question about carbs

mead
mead Posts: 68 Member
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
this may sound stupid, r carbs from fruit as bad as the carbs from grains? or is there no difference?

Replies

  • chipper15173
    chipper15173 Posts: 3,981 Member
    sugar is counted as a carb. so the carbs in fruit is from the sugar.
    hope this helps
  • linzismith
    linzismith Posts: 139 Member
    What makes carbs "evil" is the way your body digests them. Of all the food we eat (protein, fiber, carbs), carbs digest the quickest. So if you eat a slice of bread, you only have about 2 hours to burn it off before your body digests it and stores it as fat (and also about 2 hours before you feel hungry again). On the other hand, if you eat some meat, it takes much longer to digest, giving you a longer opportunity to burn off those calories before storing them. Also you feel fuller for longer.

    Some carbs digest at different rates than others. Wonderbread, beer or a donut will be digested and stored more quickly than whole grain oatmeal. That's because your body has to work harder to break down the tough fiber surrounding the carbohydrate molecules. Fruits digest more quickly than whole grains, but slower than something like a donut. However, fruits do have a lot of carbohydrates and natural sugars.

    So the short answer to your question is that carbs from fruit aren't any worse than carbs from grains, but they will most likely digest a little more quickly. I try to eat fruit midday when i do need an energy boost, rather than late at night (although if you're desperate for something sweet and it comes down to fruit or cake at midnight, go for the fruit!)
  • artteacher2
    artteacher2 Posts: 1
    Carbs are carbs, however you benefit much more, as far as nutrients go, eating a piece of fruit instead of white bread.
  • willnorton
    willnorton Posts: 995 Member
    you and the art teacher need to read about the gylcemic index...not all carbs are the same....sugar and whole grains are a world of difference...not all carbs are the same


    look up on the net about the glycemic index...its cool reading...

    your body needs carbs every day.... maybe not 2 or 3 hundred but a rerasonable amount depending on teh diet you are on...low carb..opposed to low cal/low fat
  • mdale2
    mdale2 Posts: 79
    Also consider carb content - fiber content = net effective carbs.

    A lower sugar / high fiber fruit (i.e. berries, citrus) provides less of a carb "rush" than a higher sugar fruit such as melon or an apple.

    Same for bread or grains...grains with higher fiber count provide less of a carb rush and are digested more slowly.
  • ccounts
    ccounts Posts: 57
    It's difficult to balance the carbs, proteins, fats, sugars, and calories. I'm supposed to have (according to my diabetes nutritionist) 45 grams of carbs at each meal and 15 grams at each of 3 snacks, balanced with a little good fat and a little protein. Does anyone know the best foods for that mix?
  • mdale2
    mdale2 Posts: 79
    It's difficult to balance the carbs, proteins, fats, sugars, and calories. I'm supposed to have (according to my diabetes nutritionist) 45 grams of carbs at each meal and 15 grams at each of 3 snacks, balanced with a little good fat and a little protein. Does anyone know the best foods for that mix?

    Well, I'm not going to dispense any medical advice because I'm not your doctor, but 45g / meal seems quite high for a diabetic. Even my father, who is on a diet to control blood sugar is recommended about half that total of effective carbohydrate per meal (25g, or essentially 75-100g per day). He's been a proponent of Dr. Michael Eades' "Protein Power" low carbohydrate living - it is a fantastic source and reference for how to manage carbohydrate intake and maintain a balanced, healthy diet.

    I'd recommend focusing your meals on quality protein and dietary fat sources - meat, eggs, some dairy, healthy oils (olive, sesame, coconut), some legumes (high fiber). Pair these with a vegetable or high fiber (low glycemic) fruit - strawberries, for one. Do have some whole, high fiber grains - oats, quinoa, whole grain toast or pita, etc. - but be mindful of their carb content. It may be best to not consume grains at each meal time, but rather with 1-2 meals ONLY out of the day, depending on the net effective carbs of your grain choices.

    Edit --- I forgot to add that with any dietary change you should make sure to monitor your blood sugar after meals to watch for any undesirable spikes. I've done this, not even being a diabetic, and noticed refined carbs, hidden sugars, and even some whole grains (when not in controlled portions) spiked it from a fasting level of 80 to beyond 150. Yikes.
  • viliberty
    viliberty Posts: 74
    It's difficult to balance the carbs, proteins, fats, sugars, and calories. I'm supposed to have (according to my diabetes nutritionist) 45 grams of carbs at each meal and 15 grams at each of 3 snacks, balanced with a little good fat and a little protein. Does anyone know the best foods for that mix?
    [/quote

    I thought this quote above would be highlighted before my answer below. I guess I didn't get right,....Oh well.:blushing:

    You must go to the same doctor I do. That is the exact meal plan I got from my diabetes doctor. I have a healthy soup with at least one of my meals: a can of chicken broth with a cup of whatever veggies I have on hand (celery, carrots, broccoli are good). I keep the soup thin, not to much veggies. Maybe a little tabasco for zip. This fills me up enough so that I am satisfied with less protein and bread .

    Two slices of SaraLee 45 calorie delightful 100% whole wheat have 18 minus 5 fiber for 13 net carbs, and 90 calories. And it is tastier than other low carb breads I have tried.

    I use egg beater instead of whole eggs to lower the cholesterol intake, and use very little fat.

    Mostly lots of vegetables,

    Any suggestions anyone has for me will also be appreciated.
  • halima3
    halima3 Posts: 5
    hi im new to this site but i have been following the low glycemic load diet. It is scientifically proven to be the best eating plan for diabetics or those like me with glucose intolerance.
    when i follow the diet properly, without cheating the weight just falls off, when i first started the diet a few weeks ago, i lost 5lbs and 3inches off my stomach in 4days!! i wasnt hungry and ate PLENTY of low GL foods, like oats, wholewheat pasta,hummous, pnut butter,tortillas,pitta bread, loads of fruit n veg and lots of lean protein,
    but i get demotivated really easily during the week just before my period. I get uncontrollable cravings and moodiness and that's when i usually stray. But this is the first time im following a diet with support from others and its really helping, even though im only at my first week on this site. Anyway plz do look into the GL diet , I recommend the plan devised by patrick holford, he's a well established nutritionist and his book is available at amazon. .its called 'The holford low GL diet' . i hope this helps. tkr. halima.
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