Is it healthy to completely cut out carbs from my diet?
Lara_z
Posts: 94 Member
I eat a lot of carbs. Like white bread, potatoes, white rice, pasta.
Would it be a problem to completely cut out carbs from my diet for 1-2 weeks?
With the exception of having ready break in the morning for breakfast. And just have a diet of fruit, veg and protein?
I've read here that starchy food can contribute to weight gain and I want to cut it out together with high sugar foods (like cakes and biscuits) for a couple of weeks.
Would this be a good idea?
Has anyone tried cutting down on carbs?
Would it be a problem to completely cut out carbs from my diet for 1-2 weeks?
With the exception of having ready break in the morning for breakfast. And just have a diet of fruit, veg and protein?
I've read here that starchy food can contribute to weight gain and I want to cut it out together with high sugar foods (like cakes and biscuits) for a couple of weeks.
Would this be a good idea?
Has anyone tried cutting down on carbs?
0
Replies
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You understand veg and fruit are carbs? So in that context it's fine. BUT carbs don't make you gain weight, excess calories do, same for sugar.
I reduce starchy carbs when losing just because they're the easiest thing to reduce and still feel satisfied but they're still part of nearly every meal, just in smaller quantities.20 -
Starchy foods don't contribute to weight gain, unless you're eating at a calorie surplus. Same goes with ALL foods.
Also, veggies and fruit have carbs, so if you're still eating those things then you're not actually completely cutting out carbs.
For weight loss the only thing that matters is that you're hitting the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals. Everything else is secondary/background noise.8 -
Whenever i see someone saying they are thinking of completely cutting carbs and only eating fruit, veg and protein, i immediately think they need to do a lot more research. Fruit and veg are carbs.
Cutting carbs helps some people lose weight. Others lose just as well keeping carbs in their diet. Cutting carbs for a couple of weeks won't do you want harm if you want to see how it suits you.18 -
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Would it be a problem to completely cut out carbs from my diet for 1-2 weeks?
With the exception of having ready break in the morning for breakfast. And just have a diet of fruit, veg ...
Fruit and veg are carbs.
I'd recommend taking a nutrition class at your local college or through your local community classes. Have a look ... your area might have something interesting and informative on offer.
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How about just switching from white bread to wholemeal and wholegrain, limiting to a slice or 2 a day. Instead of white rice have brown rice. Change from white pasta to wholemeal.
Cut out most processed foods and replace with fresh.
Just cutting out carbs (or greatly reducing as your education on carbs is limited) for a few weeks and then returning to your normal diet will result in weight loss (mainly water) followed by weight gain, often more than you lost. You are much better off finding a healthy balanced nutrition plan that you can stick with long term.4 -
As for "is it healthy" I have been less than 20g carbs per day for 4 years and according to my doctor and bloodwork I have never been healthier.6
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EbonyDahlia wrote: »As for "is it healthy" I have been less than 20g carbs per day for 4 years and according to my doctor and bloodwork I have never been healthier.
Whereas I average 150-200+ carbs a day and also have excellent health markers and blood work panels. I'm no longer a prediabetic either Been doing this whole thing for around 5 years now and I'm approaching my 4 year maintenance anniversary in April, (around 50lbs lost).
OP, there's nothing wrong with cutting back on carbs if you want to, but there's also no reason to do so (barring a medical condition).
Focus on the long term-what's a realistic and sustainable approach for you, for the rest of your life? Because weight loss means nothing, if you can't sustain the loss. If a low carb diet appeals to you then no harm trying it, but realize that it's definitely not necessary-the correct calorie deficit for your goals is.12 -
EbonyDahlia wrote: »As for "is it healthy" I have been less than 20g carbs per day for 4 years and according to my doctor and bloodwork I have never been healthier.
There is more than one way to skin a cat. What works well for one person won't for another. I am not say that a LCHF diet is bad but it isn't the only one to get success. The trick is to find a meal plan that is heathly, provides all of your nutritional needs and that you can stick with. From whay I have read, as long as you keep up with the required amount of protein the fat/carb ratio doesn't make a huge amount of difference long term.
That being said, I think we can all agree that cutting out carbs COMPLETELY is a recipe for disaster.2 -
Lillymoo01 wrote: »EbonyDahlia wrote: »As for "is it healthy" I have been less than 20g carbs per day for 4 years and according to my doctor and bloodwork I have never been healthier.
There is more than one way to skin a cat. What works well for one person won't for another. I am not say that a LCHF diet is bad but it isn't the only one to get success. The trick is to find a meal plan that is heathly, provides all of your nutritional needs and that you can stick with. From whay I have read, as long as you keep up with the required amount of protein the fat/carb ratio doesn't make a huge amount of difference long term.
That being said, I think we can all agree that cutting out carbs COMPLETELY is a recipe for disaster.
Actually no, we don't all agree. But thank you for assuming other people's experience and opinion. *golf clap*2 -
No. It's not.0
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I eat a lot of carbs. Like white bread, potatoes, white rice, pasta.
Would it be a problem to completely cut out carbs from my diet for 1-2 weeks?
With the exception of having ready break in the morning for breakfast. And just have a diet of fruit, veg and protein?
I've read here that starchy food can contribute to weight gain and I want to cut it out together with high sugar foods (like cakes and biscuits) for a couple of weeks.
Would this be a good idea?
Has anyone tried cutting down on carbs?
Low carb high fat diets are quite common. The main forum are more "everything in moderation" friendly rather than low carb, but there are many people eating fewer than 100-150g of carbs per day.
For those who tend to overeat in carbs, cutting carbs is often a good idea for weight loss.
For those who have insulin resistance issues (prediabetes, T2D, NAFLD, alzheimers, CAD, PCOS) cutting carbs is often an execellent plan to improve their health.
Is it a good idea for you? That depends. If you overeat carbs, then it may be. If you have IR issues, then it would probably improve your health. If carbs are not a problem for you, then you probably don't need to worry about them.
And as the others said, if it comes from plants, whether it is veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts, or grains (flours), then it has carbs. Animal products are the only foods that can be carb free.
And carb free, or almost carb free, is still a healthy option. Just consider the Inuit, Masai, and Canadian First Nations. Many people follow a very low carb (ketogenic) diet which is under 50g of carbs per day. Those people tend to just eat vegetables, nuts and seeds for their carbs.
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So Ebony you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.5
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Lillymoo01 wrote: »So @EbonyDahlia you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
Carbs are not an essential nutrient, therefore vegetables are not essential. Vegetables can certainly contribute to a healthy diet but they are by no means needed. There are actually quite a few carnivores and almost zero carbers on MFP who are thriving without plant matter in their diets. As long as you eat quality animal products, it is not difficult to maintain excellent health without plants in one's diet.
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It's impossible to completely cut out carbs. That said, there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate, unlike protein and fat. Check out the ketogenic lifestyle. Don't believe conventional medical advice about what a healthy diet consists of. Most doctors have less than eight hours of nutritional instruction! Also check out Ancel Keys and his completely flawed study (he blatantly lied and skewed the data) back in the 50s, which our government bought hook and sinker and has been shoving down our throats ever since (https://authoritynutrition.com/modern-nutrition-policy-lies-bad-science/). There used to be a really good video about Ancel Keys on Youtube but I have been unable to find it for several months. Ever since his "findings" were published, we've been told to cut the fat and up our consumption of whole grains.
The current American food pyramid should be turned upside down with the grains section deleted. Of course you can lose weight on a lowfat diet but it won't last long and it definitely won't make you healthy. The other thing about the keto lifestyle is that food cravings are dramatically diminished!
I've been eating 25-30 carbs per day for a while and my blood sugars (previously in the low 200s almost immediately went to an average of 80-90.2 -
Lillymoo01 wrote: »So Ebony you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
There's actually a few members here that believe all carbs, including those in vegetables, are bad for their health. It boggles my mind, but to each their own I guess lol.7 -
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The carb counts (macros and calories) are very similar in the substitutions... There is absolutely nothing wrong with the "white" versions of these foods.Lillymoo01 wrote: »How about just switching from white bread to wholemeal and wholegrain, limiting to a slice or 2 a day. Instead of white rice have brown rice. Change from white pasta to wholemeal.
Cut out most processed foods and replace with fresh.
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Lillymoo01 wrote: »So @EbonyDahlia you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
Carbs are not an essential nutrient, therefore vegetables are not essential. Vegetables can certainly contribute to a healthy diet but they are by no means needed. There are actually quite a few carnivores and almost zero carbers on MFP who are thriving without plant matter in their diets. As long as you eat quality animal products, it is not difficult to maintain excellent health without plants in one's diet.
I don't think you will find any dietitian agreeing with you there. There is no way you can meet you essential micro nutritions without vegetables in your diet without the need for supplements. I stand corrected though. Some are crazy enough to believe that a carb free diet is healthy but they would be wrong. Still trying to work out how you can have a totally carb free diet at any rate.2 -
zachbonner_ wrote: »Lillymoo01 wrote: »So @EbonyDahlia you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
Carbs are not an essential nutrient, therefore vegetables are not essential. Vegetables can certainly contribute to a healthy diet but they are by no means needed. There are actually quite a few carnivores and almost zero carbers on MFP who are thriving without plant matter in their diets. As long as you eat quality animal products, it is not difficult to maintain excellent health without plants in one's diet.
the macro carbs might not be needed but the micro vitamins sure are.
True. Thankfully the micros are also found in animal products so we can do fine with just animal products if we choose to do so.Lillymoo01 wrote: »Lillymoo01 wrote: »So @EbonyDahlia you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
Carbs are not an essential nutrient, therefore vegetables are not essential. Vegetables can certainly contribute to a healthy diet but they are by no means needed. There are actually quite a few carnivores and almost zero carbers on MFP who are thriving without plant matter in their diets. As long as you eat quality animal products, it is not difficult to maintain excellent health without plants in one's diet.
I don't think you will find any dietitian agreeing with you there. There is no way you can meet you essential micro nutritions without vegetables in your diet without the need for supplements. I stand corrected though. Some are crazy enough to believe that a carb free diet is healthy but they would be wrong. Still trying to work out how you can have a totally carb free diet at any rate.
You're probably right. Most dietitians would probably, at first glance, agree that plants are needed for good health... They'd be wrong though.
If you think about it, it isn't that outlandish. There are multiple cultures that eat no plant matter, or very very little of it: Inuit, Masai, Canadian First Nations plains tribes are some. Thousands of people living healthfully for generation after generation on an almost entirely carnivorous diet.
I know a handful of people who eat this way now. Just meats, seafood, dairy, eggs, some offal, and a bit of seasoning. They feel great. Some of them have eaten this way for years.
I'm not saying plants are bad. I like veggies, that's why I eat them. I am saying that they are NOT needed for a healthy diet.
I imagine this is the type of disbelief that vegetarians faced 100 or so years ago...4 -
zachbonner_ wrote: »Lillymoo01 wrote: »So @EbonyDahlia you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
Carbs are not an essential nutrient, therefore vegetables are not essential. Vegetables can certainly contribute to a healthy diet but they are by no means needed. There are actually quite a few carnivores and almost zero carbers on MFP who are thriving without plant matter in their diets. As long as you eat quality animal products, it is not difficult to maintain excellent health without plants in one's diet.
the macro carbs might not be needed but the micro vitamins sure are.
True. Thankfully the micros are also found in animal products so we can do fine with just animal products if we choose to do so.Lillymoo01 wrote: »Lillymoo01 wrote: »So @EbonyDahlia you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
Carbs are not an essential nutrient, therefore vegetables are not essential. Vegetables can certainly contribute to a healthy diet but they are by no means needed. There are actually quite a few carnivores and almost zero carbers on MFP who are thriving without plant matter in their diets. As long as you eat quality animal products, it is not difficult to maintain excellent health without plants in one's diet.
I don't think you will find any dietitian agreeing with you there. There is no way you can meet you essential micro nutritions without vegetables in your diet without the need for supplements. I stand corrected though. Some are crazy enough to believe that a carb free diet is healthy but they would be wrong. Still trying to work out how you can have a totally carb free diet at any rate.
You're probably right. Most dietitians would probably, at first glance, agree that plants are needed for good health... They'd be wrong though.
If you think about it, it isn't that outlandish. There are multiple cultures that eat no plant matter, or very very little of it: Inuit, Masai, Canadian First Nations plains tribes are some. Thousands of people living healthfully for generation after generation on an almost entirely carnivorous diet.
I know a handful of people who eat this way now. Just meats, seafood, dairy, eggs, some offal, and a bit of seasoning. They feel great. Some of them have eaten this way for years.
I'm not saying plants are bad. I like veggies, that's why I eat them. I am saying that they are NOT needed for a healthy diet.
I imagine this is the type of disbelief that vegetarians faced 100 or so years ago...
I did read this article awhile ago which indicates that these cultures had more carbs than first believed and that no culture has spent time in permanent ketosis. Who knows what to believe though.
https://chriskresser.com/7-things-everyone-should-know-about-low-carb-diets/
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Lillymoo01 wrote: »So Ebony you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
I just have to ask because I have never heard this before and it doesn't compute in my mind - what does "close to 50% of our diet" mean? Calories, weight, volume? What counts as vegetables? Who says this, why, and who are "we"?0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »Lillymoo01 wrote: »So Ebony you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
I just have to ask because I have never heard this before and it doesn't compute in my mind - what does "close to 50% of our diet" mean? Calories, weight, volume? What counts as vegetables? Who says this, why, and who are "we"?
I don't normally track stuff, but since I'm doing the 800g veggies and fruit challenge this week I'm logging everything I eat on MFP this week. Really upping my veggie and fruit intake and hitting 800g (which breaks down to 10 servings), I only come in at around 266 calories today for those 800g. Out of my 1,8000 maintenance calorie intake (today I'm actually going to come in at around 1,400 calories). I can't imagine eating 900 calories worth of veggies a day
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You gain weight from too many calories not carbs. If you want to lose weight watch your calories.
Fruits and vegetables are carbs. It would not be healthy to cut out all carbs.
Yes, you can stop or limit eating bread, rice, pasta and be healthy. It isn't necessary for weight loss though.
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crzycatlady1 wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »Lillymoo01 wrote: »So Ebony you don't agree that having vegetables everyday is essential? Strange when that should be close to 50% of our diet. That astounds me, unless you are not knowledgeable enough to realise that vegetables have carbs.
I just have to ask because I have never heard this before and it doesn't compute in my mind - what does "close to 50% of our diet" mean? Calories, weight, volume? What counts as vegetables? Who says this, why, and who are "we"?
I don't normally track stuff, but since I'm doing the 800g veggies and fruit challenge this week I'm logging everything I eat on MFP this week. Really upping my veggie and fruit intake and hitting 800g (which breaks down to 10 servings), I only come in at around 266 calories today for those 800g. Out of my 1,8000 maintenance calorie intake (today I'm actually going to come in at around 1,400 calories). I can't imagine eating 900 calories worth of veggies a day
I would love to have your maintenance calories
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lcrivas4jc wrote: »It's impossible to completely cut out carbs. That said, there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate, unlike protein and fat. Check out the ketogenic lifestyle. Don't believe conventional medical advice about what a healthy diet consists of. Most doctors have less than eight hours of nutritional instruction! Also check out Ancel Keys and his completely flawed study (he blatantly lied and skewed the data) back in the 50s, which our government bought hook and sinker and has been shoving down our throats ever since (https://authoritynutrition.com/modern-nutrition-policy-lies-bad-science/). There used to be a really good video about Ancel Keys on Youtube but I have been unable to find it for several months. Ever since his "findings" were published, we've been told to cut the fat and up our consumption of whole grains.
The current American food pyramid should be turned upside down with the grains section deleted. Of course you can lose weight on a lowfat diet but it won't last long and it definitely won't make you healthy. The other thing about the keto lifestyle is that food cravings are dramatically diminished!
I've been eating 25-30 carbs per day for a while and my blood sugars (previously in the low 200s almost immediately went to an average of 80-90.
To the bolded:
Why do you believe that completely cutting out grains would be required and/or beneficial for all people?
Why do you assume that a low fat diet is not sustainable or healthy?
Why does it have to be one extreme or another? Why not a balanced macro diet with eating all foods in moderation?
Your food cravings may have been diminished, but satiety and food preferences are extremely individual. Not everyone enjoys eating a ketogenic diet, blanket statements like "cravings ARE diminished" are not helpful because they may not be applicable to everyone.
Glad you've found something that works for you.
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For some people it seems that higher amounts of carbohydrate in the diet have an undesirable impact on hormone levels, which messes with the "Calories Out" side of the equation -- this is not fully understood yet, but the last 10 years especially have seen a wealth of research on the topic.
In any case, people who always yell "CALORIES IN LESS THAN CALORIES OUT" make me chuckle ... it's like, duh. Almost everyone is well aware of that. To steal an analogy, it's like asking "How can I get rich?" and someone says "Save more than you spend!" Well sure, but it's a little more nuanced as to HOW exactly you're going to achieve that.
Also, so many things affect both sides of the energy balance equation. It's like, in physics, of course you have energy conservation. But calculating the amount of energy radiating from some system often involves solving highly complex, nonlinear equations. Biological processes are at least as complicated.
Anyway, OP, I'm sure you know that vegetables and fruit have carbs. I'm sure you know you can't eat as many calories as you want and lose weight. Eating a diet of meats, fats, fruit and veg can certainly be very healthy and very sustainable - play around a bit and figure out what works best for you.2 -
Well, given the current meta-analysis linking vegetable and fruit consumption to reduced cancer, heart disease, and early death risk which led to the recent 10-a-day recommendation, I'm finding the arguments in support of low veggie intake less and less compelling.17
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »Well, given the current meta-analysis linking vegetable and fruit consumption to reduced cancer, heart disease, and early death risk which led to the recent 10-a-day recommendation, I'm finding the arguments in support of low veggie intake less and less compelling.
Do you have a link to this? I have enough trouble getting 5 a day so I'd be interested in reading it.
Thanks.0
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