Why Carbs "Make" Us Fat...

livingleanlivingclean

TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »

Copied: Carbs are awesome.......carbs ARE responsible for our obesity epidemic.
And a plain potato is much healthier than a mashed potato. I know my grandma will pile on things like sour cream, cream cheese, tons of butter, and god knows what else. Turning them into a calorie dense food, that barely tastes like potato.

Maybe a plain potato is healthier than your grandma's mash. Don't make generalised statements. Besides, a bit of fat in the mash will enable you to absorb nutrients, and slow digestion. Healthy is subjective, and overall diet is what really matters.

J72FIT

The_Enginerd wrote: »

I did bother to read the article. I could copy this article, do a find and replace for "carb" and "fat", and it would still be the same article but demonizing fat like we did for years instead of the new boogeyman carbs. Meh, I'd vote woo too. It still goes too far and blames our obesity on carbs. It's not so much the macro as it is foods which are tasty, convenient, and provide little satiety, and foods that meet that criteria (chips, cookies, etc.) typically include just as much if not more fat as they do carbs.

This is true...

lemurcat12

The_Enginerd wrote: »

I did bother to read the article. I could copy this article, do a find and replace for "carb" and "fat", and it would still be the same article but demonizing fat like we did for years instead of the new boogeyman carbs. Meh, I'd vote woo too. It still goes too far and blames our obesity on carbs. It's not so much the macro as it is foods which are tasty, convenient, and provide little satiety, and foods that meet that criteria (chips, cookies, etc.) typically include just as much if not more fat as they do carbs.

I didn't read it as blaming obesity on carbs. I saw it using that language (carbs make us fat) tongue in cheek while explaining why cutting carbs will result in weight loss really (lower calories).

You absolutely could switch fat with carbs, and it's the same reason some super low fat diets work (i.e., some forms of veganism). But people aren't running around claiming fat makes us fat (mostly) these days. That's so '90s.

The_Enginerd

J72FIT wrote: »

The_Enginerd wrote: »

I did bother to read the article. I could copy this article, do a find and replace for "carb" and "fat", and it would still be the same article but demonizing fat like we did for years instead of the new boogeyman carbs. Meh, I'd vote woo too. It still goes too far and blames our obesity on carbs. It's not so much the macro as it is foods which are tasty, convenient, and provide little satiety, and foods that meet that criteria (chips, cookies, etc.) typically include just as much if not more fat as they do carbs.

Really? I did not find that at all. Interesting...

It's right there on the top...

"It’s why paying attention to the amount of carbs you eat works and it’s why for the most part carbs ARE responsible for our obesity epidemic"

Nevermind that the average American Diet isn't particularly high in carbs compared to other diets worldwide despite our high obesity rate, but is quite high in fat. And it makes a comparison of a diet high in carbs to one not so by including a diet which is very high in protein, and high in an expensive protein at that. Feels like a false dichotomy.

lemurcat12

forward0backward wrote: »

Isn't carbs like our most important macro?

No, but I don't think that has much to do with the article (or that there is a most important macro). In the US it's really hard not to get the minimum fat and protein you need without thinking about it.

The_Enginerd

lemurcat12 wrote: »

The_Enginerd wrote: »

I did bother to read the article. I could copy this article, do a find and replace for "carb" and "fat", and it would still be the same article but demonizing fat like we did for years instead of the new boogeyman carbs. Meh, I'd vote woo too. It still goes too far and blames our obesity on carbs. It's not so much the macro as it is foods which are tasty, convenient, and provide little satiety, and foods that meet that criteria (chips, cookies, etc.) typically include just as much if not more fat as they do carbs.

I didn't read it as blaming obesity on carbs. I saw it using that language (carbs make us fat) tongue in cheek while explaining why cutting carbs will result in weight loss really (lower calories).

You absolutely could switch fat with carbs, and it's the same reason some super low fat diets work (i.e., some forms of veganism). But people aren't running around claiming fat makes us fat (mostly) these days. That's so '90s.

I read it as tongue in cheek as well at first, but as I got further along in the article it felt less like the case. It just feels like it swings the pendulum a bit too far in the other direction to make the point.

TR0berts

Meh. He goes from a nearly all protein diet (Big-A steak, some eggs, and some veggies) to one that includes lots of everything.

I guess it's nice in that it's not "OMG - carbs are the devil and go straight to fat!" But I wouldn't really call it meaningful. As previously mentioned, you could change "carbs" to "fats" and write that exact same article, drawing the same exact conclusions.

lemurcat12

TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »

Copied: Carbs are awesome.......

Sure.

carbs ARE responsible for our obesity epidemic.

Not really, and I don't think that was the point being made.

And a plain potato is much healthier than a mashed potato.

I prefer roasted potatoes (with some olive oil and salt), but you do know that mashing a potato doesn't add any ingredients, right? I sometimes make mashed potatoes and they usually are plain potatoes (no olive oil even, so plainer than the baked ones). At least until I mix them with my steak or lamb, which I love doing.

I know my grandma will pile on things like sour cream, cream cheese, tons of butter, and god knows what else into a mashed potato. Turning them into a calorie dense food, that barely tastes like potato.

You can do this with anything. It's not because they are mashed (or because they are potatoes).

Not everyone does this, obviously.

You can choose what you add so it goes with your goals for the day. I sometimes like to dip roasted potatoes in 0% Fage, which to me is like sour cream. I also don't find it that hard to fit some butter in a normal day.

Hmm. Like carbs, butter is awesome, which leads to the important question:

J72FIT

The_Enginerd wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

The_Enginerd wrote: »

I did bother to read the article. I could copy this article, do a find and replace for "carb" and "fat", and it would still be the same article but demonizing fat like we did for years instead of the new boogeyman carbs. Meh, I'd vote woo too. It still goes too far and blames our obesity on carbs. It's not so much the macro as it is foods which are tasty, convenient, and provide little satiety, and foods that meet that criteria (chips, cookies, etc.) typically include just as much if not more fat as they do carbs.

I didn't read it as blaming obesity on carbs. I saw it using that language (carbs make us fat) tongue in cheek while explaining why cutting carbs will result in weight loss really (lower calories).

You absolutely could switch fat with carbs, and it's the same reason some super low fat diets work (i.e., some forms of veganism). But people aren't running around claiming fat makes us fat (mostly) these days. That's so '90s.

I read it as tongue in cheek as well at first, but as I got further along in the article it felt less like the case. It just feels like it swings the pendulum a bit too far in the other direction to make the point.

I guess I read between the lines because I am familiar with the author of the article.

nvmomketo

CARBS. ARE. AWESOME.

Seriously, this is the MAIN problem with carbohydrates. It’s why cutting carbs from you diet works. It’s why paying attention to the amount of carbs you eat works and it’s why for the most part carbs ARE responsible for our obesity epidemic.

Sounds about right to me. Now I am waiting for people to mention they got fat from eating all foods and not just carbs.

People who stick with LCHF do it for their health. Many people are starting to use it as a weight loss tool. It works for many so why not.

I find it is really hard to overeat on a fat and protein diet. I've eaten carnivore. I feel good on it but I find it hard to eat a lot of meat and eggs. Cheese is easier to overeat but I can moderate that. I tend to lose without trying when eating this way.

When I eat carnivore my macros are usually 75% F and 25% P with incidental carbs. Sometimes protein goes as high as 30% if I eat certain seafood or a lot of chicken (but I prefer red meat).

My protein is maybe 5% higher than when I eat carbs though. No carbs does not mean high protein.

lemurcat12 wrote: »

You can choose what you add so it goes with your goals for the day. I sometimes like to dip roasted potatoes in 0% Fage, which to me is like sour cream. I also don't find it that hard to fit some butter in a normal day.

Hmm. Like carbs, butter is awesome, which leads to the important question:

I can overeat potatoes without fats on them. I have not overeaten butter without other foods... Not saying others won't just sit down to a butter snack though.

janejellyroll

nvmomketo wrote: »

CARBS. ARE. AWESOME.

Seriously, this is the MAIN problem with carbohydrates. It’s why cutting carbs from you diet works. It’s why paying attention to the amount of carbs you eat works and it’s why for the most part carbs ARE responsible for our obesity epidemic.

Sounds about right to me. Now I am waiting for people to mention they got fat from eating all foods and not just carbs.

People who stick with LCHF do it for their health. Many people are starting to use it as a weight loss tool. It works for many so why not.

I find it is really hard to overeat on a fat and protein diet. I've eaten carnivore. I feel good on it but I find it hard to eat a lot of meat and eggs. Cheese is easier to overeat but I can moderate that. I tend to lose without trying when eating this way.

When I eat carnivore my macros are usually 75% F and 25% P with incidental carbs. Sometimes protein goes as high as 30% if I eat certain seafood or a lot of chicken (but I prefer red meat).

My protein is maybe 5% higher than when I eat carbs though. No carbs does not mean high protein.

lemurcat12 wrote: »

You can choose what you add so it goes with your goals for the day. I sometimes like to dip roasted potatoes in 0% Fage, which to me is like sour cream. I also don't find it that hard to fit some butter in a normal day.

Hmm. Like carbs, butter is awesome, which leads to the important question:

I can overeat potatoes without fats on them. I have not overeaten butter without other foods... Not saying others won't just sit down to a butter snack though.

I don't eat butter anymore, but when I did I wouldn't have minded eating just pieces of it. I did it sometimes and definitely in quantities that would have counted as "overeating." I also sometimes want things like spoonfuls of coconut oil or other fat-based foods. These desires are lower when I am getting sufficient fat in my diet, but I am someone who could easily overeat on a high fat diet.

I do believe that some people find it hard to overeat on a fat and protein diet, but I don't think overeating/cravings/compulsions have a universal cure. What works for one person may not work for another.

For me, limiting a macro isn't the solution. It's more like a mental thing. When I give myself permission to eat what I want, it truly helps me. That doesn't mean I'm eating everything I want all in the same day, but I know that if I really want something I can have it and that makes it possible for me to control my calorie intake.

lemurcat12

nvmomketo wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

You can choose what you add so it goes with your goals for the day. I sometimes like to dip roasted potatoes in 0% Fage, which to me is like sour cream. I also don't find it that hard to fit some butter in a normal day.

Hmm. Like carbs, butter is awesome, which leads to the important question:

I can overeat potatoes without fats on them. I have not overeaten butter without other foods... Not saying others won't just sit down to a butter snack though.

I wouldn't overeat potatoes without fat, although I really like potatoes.

I would overeat steak or pulled pork (not assuming any carbs are added).

I would not eat butter plain, completely not appealing, but overeating cheese was a much more significant portion of my pre weight loss behaviors than any high carb foods.

I like low carbing (when I do it) not because it avoids foods I am tempted to overeat, but because I get to focus on the foods I care most about and don't waste calories on foods I don't care about (I care about potatoes and pasta but am happy enough to eat them occasionally). Most of the traditional high carb foods (pasta, bread, potatoes, rice, oats, etc.) I would never overeat if I didn't add fat or wasn't eating mindlessly. And things that are just sugar (soda, candy) don't appeal to me. To the extent some people are low carb because they find carbs so irresistible, I'm more the opposite. I'm more satisfied eating low carb because my diet feels more indulgent, but not at all because I find carbs extra hard not to overeat.

The author is right, however, that low carbing (or a similarly low fat diet) makes you be a lot more choosy about what you can impulse buy when on the go. I think people overeat in the US in large part because it's so easy to do, there are tempting foods all around. Restricting what or when you eat in any way tends often to lead to a calorie deficit, especially in the short term. I've done it a variety of ways.