Carbs are NOT the enemy!

jbilgs
jbilgs Posts: 38
in Food and Nutrition
The days of the Atkins diet are (or at least) SHOULD be over. I have recently found that many of my friends/colleagues etc think that eating carbs is bad for you? Why is that? Complex carbs like whole grains, beans, fruits and veggies are incredibly nutrient dense. They provide a sufficient amount of fiber and help provide you with energy to sustain your day. Granted, chips and white bread, and pasta are not necessarily "good" carbs, but I think it's important to note that carbs should not be eliminated from one's diet. It's nearly impossible to keep up that lifestyle! Don't deprive yourselves-just moderate!

Any thoughts on this?

Replies

  • JasonDetwiler
    JasonDetwiler Posts: 364 Member
    Carbs are not bad for you. You just need to use them so that they are helping you reach your goals.
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 627 Member
    Moderation is the word you are searching for there. Too MANY carbs...can be a problem but in general, no, carbs are not evil.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    if you arent diabetic... carbs are just carbs, 50g carbs of apples is the same as 50g carbs of fat free ice cream for body composition.
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
    ok. :)
  • EndlessSacrifice
    EndlessSacrifice Posts: 325
    I completely agree with you. Complex carbohydrates like oatmeal, whole-grain bread, etc. provide us with fiber and nutrients. People don't need to steer clear of carbs completely, but instead they should be avoiding chips, white bread, pasta, etc.
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
    The right amount of the right kind of carbs are very necessary.
  • d_Mode
    d_Mode Posts: 880 Member
    As a diabetic, carbs are my enemy...that being said, I try to keep my carb intake between 20-60g per meal. Seems to work for me...I've been off my insulin now for almost 3 weeks.
  • Jxnsmma
    Jxnsmma Posts: 919 Member
    if you arent diabetic... carbs are just carbs, 50g carbs of apples is the same as 50g carbs of fat free ice cream for body composition.

    Right cuz 50g of ice cream has the same nutrient value (vitamins and minerals) as ice cream... and the added fat in the ice cream does nothing for your body composition. :noway:
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    I love carbs!! Fruits, veggies, brown rice, oatmeal and bread yes i said it!!...bread. Sometimes even white bread (gasp!!!!)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    As a diabetic, carbs are my enemy...that being said, I try to keep my carb intake between 20-60g per meal. Seems to work for me...I've been off my insulin now for almost 3 weeks.

    Congratulations!!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    The days of the Atkins diet are (or at least) SHOULD be over. I have recently found that many of my friends/colleagues etc think that eating carbs is bad for you? Why is that? Complex carbs like whole grains, beans, fruits and veggies are incredibly nutrient dense. They provide a sufficient amount of fiber and help provide you with energy to sustain your day. Granted, chips and white bread, and pasta are not necessarily "good" carbs, but I think it's important to note that carbs should not be eliminated from one's diet. It's nearly impossible to keep up that lifestyle! Don't deprive yourselves-just moderate!

    Any thoughts on this?

    I am moderate carb, I guess. Losing weight was near impossible when I ate 200g+ of carbs a day. When I started eating about 100g net ( so like 120g or so total) or less per day, the weight started dropping off, even when I ate LOTS more calories. The only thing that derailed me was taking allergy meds. Currently I am testing this theory...
  • d_Mode
    d_Mode Posts: 880 Member
    As a diabetic, carbs are my enemy...that being said, I try to keep my carb intake between 20-60g per meal. Seems to work for me...I've been off my insulin now for almost 3 weeks.

    Congratulations!!

    Thank you! :)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Carbs are no different than the other macronutrients in that there are good and bad sources. Too much bad and not enough good can lead to disease.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I run so I have the perfect excuse to eat 55 - 60% of my calories from carbs..:happy:
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    Carbs are definitely my enemy.
  • Zangpakto
    Zangpakto Posts: 336 Member
    Well, they never were the enemy to begin with... People just eat too many carbs as they are so easily accessible...

    Try walk into a corner shop and see products wit high carb vs high fat/protein... You will find loads with higher carb, and hardly any with more protein or fat....

    Also carbs are good, they also make you weigh more due to water retention... 1g carb needs 3g water to store in the body.

    Atkins works on ketosis which while itself isn't bad, the level of ketosis the atkins brings about, is horrid and stupid and can kill you.. well it did kill the author, so there...

    Most people given choice, would your friends or children have

    A) Steak
    B) Veggies
    C) Bag of french fries

    I'm going for 99/100 will go for the fries. Or could put potato chips instead there, or chocolate etc... Most would prefer those items over healthy meat and veg. Diets like Atkins shouldn't be used for losing weight but merely to ween one off the dangerous amount of carbs people do have...
  • Zangpakto
    Zangpakto Posts: 336 Member
    Paleo for Athletes...

    Runners world suggests you read that book, including how runners world suggest a high carb diet isn't as beneficial as most thought and that a higher protein diet actually is better.

    I follow on it as I have run a few marathons, I am also running ultra distance races.

    I'm giving it a shot, and honestly never felt better... Though I have changed back to old habit lately, I can vouch that the higher carb is a 100% necessity for a runner as false...I mean during races I am going to have my gels etc and energy drinks... Just the majority of time I won't touch the stuff because of what they contain. I'll go for healthier carbs instead and I would struggle to get the amount I need according to 50-60% of diet... It just is hard... And I am stronger and faster for it.

    Ran my best 5km last week, this week I ran my best 15km training race for preparation against my ultra over some of the course.

    Every week I am seeing improvements.

    Anyway... Yea, Read Paleo for Athletes. Runners World suggested to me, and I suggest to any runner now. Changed my view on the matter.
  • AmberJo1984
    AmberJo1984 Posts: 1,067 Member
    I have Type 2 diabetes. Well... I've reversed the levels and symptoms... but, I still have to take care of myself as if I am diabetic. Carbs are the number 1 problem food for diabetics.... but, this does not mean that they need to be cut out all together. I try to stick with 30 to 50 carbs for each meal. Sometimes, I fail miserably. Sometimes, I don't even have that much. Everything is about moderation. I do not see that the Atkin's diet is healthy -- as it asks you to cut out too much food. A body needs all nutrients in some form. I try to get my carbs from mainly fruit. Today, I've failed on that. I had ice cream earlier, and I'm having pasta tonight. But... I'm still under my calories. I'll do better tomorrow. Again... it's all about moderation.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    Carbs are definitely my enemy.

    mine too, until I started carb cycling I was stuck (for 2 years). I get my carbs from vegetables but once a week I have pasta, breads, popcorn, etc. The rest of the time I do 30g a day. It depends on what exercise you're doing too, if you're a high cardio then yes carbs are necessary, but I lift heavy so I fill my diet with protein. I had to finally come to terms with my carb problem, and although it sucks, I'm healthier then I've ever been before.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Most people given choice, would your friends or children have

    A) Steak
    B) Veggies
    C) Bag of french fries

    I'm going for 99/100 will go for the fries. Or could put potato chips instead there, or chocolate etc... Most would prefer those items over healthy meat and veg. Diets like Atkins shouldn't be used for losing weight but merely to ween one off the dangerous amount of carbs people do have...

    Well, french fries are vegetables. But I think it totally depends on the person (I know a lot of people that would choose steak, though I would not). And what the veggie is and how it's prepared.

    If you added a fourth option of baby back ribs or chicken wings, I think you'd get a lot of adults choosing those over the fries.
  • majikkan
    majikkan Posts: 15 Member
    Atkins works on ketosis which while itself isn't bad, the level of ketosis the atkins brings about, is horrid and stupid and can kill you.. well it did kill the author, so there...
    That's not what killed Robert Atkins at all. He slipped and hit his head on ice. He died at 72.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Atkins works on ketosis which while itself isn't bad, the level of ketosis the atkins brings about, is horrid and stupid and can kill you.. well it did kill the author, so there...
    That's not what killed Robert Atkins at all. He slipped and hit his head on ice. He died at 72.

    It was low carb ice.
  • Cranktastic
    Cranktastic Posts: 1,517 Member
    Atkins works on ketosis which while itself isn't bad, the level of ketosis the atkins brings about, is horrid and stupid and can kill you.. well it did kill the author, so there...
    That's not what killed Robert Atkins at all. He slipped and hit his head on ice. He died at 72.

    It was low carb ice.

    PMP
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Atkins works on ketosis which while itself isn't bad, the level of ketosis the atkins brings about, is horrid and stupid and can kill you.. well it did kill the author, so there...
    That's not what killed Robert Atkins at all. He slipped and hit his head on ice. He died at 72.

    It was low carb ice.

    The only kind of ice I allow myself to ingest.

    Or hit my head on.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    ITT: Carbs are NOT the enemy (unless they are white carbs).

    That's racist!
  • wilberfamily
    wilberfamily Posts: 99 Member
    My husband's doctor insists that people are fat because of carbs. He also says that calories in vs calories burned is not key to weight management. Funny how I lost 101 pounds watching how many calories I ate, exercising, and eating carbs. We get fat from eating too many calories. Moderation is the key to losing/maintaining weight and variety is the key to being satisfied and not binging IMHO.
  • DerbyZebra
    DerbyZebra Posts: 13
    It's still calories in, calories out. What a low carb diet does is cut out a source of calorie dense foods. Keto, Atkins, and other low carb diets still work by reducing the number of calories you take in, but they do so in a way that still works to satisfy your appetite. If you eat a couple of slabs of bacon a day, you're still gonna gain weight and increase your risk of heart disease. Diabetes runs in my family, so I've made efforts to cut out "white" carbs by buying whole wheat breads, pasta, etc. Cutting calories has had the effect of also cutting carbs and increasing my fiber intake, but I still don't see carbs as the enemy.

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