Why do so many people hate carbs?

willdob3

One might as easily as why do so many people love carbs? I ask, "Who cares?"

I don't waste my energy "hating" anything or anyone. Different strokes for different folks. It does not bother me at all when I see someone eating differently than the way I eat.

Unknown

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jaysonhijinx

I used to low carb (<100g a day at times) and lost weight. Now I'm consuming anywhere between 200g (low day) and 450g and still able to lose weight so I'm not a hater of carbs. They're too delicious to hate.

rachseby

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.

This^^ Also, I had gestational diabetes, and so I don't know if this applies to diabetes in general, but my body seemed to process different carbs better or worse from others. Rice was a real blood sugar trigger for me, but I was okay with pasta and baked potatoes. The one time I had chips my BS really shot up. One of my doctors told me that things just affect different people in different ways--you have to find what works for you.

KANGOOJUMPS

NOT ME! LOVE MY CARBS
I do 2 to 3 hours cardio a day, so I need that fuel!

lithezebra

oops.

willnevergiveup

I don't hate carbs. I'm just wary of them. Some cause me no problems at all (most vegetables with the exception of potatoes). Some cause some problems (multi-grain cereals). Some cause me huge problems (desserts, most fruits). What kind of problems? They make me hungrier. And they cause blood glucose spikes. So I'm careful about how much and what carbs I eat. I limit myself to 60 net carbs a day. Net carbs are carbs minus fiber. This works for me. I'm losing 1-2 pounds a week and my fasting blood sugar is now in the 80s instead of the 130s it used to be.

amandatapar

I just feel better without all the processed carbs in my body. I still eat whole fruits and vegetables and two slices of whole wheat bread a day on a sandwich for lunch but that is it. No other bread except for that, no pasta/potatoes/rice. I am steadily losing weight eating more protein and carbs from a direct source like the fruit and veggies. I am not craving the processed carbs either. The first few weeks I did but not after that. I was much sleepier as well when I ate a lot of processed carbs. I just don't think my body is hard wired to eat all those processed carbs and lose weight.

lithezebra

I don't hate carbs. I'm just wary of them. Some cause me no problems at all (most vegetables with the exception of potatoes). Some cause some problems (multi-grain cereals). Some cause me huge problems (desserts, most fruits). What kind of problems? They make me hungrier. And they cause blood glucose spikes. So I'm careful about how much and what carbs I eat. I limit myself to 60 net carbs a day. Net carbs are carbs minus fiber. This works for me. I'm losing 1-2 pounds a week and my fasting blood sugar is now in the 80s instead of the 130s it used to be.

Those are great results!

candylilacs

This^^ Also, I had gestational diabetes, and so I don't know if this applies to diabetes in general, but my body seemed to process different carbs better or worse from others. Rice was a real blood sugar trigger for me, but I was okay with pasta and baked potatoes. The one time I had chips my BS really shot up. One of my doctors told me that things just affect different people in different ways--you have to find what works for you.

In my GI handbook/bible they actually call commercial cereals "low-nutrient" because they aren't high enough in fiber and have too many additives -- and spike the blood sugar. They are about steel-cut oats all the way -- which is too bad because I think I'm the only person on this board that doesn't like oatmeal! Also nothing but plain yogurt. You can add honey or fruit, but nothing flavored.

Pasta does it for me....and I LOVE it, but it doesn't love me back. I've had luck mashing new potatoes (small potatoes), they seem to keep my blood sugar from spiking rather than regular potatoes.

pesigrandi

It's not so much that I hate carbs because I like my fruits and vegetables. But, I'm not a fan of grains as alone they taste like cardboard. Even potatoes are pretty tasteless without butter and salt at a minimum. Most grains make me feel bloated and lethargic. I feel much better when I eat protein and vegetables for my meals.

operation_cute

I love carbs There an important part of a balanced diet, I would never give them up I fit them easily into my daily calories and their included as part of my macros, so I don't see any reason not to eat them I don't buy into the whole turns to fat thing, extra calories turns to fat, and if they did why would I be losing inches? I think low/no carb is a fad, and the low carbs are taking credit for lower calories. People start a fad diet and see their losing weight, but don't put the connection together that a. if their losing that fast it is water weight and b. any weight there after is from eating less calories.

ElikaCousland

People* hate carbs for the same reason people used to hate fat, or cholesterol, or dairy, or eggs, or red meat. Because diet tracking and exercise is hard, and it's way easier to just cut out one food/macro than log your calories every day. Carbs are simply the latest villain in a long history of bro-science and fad diets.


*The term People used in a generalized sense. Obviously diabetics and individuals with other medical conditions require different dietary advice and should work with a doctor / nutritionist.

jayrudq

I don't hate carbs at all. In fact, I love them. Too much. And, as with many others, eating just carbs leads to wanting carbs, and wanting carbs, leads to eating more carbs...They have their place in my diet, for sure. I am just careful what carbs - nutritionally dense and relatively unprocessed and where or with what.

peniculala

I don't really know. At my last doctors appointment my doc asked me if I was watching my carbs. I said no and she looked surprised, but didn't tell me to start. I think I'm doing just fine without it. I just try to make good choices. I can't have gluten, so that cuts down on a lot naturally.

Queen_JessieA

I don't hate them...its just that the ones I like are the bad ones. White floury sugary treats and such. So...I stay away from them! Pancakes and waffles are great, too....but then, I like syrup on them. Different things work for different people.

Cheechos

Carbs aren't really my friend. I can maintain a nice relationship with some carby foods, but others usually either give me heartburn, send me into crazy binge land, or just don't taste very good in general.

carries789

I think it's funny carb lovers are offended that some people hate carbs. I mean really? No it's NOT because it's a fad. Many people like myself go into a coma state when eating them. I have pcos and I'm prediabetic. Just because it's not the way one person eats doesn't make them into a fad. Different bodies have different needs. I hate carbs because if I have spaghetti or pizza my kids lose their mom for 2 hrs while I sleep. It royally sucks. The majority of people who actually HATE carbs do so because they genuinely hate what it does to them.