what are carbs and what do they do

303enfield
303enfield Posts: 239 Member
in Food and Nutrition
and why do a of people on mfp hate them so much :angry:
«134

Replies

  • Wookinpanub
    Wookinpanub Posts: 635 Member
    I am no expert but my take is that carbs if not used by your body to give you energy are stored as fat. My diet was carb laden and combined with limited exercise gained a lot of weight over time.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
    http://lmgtfy.com/?q=carbohydrates
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    car·bo·hy·drate [kahr-boh-hahy-dreyt, -buh-]
    noun
    any of a class of organic compounds that are polyhydroxy aldehydes or polyhydroxy ketones, or change to such substances on simple chemical transformations, as hydrolysis, oxidation, or reduction, and that form the supporting tissues of plants and are important food for animals and people.
  • baba_helly
    baba_helly Posts: 810 Member
    Idk what they are but they make me fat.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/a-primer-on-dietary-carbohydrates-part-1.html
    They are hated because people don't understand basic nutrition and how insulin really works.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    No, too many calories makes you fat. It doesn't matter if those calories are carbs, protein or fat.
  • baba_helly
    baba_helly Posts: 810 Member
    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    No, too many calories makes you fat. It doesn't matter if those calories are carbs, protein or fat.

    It's definitely the carbs. I know my body.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    is there any one who can answer this with common sense

    When in doubt, go to the experts. Real experts, not goofballs on the internet who think they are experts.

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    No, too many calories makes you fat. It doesn't matter if those calories are carbs, protein or fat.

    It's definitely the carbs. I know my body.

    Unless your body works differently than the standard human body, the biochemistry is the same. If carbs made one fat, all vegans would be fat. They eat almost nothing but carbs.
  • miss_phat_booty
    miss_phat_booty Posts: 117
    Werd! I eat a ton of carbs (especially white rice) and I've never weighed over 150 lbs.
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    Carbohydrates have the general formula C6H12O6. Basically they are sugars, from "simple" sugars like glucose through starch to indigestible stuff we call fiber. Complex ones are broken down to simple ones by digestion.

    People hate them because they don't understand science.

    Strictly speaking, we do not need to eat carbs. We can make sugar from protein, and the body can use ketones produced from fats for energy. But carbs are a convenient source of energy. And they taste good.

    Excess calories (from any food, not just carbs) get stored as fat in the body.

    Carbs (specifically, glucose) and protein spike insulin after a meal, causing the sugar and amino acids from the protein to be pushed into cells for energy and, if in excess, storage. A few hours after a meal, insulin levels come down and you will use the calories you have previously stored for energy. If you are in a surplus, obviously you don't use them all. If you are in a deficit, you use more than you just stored. [This is the bit some people don't get. They seem to think fat, once deposited, stays there forever or something.]

    Diabetics don't have a proper insulin response, so get left with excess glucose in their blood after eating too many carbs. Other people really don't have to worry about them. But do make sure you eat enough protein (for muscles) and fat (for hormone function, vitamin adsorption etc) before going crazy on carbs. Get a balanced diet, hitting your macros!
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Carb hate is a fad--it will pass. I live in Italy and can wait it out. Here carbs are a staple and most people are thin. It's portion size--like any food. :smile:
  • baba_helly
    baba_helly Posts: 810 Member
    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    No, too many calories makes you fat. It doesn't matter if those calories are carbs, protein or fat.

    It's definitely the carbs. I know my body.

    Unless your body works differently than the standard human body, the biochemistry is the same. If carbs made one fat, all vegans would be fat. They eat almost nothing but carbs.

    Well everyone is different and they definitely make me fat. The skinny vegans must just be lucky.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    No, too many calories makes you fat. It doesn't matter if those calories are carbs, protein or fat.

    It's definitely the carbs. I know my body.

    Unless your body works differently than the standard human body, the biochemistry is the same. If carbs made one fat, all vegans would be fat. They eat almost nothing but carbs.

    Well everyone is different and they definitely make me fat. The skinny vegans must just be lucky.

    Or are you just "elite"
  • Dr__Girlfriend
    Dr__Girlfriend Posts: 100 Member
    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    No, too many calories makes you fat. It doesn't matter if those calories are carbs, protein or fat.

    It's definitely the carbs. I know my body.

    Unless your body works differently than the standard human body, the biochemistry is the same. If carbs made one fat, all vegans would be fat. They eat almost nothing but carbs.

    Well everyone is different and they definitely make me fat. The skinny vegans must just be lucky.

    Carbs don't make you fat. Your body only stores calories as fat when you consume more than you are burning. It doesn't matter if you are eating Fat, Protein, or Carbs.


    Science, how does it work?!

    What you could say is that carbs make you binge, or carbs don't fill you up as much as protein does, so you end up eating more. But you're still only gaining weight because you're consuming more calories than you're burning. Not carbs. Don't be a troglodyte.
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
    I ate under 20 net carbs for almost 6 weeks and it was horrible.

    I was so foggy headed and actually got sick, which made me mad because I never get sick.

    I'm sure it is the magic ticket for some, but not me.
  • Dr__Girlfriend
    Dr__Girlfriend Posts: 100 Member
    You're telling me that, if you ate 20 baconators a day, you wouldn't gain weight because it's not carbs - it's all fat and "meat"/protein byproducts?

    Lol.
  • baba_helly
    baba_helly Posts: 810 Member
    You're telling me that, if you ate 20 baconators a day, you wouldn't gain weight because it's not carbs - it's all fat and "meat"/protein byproducts?

    Lol.

    No way, that would put me WAY over my sodium. I'd gain at leaat.a couple pounds from that!!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    Carbs are food, and as we all know, food makes us fat.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    Carbohydrates have the general formula C6H12O6. Basically they are sugars, from "simple" sugars like glucose through starch to indigestible stuff we call fiber. Complex ones are broken down to simple ones by digestion.

    People hate them because they don't understand science.

    Strictly speaking, we do not need to eat carbs. We can make sugar from protein, and the body can use ketones produced from fats for energy. But carbs are a convenient source of energy. And they taste good.

    Excess calories (from any food, not just carbs) get stored as fat in the body.

    Carbs (specifically, glucose) and protein spike insulin after a meal, causing the sugar and amino acids from the protein to be pushed into cells for energy and, if in excess, storage. A few hours after a meal, insulin levels come down and you will use the calories you have previously stored for energy. If you are in a surplus, obviously you don't use them all. If you are in a deficit, you use more than you just stored. [This is the bit some people don't get. They seem to think fat, once deposited, stays there forever or something.]

    Diabetics don't have a proper insulin response, so get left with excess glucose in their blood after eating too many carbs. Other people really don't have to worry about them. But do make sure you eat enough protein (for muscles) and fat (for hormone function, vitamin adsorption etc) before going crazy on carbs. Get a balanced diet, hitting your macros!

    balanced diet? that's crazy talk...
  • Dr__Girlfriend
    Dr__Girlfriend Posts: 100 Member
    I ate under 20 net carbs for almost 6 weeks and it was horrible.

    I was so foggy headed and actually got sick, which made me mad because I never get sick.

    I'm sure it is the magic ticket for some, but not me.

    A lot of women have found that low-carb(under 50, or 100 depending on the person) really hurt their thyroid levels and hormones, long term. Regardless, that low in carbs will put you in Ketosis. Whispering low-carb in my women's lifting group (with 6,000 ladies) brings forth books of warnings and stories from women explaining the horrific, permanent damage they encountered doing such. It's actually quite sad. That's why they are so outspoken about it.

    Anyway, you're not alone in your experience. Glad you listened to your body.
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    balanced diet? that's crazy talk...

    Yeah, I know right?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    Calories make you fat (me too)......but I don't pig out on steak or broccoli.

    Carbs are not evil.....they are necessary for energy. OP: If you have medical issues then you should limit carbs. Low carb diets are "popular" right now......and some people should diet this way. But not everyone.

    My personal preference .....IIFYM .....if it fits your macros. I try to get adequate protein & fat.....the rest is carbs. For me this is a lifestyle change. Sure, I can eat XX + YY - ZZ for a few months.....then what? How do I keep the weight from coming back? Low carb for life? ...... I don't think so.
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
    Carbs don't make you fat.
    Caloric surplus does.

    I load up on mtns of carbs daily to fuel my distance running and other workouts. I've always stayed thin. Too thin. (working on it)
    It's because I end up in a deficit after excercise and I'm unable to shovel in 4000+ cals to maintain.
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    You're telling me that, if you ate 20 baconators a day, you wouldn't gain weight because it's not carbs - it's all fat and "meat"/protein byproducts?

    Lol.

    No! each baconator is 840 calories. If you ate 20 baconators, that would be 16800 calories. You would gain weight cause you can't burn 16800 calories normally in a day. Plus the bun on a baconator is a carb.
  • gmstarr1
    gmstarr1 Posts: 66 Member
    I don't hate carbs, and I don't think carbs are evil, but I've been on low carb diet since February. Even knowing that it's all about calories in versus calories out doesn't help me. If I eat carbs, I want more carbs. I don't have the discipline to stay on just a low calorie diet. I can say 'okay I'm going to go to Pizza Hut and have two pieces of pizza'. Well, two pieces of pizza ends up being four pieces and an order of breadsticks and a Coca-Cola. It's better for me if I just avoid them. :)
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    I don't hate carbs, and I don't think carbs are evil, but I've been on low carb diet since February. Even knowing that it's all about calories in versus calories out doesn't help me. If I eat carbs, I want more carbs. I don't have the discipline to stay on just a low calorie diet. I can say 'okay I'm going to go to Pizza Hut and have two pieces of pizza'. Well, two pieces of pizza ends up being four pieces and an order of breadsticks and a Coca-Cola. It's better for me if I just avoid them. :)

    That's not the carbs. It's the evil, evil fats.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I don't hate carbs, and I don't think carbs are evil, but I've been on low carb diet since February. Even knowing that it's all about calories in versus calories out doesn't help me. If I eat carbs, I want more carbs. I don't have the discipline to stay on just a low calorie diet. I can say 'okay I'm going to go to Pizza Hut and have two pieces of pizza'. Well, two pieces of pizza ends up being four pieces and an order of breadsticks and a Coca-Cola. It's better for me if I just avoid them. :)

    Someday the smaller you will need to "deal with carbs".....or maybe you want to be low carb for life. IDK.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    You're telling me that, if you ate 20 baconators a day, you wouldn't gain weight because it's not carbs - it's all fat and "meat"/protein byproducts?

    Lol.

    No! each baconator is 840 calories. If you ate 20 baconators, that would be 16800 calories. You would gain weight cause you can't burn 16800 calories normally in a day. Plus the bun on a baconator is a carb.

    So you're telling me I can just take the buns off the 20 Baconators and then I'd lose weight? Don't try distracting me with your "facts," charlatan.
  • shortchange1
    shortchange1 Posts: 146 Member
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/a-primer-on-dietary-carbohydrates-part-1.html
    They are hated because people don't understand basic nutrition and how insulin really works.

    Exactly! To the misinformed carbs are equal to sweets, bread and pasta. Educate yourselves people! Vegetables and whole grains are mostly carbohydrates.

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