bread/pasta carbs and fruit/veggie carbs??

So I notice that when I watch my carbs, I tend to lose weight. I noticed though that fruit and veggies, especially carrots, have a lot of carbs.

Should I be limiting those carbs as well or just the heavy carbs like breads and pastas and potatoes?
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Replies

  • Dont worry about the fruit or the veggies, they are processed in your body a diffrent way than sucrose. Worry about the carbs in bread and other junk foods.
  • Lochlyn_D
    Lochlyn_D Posts: 492 Member
    how are they processed differently?
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,253 Member
    Fruits and veggies have fiber which helps to offset the effects of the sugar. Although I am diabetic, I don't pay too much attention to the sugars in fruit and vegetables. I DO avoid juices though...they are just about all sugar with no fiber.
  • itsfruitcake
    itsfruitcake Posts: 146 Member
    I'm by no means an expert on this, but basically the main difference is that most processed food (e.g. white bread, pasta, etc) contains simple carbs which are basically sugar, and fruit/veg (and whole grain products) contain carbs which are fibre. See the overview here:
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nutrition/ss/nutritionlabels_5.htm

    On food labels you can sometimes see the details
    Carbohydrates: x grams
    of which Sugars: y grams
    of which Fibre: z grams

    In short - and probably overly simplified and completely unscientific - sugar = bad (although it's useful when you exercise a lot and need an energy boost, e.g. loads of exercise snack bars are basically pure glucose), fibre = good (makes you feel full, helps your digestion).

    Having said that, some fruit contain a lot of (naturally occurring) sugar (e.g. pineapple) and you probably shouldn't 'overdose' on them either. And as you've noticed, carrots have quite a bit of sugar as well. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't eat them, just try and alternate with different types of fruit and veg to get a nice balance.

    So, yeah, go and get your "5 a day" - and more - and don't worry too much about the carbs in them.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    how are they processed differently?
    They aren't processed any differently. All carbs are broken down into glucose by various enzymes, regardless of the type.

    You lose weight when you drop carbs because stored glucose (as glycogen) requires a significant amount of water. Cut carbs, less stored glucose, quick water weight loss. This is why cutting carbs for a couple weeks results in quick weight loss, and why the weight comes back after carbs back in. It's water weight manipulation. Fat loss won't be any different, regardless of carb level.

    This is assuming you don't have insulin resistance or diabetes, of course.
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
    there's 3 type of carbs : Simple,Complex and Fiber (part of complex but mostly separated to understand it better).

    Simple is the bad one... honey, sugar, molasses or corn syrup..Some very very high level sugar fruits can be part of it too.

    Complex is the so so one... corn, bread, cereal, pasta and rice...

    Fiber is the best one ... our body can't completely digest fiber, so it can't be broken down into sugars... ex: Whole grains and many low sugar fruits and vegetables.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I'm by no means an expert on this, but basically the main difference is that most processed food (e.g. white bread, pasta, etc) contains simple carbs which are basically sugar, and fruit/veg (and whole grain products) contain carbs which are fibre. See the overview here:
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nutrition/ss/nutritionlabels_5.htm

    On food labels you can sometimes see the details
    Carbohydrates: x grams
    of which Sugars: y grams
    of which Fibre: z grams

    In short - and probably overly simplified and completely unscientific - sugar = bad (although it's useful when you exercise a lot and need an energy boost, e.g. loads of exercise snack bars are basically pure glucose), fibre = good (makes you feel full, helps your digestion).

    Having said that, some fruit contain a lot of (naturally occurring) sugar (e.g. pineapple) and you probably shouldn't 'overdose' on them either. And as you've noticed, carrots have quite a bit of sugar as well. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't eat them, just try and alternate with different types of fruit and veg to get a nice balance.

    So, yeah, go and get your "5 a day" - and more - and don't worry too much about the carbs in them.
    Very unscientific and very much wrong. Sugar is not at all bad. The human body relies on sugar for every single thing it does. Your brain alone requires 125 grams of sugar a day. That said, your body will basically convert everything you eat into sugar (glucose) to support its needs.
  • Psychetruth is a youtube channel with lots of great info for questions like this!

    I see some people have said the things contained in the video, but you may still find it helpful:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zyqyXTQhiw

    Cheers!:drinker:
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    Fat loss is calories in vs calories out. The reason you notice a decrease in weight when you go low carb is either because a) avoiding or restricting a macronutrient food group inherently lowers your calories. You are consuming less, therefore losing weight. b) carbs increase glycogen stores. the weight you notice you lost is most likely water weight from depleted stores, not actual fat loss.
    c) a combination of the two.

    Unless you have a medical reason to restrict food choices, there is no need to avoid bread carbs or "heavy" carbs as you put it. Carbs are processed the same by your body. Caloric deficit reigns supreme when it comes to fat loss. Restricting or avoiding food groups provides no added benefit in promoting weight loss, again, assuming you aren't diabetic or have a valid medical reason to restrict certain foods.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    there's 3 type of carbs : Simple,Complex and Fiber (part of complex but mostly separated to understand it better).

    Simple is the bad one... honey, sugar, molasses or corn syrup..Some very very high level sugar fruits can be part of it too.

    Complex is the so so one... corn, bread, cereal, pasta and rice...

    Fiber is the best one ... our body can't completely digest fiber, so it can't be broken down into sugars... ex: Whole grains and many low sugar fruits and vegetables.
    Exactly what makes simple carbs bad? I'll wait.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    there's 3 type of carbs : Simple,Complex and Fiber (part of complex but mostly separated to understand it better).

    Simple is the bad one... honey, sugar, molasses or corn syrup..Some very very high level sugar fruits can be part of it too.

    Complex is the so so one... corn, bread, cereal, pasta and rice...

    Fiber is the best one ... our body can't completely digest fiber, so it can't be broken down into sugars... ex: Whole grains and many low sugar fruits and vegetables.

    Wrong and scary on so many levels. Our bodies need and require sugar. One word... gluconeogenisis. Bottom line is, unless there is a medical reason to restrict certain foods, carbs from one source vs another is irrelevant in fat loss.
  • itsfruitcake
    itsfruitcake Posts: 146 Member

    Very unscientific and very much wrong. Sugar is not at all bad. The human body relies on sugar for every single thing it does. Your brain alone requires 125 grams of sugar a day. That said, your body will basically convert everything you eat into sugar (glucose) to support its needs.

    Okay thanks for the correction. I suppose it should be more like "too much simple sugar from processed food = bad"? I guess it's pretty clear to me/us that our bodies need carbs/sugar (just as they need fat) to run, but "the right kind" which can end up being a bit confusing when trying to explain it.
  • TheRealJigsaw
    TheRealJigsaw Posts: 295 Member
    Fat loss is calories in vs calories out. The reason you notice a decrease in weight when you go low carb is either because a) avoiding or restricting a macronutrient food group inherently lowers your calories. You are consuming less, therefore losing weight. b) carbs increase glycogen stores. the weight you notice you lost is most likely water weight from depleted stores, not actual fat loss.
    c) a combination of the two.

    Unless you have a medical reason to restrict food choices, there is no need to avoid bread carbs or "heavy" carbs as you put it. Carbs are processed the same by your body. Caloric deficit reigns supreme when it comes to fat loss. Restricting or avoiding food groups provides no added benefit in promoting weight loss, again, assuming you aren't diabetic or have a valid medical reason to restrict certain foods.

    ^^ This
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    there's 3 type of carbs : Simple,Complex and Fiber (part of complex but mostly separated to understand it better).

    Simple is the bad one... honey, sugar, molasses or corn syrup..Some very very high level sugar fruits can be part of it too.

    Complex is the so so one... corn, bread, cereal, pasta and rice...

    Fiber is the best one ... our body can't completely digest fiber, so it can't be broken down into sugars... ex: Whole grains and many low sugar fruits and vegetables.

    Wrong and scary on so many levels. Our bodies need and require sugar. One word... gluconeogenisis. Bottom line is, unless there is a medical reason to restrict certain foods, carbs from one source vs another is irrelevant in fat loss.

    He did not say to cut out or avoid sugars altogether so I see no problem with that breakdown.

    Why are simple sugars bad? Why is fiber the best? If fiber is the best, then I should only have the best, and ignore the known issues of ingesting too much fiber, correct?

    The issue is labeling sources of carbs, by implying that the level/amount/availability of sugar dictates which is good or bad.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Ok enlighten me on why Simple carbs are the devil..... Why is Honey bad for you?? Why is pure cane sugar bad for you? Why is high level sugar fruits bad for you??? I'll sit over here and wait......... :smokin:
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Simple carbs (sugars) are not bad for you. Normally it is suggested to consume complex carbs (starches) because they are normally accompanied by micronutrients and enzymes that can be beneficial. But both are broken down into glucose in your body and used as energy. The excess glucose is stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,205 Member

    Very unscientific and very much wrong. Sugar is not at all bad. The human body relies on sugar for every single thing it does. Your brain alone requires 125 grams of sugar a day. That said, your body will basically convert everything you eat into sugar (glucose) to support its needs.

    Okay thanks for the correction. I suppose it should be more like "too much simple sugar from processed food = bad"? I guess it's pretty clear to me/us that our bodies need carbs/sugar (just as they need fat) to run, but "the right kind" which can end up being a bit confusing when trying to explain it.
    You meantion that bread and pasta were simple carbs and it seems you believe that simple carbs are the ones to watch and avoid. Bread and pasta are complex carbs and fruit have simple carbs.....go from there.
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  • daubbermom
    daubbermom Posts: 8 Member
    Try reading the book "Protein Power", by the Eades. Very good book to explain carbs. Also any Adkins book.
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    There is this magical thing called google. It holds the key to a lot of information, if used properly you could do your own research and probably get to an answer faster than relying on the forums.

    At least that has been my experience.
  • daubbermom
    daubbermom Posts: 8 Member
    Because some of us have a high sensitivity to simple carbs. it reacts in my body like Alcohol to an alcoholic. Ever since I got off simple carbs and kept my daily carbs under 50 I no longer have out of control cravings. I have lost 105 lbs and feel sooooo much better. off all my heart, BP, and diabetes meds. My cholesterol is excellent including my HDL and LDL and triglycerides.:heart: Works for me!
  • this is also a good read

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/topics/glycemic-index

    relates carbs to glucose levels in the blood and why complex carbs can be seen as "better" (even though there are many exceptions!)
  • HeyGoRun
    HeyGoRun Posts: 550 Member
    how are they processed differently?
    They have fiber you will poop them out, heavy carbs take time and can bloat you.
  • blackgold86
    blackgold86 Posts: 171 Member
    Sucrose, fructose and glucose are not processed the same way in the body.
    As posted above, some online research will help you out :)

    http://www.medbio.info/horn/PDF files/carbohydrate_metabolism.pdf
    Page 8 of this is quite good.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    this is also a good read

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/topics/glycemic-index

    relates carbs to glucose levels in the blood and why complex carbs can be seen as "better" (even though there are many exceptions!)

    Glycemic index and glycemic load give us "clues" as to behavior of certain foods in our bodies. Carbohydrate only meals, fed in a fasted state are not real world applications. The introduction of different fats and proteins with a meal, before a meal, after a meal have so many possible outcomes they can't possibly be studied effectively. Some foods, paired with protein, create an even larger insulin spike than either food separately (Gannon MC, et al Metabolic response to cottage cheese or egg white protein, with orwwithout glucose). Other studies show no benefit in lowering gi or gl (Raatz SK, et al Reduced glycemic index...)

    I could go on and on. The fact is, unless you are diabetic or have a food allergy, glycemic index and glycemic load have nothing to do with weight loss. Tracking and staying within your caloric, macro and micro goals is what matters for weight management, body composition and overall health.
  • mmipanda
    mmipanda Posts: 351 Member
    Fat loss is calories in vs calories out. The reason you notice a decrease in weight when you go low carb is either because a) avoiding or restricting a macronutrient food group inherently lowers your calories. You are consuming less, therefore losing weight. b) carbs increase glycogen stores. the weight you notice you lost is most likely water weight from depleted stores, not actual fat loss.
    c) a combination of the two.

    if that's true then ketosis wouldn't exist.

    Low/No-carbers are aware that the initial fast loss is water weight. But how do you explain them continuing to lose weight after they've shed the easy part? Oh right, the way you guys explain everything - it must solely be calories in/calories out. Except that isn't what ketosis is, at all.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Fat loss is calories in vs calories out. The reason you notice a decrease in weight when you go low carb is either because a) avoiding or restricting a macronutrient food group inherently lowers your calories. You are consuming less, therefore losing weight. b) carbs increase glycogen stores. the weight you notice you lost is most likely water weight from depleted stores, not actual fat loss.
    c) a combination of the two.

    if that's true then ketosis wouldn't exist.

    Low/No-carbers are aware that the initial fast loss is water weight. But how do you explain them continuing to lose weight after they've shed the easy part? Oh right, the way you guys explain everything - it must solely be calories in/calories out. Except that isn't what ketosis is, at all.

    Ketosis relies on a calorie deficit for weight loss.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Fat loss is calories in vs calories out. The reason you notice a decrease in weight when you go low carb is either because a) avoiding or restricting a macronutrient food group inherently lowers your calories. You are consuming less, therefore losing weight. b) carbs increase glycogen stores. the weight you notice you lost is most likely water weight from depleted stores, not actual fat loss.
    c) a combination of the two.

    if that's true then ketosis wouldn't exist.

    Low/No-carbers are aware that the initial fast loss is water weight. But how do you explain them continuing to lose weight after they've shed the easy part? Oh right, the way you guys explain everything - it must solely be calories in/calories out. Except that isn't what ketosis is, at all.

    Ketosis relies on a calorie deficit for weight loss.

    QFT