bread/pasta carbs and fruit/veggie carbs??
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Lochlyn_D
Posts: 492 Member
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?
Should I be limiting those carbs as well or just the heavy carbs like breads and pastas and potatoes?
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Replies
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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.0
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how are they processed differently?0
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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.0
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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.0 -
They aren't processed any differently. All carbs are broken down into glucose by various enzymes, regardless of the type.how are they processed differently?
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.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.0 -
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:0 -
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.0 -
Exactly what makes simple carbs bad? I'll wait.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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.
^^ This0 -
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.0 -
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:0
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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.0
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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.
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.0 -
http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-science-of-nutrition-is-a-carb-a-carb.html
This is an interesting read.0 -
Try reading the book "Protein Power", by the Eades. Very good book to explain carbs. Also any Adkins book.0
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