Carbohydrate Addiction

No it is not real.

And unless you have a medical condition, there is no need to restrict carbs.

It's not real. Unless you end up trying to trade your kids for sacks of rice, in which case yes you might have a problem.

sgilman95 wrote: »

Is Carbohydrate Addiction real? During my first few days of dieting, I've been eating more protein, less sugar and less carbs. I feel fires and lethargic. Is this normal? Is my body craving more carbs? Is these an adjustment period?

Addiction, no.

But there are a few things that could be going on. If you dropped carbs dramatically, such that you are in ketosis, there's usually an unpleasant adjustment period, often called keto flu. That's just your body shifting to using ketones as the primary energy source.

Another possibility is that a lot of people get in the habit of using carbs as a pick me up if they are sleeping too little. I was in the habit of doing this before starting, which led to quick energy->crash, quick energy->crash. I actually felt a lot more consistently energetic after I stopped doing that, but I wasn't really pushing myself and was drinking plenty of caffeine. If you were doing this and have stopped, just try to get more sleep.

Another thing is timing--you might want to experiment with when you have your carbs. Now that I am quite active I do feel better if I get a decent amount of carbs, especially before a workout. I tend to prefer to eat them WITH other foods like protein and fat, although now that I've lost the weight and am more active it seems to matter less.

Aside from all this, it could just be an adjustment to fewer calories.

What are your current calories and macros?

(I dropped down to under 100 g carbs when I started and felt great, no low carb flu, but people are different. I now do 40-30-30 (40% carbs), but would not call that lowered carbs at all--to me it's just what I like to eat.)

Medically speaking, no. Carb addiction has not be verified as real.

That being said, carbs affect people in ways that fats and proteins don't, and can be linked to cravings and over eating in some people. No kid ever cries for another steak or an extra pat of butter on their veggies. They do cry over lollipops and pop. Carbs, high sugar carbs especially, are different.

Carbs DO do something to some people. Those with insulin resitsance (T2 diabetes) may well feel greater hunger due to their different hormone levels. I think they may be affected the most by carbs.

IMO, carbs are not technically an addiction (for some people) but it appears to not be benign for everyone either.

I have a difficult time moderating carbs. I am also prediabetic and have other health issues, so I chose to go very low carb. For me there was a period of around 10 days or so of adjustment (keto flu as lemurcat said). Once I got through that my distracting carb cravings were virtually gone, and I know I didn't just break a habit as it takes longer for that.

Talking about carbs as an addiction is stirring the hornets' nest around here... Good luck.

It is true for some people, not you maybe. Definitely true for me. When I have a craving it is never for something high protein, it is ALWAYS for carbs. Sometimes I crave cheese, but more often it's bread, cakes, crackers or cookies. I am not pre-diabetic, have no health issues, yet I crave carbs like nothing else. I have had to really make an effort to get more protein and fewer carbs. I also have to almost force myself to eat fat, a holdover from those "fat is the devil" days of the '90s.

OP, I have found that eating more protein has helped my carb craving quite a bit. I've raised my daily protein goal to 90 grams a day (30% of my macros) and I noticed a drop in my carb cravings immediately. After a while I may adjust my macros further to be even higher protein and fewer carbs, haven't decided yet. I'm currently 40% carbs, 30% fats and protein, and this seems to be working well.

lemurcat12 wrote: »

nvsmomketo wrote: »

That being said, carbs affect people in ways that fats and proteins don't, and can be linked to cravings and over eating in some people. No kid ever cries for another steak or an extra pat of butter on their veggies. They do cry over lollipops and pop. Carbs, high sugar carbs especially, are different.

This is simply not true. I've always had a much harder time modifying fat than sugar. I crave really good cheese. I am basically uninterested in sugary items that don't come with fat too. As I mentioned in another recent thread, the last food I really craved was some lamb (when I had given up meat during Lent).

I think ALL foods can be linked to overeating, depending on the person and their preferences. One reason I decided that paleo was pointless is that the foods I was cutting out (grains, beans, and dairy) were in many cases foods I thought were actively healthy and helped me meet nutrition goals (especially beans and dairy) or which I'd never overeat anyway (like bread, which I can generally take or leave).

I think your lamb craving is probably unusual. You were in the mood for lamb. I doubt it felt like a physical need. Correct me if I'm wrong.

With carbs (for ME) it felt like a physical need. Yes it can be ignored but it takes way more effort than my craving for cheese. Anyone can choose to ignoe a craving, even an alcoholic who craves alcohol. I do not think carb cravings are on the same level as an alcoholic's cravings for alcohol, but my point is that there are different levels of cravings for different people. Some people find carbs to physically affect their cravings (not just mentally) just like some poeple find alcohol causes cravings.

When you craved your lamb were your hands shaking? Did the craving come with a headache and dropping blood pressure? Was it distracting until you had lamb? This is what happened to me when I ate carbs.

Yes, all foods can be linked to overeating but which ones usually are? I'm sure there is some fat person out there who ate too much celery, or ate too much tuna. I bet there are more fat people who ate too many carbs... I'm am happy that you are not one of them.

I think your view of other people's diets can be egocentric. When I type something about how foods affect SOME people, it doesn't mean all, and it doesn't necessarily mean you.

janejellyroll wrote: »

nvsmomketo wrote: »

Medically speaking, no. Carb addiction has not be verified as real.

That being said, carbs affect people in ways that fats and proteins don't, and can be linked to cravings and over eating in some people. No kid ever cries for another steak or an extra pat of butter on their veggies. They do cry over lollipops and pop. Carbs, high sugar carbs especially, are different.

Carbs DO do something to some people. Those with insulin resitsance (T2 diabetes) may well feel greater hunger due to their different hormone levels. I think they may be affected the most by carbs.

IMO, carbs are not technically an addiction (for some people) but it appears to not be benign for everyone either.

I have a difficult time moderating carbs. I am also prediabetic and have other health issues, so I chose to go very low carb. For me there was a period of around 10 days or so of adjustment (keto flu as lemurcat said). Once I got through that my distracting carb cravings were virtually gone, and I know I didn't just break a habit as it takes longer for that.

Talking about carbs as an addiction is stirring the hornets' nest around here... Good luck.

I don't think that's universally true -- I had a sister who couldn't keep her hands out of the butter dish and would cry when my parents restricted her access to it. I had another sister who wanted to eat mayo and would throw tantrums for it (they both eat pretty normally now, at least as far as I can tell). Some people do crave fat.

You're right. It's not universally true, but for many it is.

whmscll wrote: »

It is true for some people, not you maybe. Definitely true for me. When I have a craving it is never for something high protein, it is ALWAYS for carbs.

That's exactly my point. The poster to whom I was responding didn't say people varied. She said it happened in general ONLY with carbs and not with fat and protein.

Similarly, low carb advocates like to claim that carbs aren't filling or increase hunger and fats are very filling. I think that's true for some, which is why low carb can be a good strategy FOR SOME. But I find many carbs perfectly filling and fats not filling at all, usually (although I find my overall diet more satisfying with plenty of fat because it tastes good).

I am trying to get people to stop making universal statements when the truth is that people vary as to what macro breakdowns work for us.