet.

    That's the short version. If you can tolerate them in your diet, good for you.

    If people would only concede that different things work for different people and stop trying to convince each other that one way is superior over the other, we could get back to the real business at hand and make with the kitteh gifs :drinker:

    Edited for derrrr typos
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
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    blame the media for misleading people.


    Ding! Ding! Ding!
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
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    carbophobia

    it's a real thing.
  • saschka7
    saschka7 Posts: 577 Member
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    Well, finish reading the entire 'Good Calories Bad Calories' by Gary Taubes and then decide whether there is such a thing as a good carb. can our bodies tolerate carbs? well, yeah, kinda sorta, but are they bad - yes, absolutely without question. they are simply not human food.
    Carbs are not human food? I'm confused: Are carbs animal food? Alien food? Ghost food? Maybe I'm misunderstanding something...:laugh: Your definition of a carb must be different than mine.
  • saschka7
    saschka7 Posts: 577 Member
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    If people would only concede that different things work for different people and stop trying to convince each other that one way is superior over the other, we could get back to the real business at hand and make with the kitteh gifs :drinker:

    SER-iously! Amen! :drinker:
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
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    Well, finish reading the entire 'Good Calories Bad Calories' by Gary Taubes and then decide whether there is such a thing as a good carb. can our bodies tolerate carbs? well, yeah, kinda sorta, but are they bad - yes, absolutely without question. they are simply not human food.
    Carbs are not human food? I'm confused: Are carbs animal food? Alien food? Ghost food? Maybe I'm misunderstanding something...:laugh: Your definition of a carb must be different than mine.

    Taubes is an *kitten* hat.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    Because a lot of diet fads and Dr.s are telling them they are. While there is compelling evidence that a low carb diet does help to utilize more fat when glycogen is low, it's usually only a short term fix.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • glin23
    glin23 Posts: 460 Member
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    Mmmmmm....... Carbs... Love them!!! I consistently go over on my carbs and I still lose weight with no issue. I don't hate them.. Quite the opposite! (PS... I've also lost 50+ lbs in the past and not paid a lick of attention to my carb intake. My body seems to do well with simply watching my calories.)

    Me too. I'm a runner and I base my diet around carbs.
  • KeithAngilly
    KeithAngilly Posts: 575 Member
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    People need something to blame. It was fat, and nowadays it's either the government or carbs, depending on who you ask.

    ^^^^this well said, sir!
  • slartybart
    slartybart Posts: 7
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    greetings well as a long distance cyclist carbs and yes unprocessed and as natural as possible are a part of my daily food intake If i don't have carbs at the right time pretraining I run out of energy miles from home sore legs dizzy brain shivery and a long road home miserable as hell Apparently the cyclist call it bonking Lol IN New Zealand bonking is a slang term for sex.
    Watch out for all theses crazy fab no carb diets carbs are fuel for your body and mind if you don't eat enough starvation mode will set in and you will stop losing weight
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
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    I don't care what the anti-carb brigade say. I run, and I run long distances. without carbs I wouldn't be able to run anywhere near as effectively.

    My body needs fuel..so I fuel.

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