Good Carbs

jsj024519

What would you consider good carbs?

Just would like to know what others are putting in their body.

Any insight would be helpful!

Loulady

Vegetables.


And - ones that make you happy. Mental health is good, too.

meowmixx25

Fruits, complex carbs such as sweet potatoe, brown rice etc.

damorzacon

Fruits, complex carbs such as sweet potatoe, brown rice etc.

This.

I would also throw nuts and seeds in, plus they have some protein as a bonus!

JesterMFP

For me, personally, simple sugars are less "good" than complex carbs, but none of them are completely off limits.

bcattoes

Good carbs come from nutrient packed sources. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains (the less processed the better, the more fiber the better).

Angie_1MR

Oats, veggies, brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes.

tigersword

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

Angie_1MR

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Jacwhite22

frosty's. ice cream, fruit, pop-tarts

Jacwhite22

Fruits, complex carbs such as sweet potatoe, brown rice etc.

This.

I would also throw nuts and seeds in, plus they have some protein as a bonus!

nuts/seeds are pretty much fat/protein.......very little/no carbs.

Sidesteal

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not without any qualifier of dosage or without context of the entire diet. But I'm not trying to answer for Tigersword...

ChrisRS87

Check out the glycemic index, but more importantly the glycemic load. Low glycemic load = good carb. These are most of your fruits and vegetables.

tigersword

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not at all. It's 4 calories per gram, just like every other carb. Nothing is inherently good and bad. 3.5 grams of table sugar a day in a cup of coffee is not worse for you than 40 grams of carbs in brown rice. A diet is all in how it fits together, no one food can be generally labeled as good or bad, context and dosage make certain foods good or bad.

A teaspoon of sugar in coffee is one thing. A 2 liter bottle of soda in one sip is different. Dosage and context. That same example can be applied to any food, no matter how "good" or "bad" people may say it is. Brown rice is supposedly "healthy," would eating 10 pounds of brown rice a day still be healthy? Of course not. The overall picture matters way more than saying any one thing is just "good" or "bad."

amysj303

I liked the "approved foods list" on the Jamie Eason Live fit trainer:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer-approved-foods-list.html#starch

ChrisRS87

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not at all. It's 4 calories per gram, just like every other carb. Nothing is inherently good and bad. 3.5 grams of table sugar a day in a cup of coffee is not worse for you than 40 grams of carbs in brown rice. A diet is all in how it fits together, no one food can be generally labeled as good or bad, context and dosage make certain foods good or bad.

A teaspoon of sugar in coffee is one thing. A 2 liter bottle of soda in one sip is different. Dosage and context. That same example can be applied to any food, no matter how "good" or "bad" people may say it is. Brown rice is supposedly "healthy," would eating 10 pounds of brown rice a day still be healthy? Of course not. The overall picture matters way more than saying any one thing is just "good" or "bad."

This is incorrect. Carbs from different sources elicit different blood glucose reactions. The greater the blood glucose reaction, the more insulin that will be released, triggering the body to convert the glucose into fat. Basically, good carbs = less insulin, less fat, bad carbs = more insulin, more fat.

tigersword

Fruits, complex carbs such as sweet potatoe, brown rice etc.

This.

I would also throw nuts and seeds in, plus they have some protein as a bonus!

nuts/seeds are pretty much fat/protein.......very little/no carbs.

Most nuts actually have equal amounts of protein and carbs. For example, 1 ounce of almonds, 6g protein, 6g carbs, 14g fat.

bcattoes

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not at all. It's 4 calories per gram, just like every other carb. Nothing is inherently good and bad. 3.5 grams of table sugar a day in a cup of coffee is not worse for you than 40 grams of carbs in brown rice. A diet is all in how it fits together, no one food can be generally labeled as good or bad, context and dosage make certain foods good or bad.

A teaspoon of sugar in coffee is one thing. A 2 liter bottle of soda in one sip is different. Dosage and context. That same example can be applied to any food, no matter how "good" or "bad" people may say it is. Brown rice is supposedly "healthy," would eating 10 pounds of brown rice a day still be healthy? Of course not. The overall picture matters way more than saying any one thing is just "good" or "bad."

Seriously?? Surely you, like we, knew what the OP meant by the question. Must all questions be in book form, and all answers be an essay?

Jacwhite22

Fruits, complex carbs such as sweet potatoe, brown rice etc.

This.

I would also throw nuts and seeds in, plus they have some protein as a bonus!

nuts/seeds are pretty much fat/protein.......very little/no carbs.

Most nuts actually have equal amounts of protein and carbs. For example, 1 ounce of almonds, 6g protein, 6g carbs, 14g fat.

Thank you. I was wrong.

Jacwhite22

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not at all. It's 4 calories per gram, just like every other carb. Nothing is inherently good and bad. 3.5 grams of table sugar a day in a cup of coffee is not worse for you than 40 grams of carbs in brown rice. A diet is all in how it fits together, no one food can be generally labeled as good or bad, context and dosage make certain foods good or bad.

A teaspoon of sugar in coffee is one thing. A 2 liter bottle of soda in one sip is different. Dosage and context. That same example can be applied to any food, no matter how "good" or "bad" people may say it is. Brown rice is supposedly "healthy," would eating 10 pounds of brown rice a day still be healthy? Of course not. The overall picture matters way more than saying any one thing is just "good" or "bad."

This is incorrect. Carbs from different sources elicit different blood glucose reactions. The greater the blood glucose reaction, the more insulin that will be released, triggering the body to convert the glucose into fat. Basically, good carbs = less insulin, less fat, bad carbs = more insulin, more fat.

If you aren't eating at a surplus, it's not getting converted into fat.......

Sidesteal

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not at all. It's 4 calories per gram, just like every other carb. Nothing is inherently good and bad. 3.5 grams of table sugar a day in a cup of coffee is not worse for you than 40 grams of carbs in brown rice. A diet is all in how it fits together, no one food can be generally labeled as good or bad, context and dosage make certain foods good or bad.

A teaspoon of sugar in coffee is one thing. A 2 liter bottle of soda in one sip is different. Dosage and context. That same example can be applied to any food, no matter how "good" or "bad" people may say it is. Brown rice is supposedly "healthy," would eating 10 pounds of brown rice a day still be healthy? Of course not. The overall picture matters way more than saying any one thing is just "good" or "bad."

This is incorrect. Carbs from different sources elicit different blood glucose reactions. The greater the blood glucose reaction, the more insulin that will be released, triggering the body to convert the glucose into fat. Basically, good carbs = less insulin, less fat, bad carbs = more insulin, more fat.

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

tigersword

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not at all. It's 4 calories per gram, just like every other carb. Nothing is inherently good and bad. 3.5 grams of table sugar a day in a cup of coffee is not worse for you than 40 grams of carbs in brown rice. A diet is all in how it fits together, no one food can be generally labeled as good or bad, context and dosage make certain foods good or bad.

A teaspoon of sugar in coffee is one thing. A 2 liter bottle of soda in one sip is different. Dosage and context. That same example can be applied to any food, no matter how "good" or "bad" people may say it is. Brown rice is supposedly "healthy," would eating 10 pounds of brown rice a day still be healthy? Of course not. The overall picture matters way more than saying any one thing is just "good" or "bad."

This is incorrect. Carbs from different sources elicit different blood glucose reactions. The greater the blood glucose reaction, the more insulin that will be released, triggering the body to convert the glucose into fat. Basically, good carbs = less insulin, less fat, bad carbs = more insulin, more fat.

Again, this only matters in vacuum. Protein actually releases more insulin than carbs do. Once you mix carbs, protein, and fat together the insulin and glucose response is completely changed. A "good carb" eaten all on its own could spike blood sugar more than a "bad carb" eaten with fat. Fiber also radically changes blood glucose and insulin response. Sure table sugar can spike blood sugar relatively quickly by itself, but when it's mixed into oatmeal, the fiber in the oatmeal drastically slows down blood glucose response.

ChrisRS87

Insulin Index study:
http://www.ajcn.org/content/66/5/1264.full.pdf

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm

How fat cells work:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/human-biology/fat-cell3.htm

bcattoes

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not at all. It's 4 calories per gram, just like every other carb. Nothing is inherently good and bad. 3.5 grams of table sugar a day in a cup of coffee is not worse for you than 40 grams of carbs in brown rice. A diet is all in how it fits together, no one food can be generally labeled as good or bad, context and dosage make certain foods good or bad.

A teaspoon of sugar in coffee is one thing. A 2 liter bottle of soda in one sip is different. Dosage and context. That same example can be applied to any food, no matter how "good" or "bad" people may say it is. Brown rice is supposedly "healthy," would eating 10 pounds of brown rice a day still be healthy? Of course not. The overall picture matters way more than saying any one thing is just "good" or "bad."

This is incorrect. Carbs from different sources elicit different blood glucose reactions. The greater the blood glucose reaction, the more insulin that will be released, triggering the body to convert the glucose into fat. Basically, good carbs = less insulin, less fat, bad carbs = more insulin, more fat.

Again, this only matters in vacuum. Protein actually releases more insulin than carbs do. Once you mix carbs, protein, and fat together the insulin and glucose response is completely changed. A "good carb" eaten all on its own could spike blood sugar more than a "bad carb" eaten with fat. Fiber also radically changes blood glucose and insulin response. Sure table sugar can spike blood sugar relatively quickly by itself, but when it's mixed into oatmeal, the fiber in the oatmeal drastically slows down blood glucose response.

Well, that really depends, now doesn't it? If you mix 2 cups of table sugar with one teaspoon of oatmeal then the blood glucose repsonse doesn't slow much. If, however, you mix 2 cups of oatmeal with on teaspoon of table sugar, then it does slow.

The reason for this is that oatmeal = good carbs and the table sugar = bad carbs. A lot of good can override a little bad, and vice versa, but it doesn't really change the fact that one was good and one was bad to begin with.

tigersword

Neither one is good or bad. It depends on the overall diet. Too much oatmeal is bad, also.

Depending on dose, a slice of white bread with butter on it could be better than oatmeal.

bcattoes

Neither one is good or bad. It depends on the overall diet. Too much oatmeal is bad, also.

Depending on dose, a slice of white bread with butter on it could be better than oatmeal.

In what situation would the white bread be better than the oatmeal? (the butter isn't really the issue since it could just as easily go on the oatmeal).

Sidesteal

Neither one is good or bad. It depends on the overall diet. Too much oatmeal is bad, also.

Depending on dose, a slice of white bread with butter on it could be better than oatmeal.

In what situation would the white bread be better than the oatmeal? (the butter isn't really the issue since it could just as easily go on the oatmeal).

If the rest of your diet was lacking in thiamin or folic acid you would probably benefit from the white bread.
EDIT: I may be incorrect on thiamin.

tigersword

Neither one is good or bad. It depends on the overall diet. Too much oatmeal is bad, also.

Depending on dose, a slice of white bread with butter on it could be better than oatmeal.

In what situation would the white bread be better than the oatmeal? (the butter isn't really the issue since it could just as easily go on the oatmeal).

If the rest of your diet was lacking in thiamin or folic acid you would probably benefit from the white bread.
EDIT: I may be incorrect on thiamin.

Also, 1 slice of white bread vs 2 pounds of oatmeal. Dosage is really the most important part of anything. I just want someone to explain exactly why table sugar is "bad" in a reasonable dose. I also want someone to actually explain why an insulin spike is bad, considering insulin spikes are a normal part of human metabolism.

LaJaunaF

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not at all. It's 4 calories per gram, just like every other carb. Nothing is inherently good and bad. 3.5 grams of table sugar a day in a cup of coffee is not worse for you than 40 grams of carbs in brown rice. A diet is all in how it fits together, no one food can be generally labeled as good or bad, context and dosage make certain foods good or bad.

A teaspoon of sugar in coffee is one thing. A 2 liter bottle of soda in one sip is different. Dosage and context. That same example can be applied to any food, no matter how "good" or "bad" people may say it is. Brown rice is supposedly "healthy," would eating 10 pounds of brown rice a day still be healthy? Of course not. The overall picture matters way more than saying any one thing is just "good" or "bad."

This is incorrect. Carbs from different sources elicit different blood glucose reactions. The greater the blood glucose reaction, the more insulin that will be released, triggering the body to convert the glucose into fat. Basically, good carbs = less insulin, less fat, bad carbs = more insulin, more fat.

If you aren't eating at a surplus, it's not getting converted into fat.......

Hummmmm, well then I am an anomally. I can eat 1000 cals of protein and fat and lose 2 lbs over night. I can eat 1000 cals of high carbage and gain 2 lbs. IF nothing else, high sugar intake makes me blot up like a balloon.

bcattoes

Neither one is good or bad. It depends on the overall diet. Too much oatmeal is bad, also.

Depending on dose, a slice of white bread with butter on it could be better than oatmeal.

In what situation would the white bread be better than the oatmeal? (the butter isn't really the issue since it could just as easily go on the oatmeal).

If the rest of your diet was lacking in thiamin or folic acid you would probably benefit from the white bread.
EDIT: I may be incorrect on thiamin.

But you are just being silly. Yes, a healthy diet will include a variety of foods that satisfy our micronutrient needs (duh!). But you will still likely benefit more from whole wheat bread because whole grains are better carb sources than overly processed grains.

Sidesteal

There's no such thing as a "good carb," or a "bad carb." Food is not eaten in a vacuum.

So you don't think table sugar is a "bad carb"?

Not at all. It's 4 calories per gram, just like every other carb. Nothing is inherently good and bad. 3.5 grams of table sugar a day in a cup of coffee is not worse for you than 40 grams of carbs in brown rice. A diet is all in how it fits together, no one food can be generally labeled as good or bad, context and dosage make certain foods good or bad.

A teaspoon of sugar in coffee is one thing. A 2 liter bottle of soda in one sip is different. Dosage and context. That same example can be applied to any food, no matter how "good" or "bad" people may say it is. Brown rice is supposedly "healthy," would eating 10 pounds of brown rice a day still be healthy? Of course not. The overall picture matters way more than saying any one thing is just "good" or "bad."

This is incorrect. Carbs from different sources elicit different blood glucose reactions. The greater the blood glucose reaction, the more insulin that will be released, triggering the body to convert the glucose into fat. Basically, good carbs = less insulin, less fat, bad carbs = more insulin, more fat.

If you aren't eating at a surplus, it's not getting converted into fat.......

Hummmmm, well then I am an anomally. I can eat 1000 cals of protein and fat and lose 2 lbs over night. I can eat 1000 cals of high carbage and gain 2 lbs. IF nothing else, high sugar intake makes me blot up like a balloon.

^ This is due to water weight.