CARBS: GOOD OR BAD

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Oh no you inadvertently started a MFP battle soon the low carbers will go head to head with the moderate/high carbers. It wont be a pretty sight with the fainting from the low carbers and the sleepiness from the high carbers.

PS-There is no such thing as a good or bad macronutrient. We need all 3 fat, carbohydrates, and protein to fuel our bodies and grow. The standard recommendation is 50% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 20% protein.

Let the battle commence....

...but I enjoy carbs; the only carbs I really enjoy are potatoes, oatmeal and pasta....

Took a quick peak at your diary and doesn't seem those ^^ are the only carbs you enjoy ~ I saw blueberries, banana, yogurt, muffin, spaghetti sauce, orange juice, cucumbers, peanut butter, and such.

Seems wacky someone would advise you not to eat carbs ~ I think a NO carb diet is very hard to accomplish.

Anyway, I'd suggest deciding for yourself what type eating plan you feel would work best for you personally ~ good luck

And you asked a very good question...

Carbohydrates are sugar. They are formed from monosacarrhides (one sugars) from glucose, fructose, and galactose. Glucose for our bodies is the most important monosaccarhide because that is what creates energy in our cells. Glucose perferential way for entering the cells is with insulin. When levels of glucose are consistently high in the body they cells become insensitive to insulin setting up the metabolic syndrome which is where the "DONT EAT CARBS" comes from.

The next class we have is disacarrhides (two sugars) so for example table sugar is called sucrose while sucrose is formed from glucose and fuctose, then you have lactose which is milk sugar or glucose and galactose. You also have things like malatose which is glucose and glucose.

Next we go up to long chain carbohydrates these are the carbohydrates people are always calling healthy, but what they dont realize is its just long chains of our old friends glucose and fructose.

Starches are formed from long chains of glucose and this is sometimes those with insulin insensitivity have such a reaction. Starches are easily broken down and used for energy. Think rice and potatoes.

Next we have the more complex long chains these are your fibers. If you look at a tree standing tall it's just one big source of carbohydrates if you look at the bark it's just chains of sugar. We cannot breakdown most plant fiber so thats why it's called insoluble fiber. This is the stems in vegetables, the skins, the seeds, the leaves, the roots. This is what makes the roughage in our bowel movements.

Now we have soluble fibers this is found is our carbohydrate friends the grains think wheat, bulgur, oats, and brown rice. I describe it as that gooey stuff in okra it's great for keeping stool soft and our bodies hydrated.

So as you can see carbohydrates are pretty diverse each one plays a role in our diet some are used for energy and some are used for bulk.

Carbohydrates can fuel your body, lower your cholesterol, provide B vitamins, and help to keep the body from scavaging your muscles. Carbohydrates have to be eaten in balance of course like any other macronutrient.

Not sure if srs or trolling...

I wondered this too.

But just in case OP is serious...

It truly is not a question of whether carbs are "good" or "bad".

That's kind of like asking whether sunlight is "good" or "bad" . Sunlight is your best source of Vitamin D, something essential that you NEED, and I bet most of us kind of like sunlight. Plus, if you have too little exposure to sunlight there's evidence that it can impact your mood and can, in some cases, cause seasonal affective disorder. On the other hand, if you get too much sun you can burn. You burn often enough and you cause skin damage. And years and years of sun damage can cause bigger medical problems.

Carbs do a lot of good things for you. There's a lot of vitamins and fiber to be found in many carb-y things. Plus, we tend to like them. So, eat carbs.

On the other hand if you eat way too many carbs, way out of proportion to your other macros it has a certain hormonal impact. Over many years this can have a cumlative effect that can be detrimental.

Carbs are not 'good' or 'bad'. They just are. They don't come with little halos or devil horns.

It's only a question of how many you consume relative to how many your body can effectively use. If it's way more carbs than your body can effectively employ, then it can become detrimental. As to how many carbs are 'too many ' that's going to depend on several variables -- how many are you burning, how much excess weight are you carrying, how insulin sensitive are you, what's the GI of the specific carbs in question, is it bound with fiber, what kind of work-outs are you planning, etc. It's more of a complex equation than simplistic binary toggle between all good or all bad.

Carbs make up the majority of my Macros @ 50% and I have managed to lose a couple pounds so I am going to say Carbs are Good!!! :drinker:

If you look at all the atrocities in this world, you will find they were committed by carb-eaters. So, there you have it.

Attempting to come up with a universally applicable binary answer to whether carbs are "good" or "bad," is almost as ridiculously difficult as asking whether any particular food is "good" or "bad." The answer is almost always "it depends."

Keep in mind that carbs are found in many wholesome foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and milk. A diet without carbs means a diet devoid of certain nutrients, including vitamin C and fiber. Focus on a diet balanced with a mix of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, and that provides the micronutrients that you need.

All carbs are bad.

Except pizza, bread, rice, pasta, funyuns, kettlecorn and chow mein.

I would recommend you avoid labeling individual foods and especially entire macronutrients as being good or bad.

+1

Carbs arent good or bad they are necessary in food consumption. Carbs give you quick energy and they body uses them as a quick source. Cant cut them out entirly, just make good decisions.

Carbs arent good or bad they are necessary in food consumption. Carbs give you quick energy and they body uses them as a quick source. Cant cut them out entirly, just make good decisions.

You can, actually. Carbs are the only major macronutrient that are inessential for life. It'll be much easier to get your vitamins and minerals (that are essential) if you eat some carbs, though.

As for OP -- the low carb/high protein paradigm is troublesome for some people. The biggest questions would be, what do you call "low carb"? Some people here consider 150g to be "low", 100g, 50g...so on. I personally eat around ~20g carbs per day and feel like I'm eating vegetables all the time. Also, what do you call "high protein"?

Basically, eating low carb at the level I do introduces an alternative metabolic state called ketosis, in which my body produces and utilizes ketones for energy. To get to that point, you need to force the body from glucose metabolism, by essentially removing glucose in excess of brain and CNS requirements -- i.e. eating less things that convert to glucose. Both carbs and protein, as energy sources, break down to glucose in the body.

I know, from my experience, that eating "high protein" -- which breaks down into glucose via gluconeogenesis -- keeps me out of ketosis. The result of that is that I my body is producing too much glucose to get into ketosis (and the alternative fuel that provides), but not producing enough glucose to adequately fuel my body on a glucose-based metabolism. In short, it was the worst of both worlds. Generally, I eat around 20g net carb, 140g protein, and the rest fat -- so it works out to around 70/25/5 f/p/c most days. It's what works for me.

As with anything, pay attention to your body, how you feel, and make a decision as to how you want to proceed.

How about thinking in terms of good carbs (fruits, veggies, oatmeal, brown rice) and bad carbs (chips, sugary "diet bars", and candy)? I do feel so much better just eating good carbs - energy level, no bloat, etc.

For me carbs are good because it gives energy to our body and brain,, but i think it is bad if too much because carbs foods has sugar,, but your macros or calories is important if u want to lose or gain