Carbohydrate Addiction

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. 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.

Thank you! I agree 100%. That and take a magnesium and potassium supplement up your fats and protein and it will go away.

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

AlabasterVerve wrote: »

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

nvsmomketo wrote: »

cld111 wrote: »

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. Sometimes I crave cheese, but more often it's bread, cakes, crackers or cookies.

I don't understand why these things always get thrown into the carbs category when they are mostly fat?

For instance, a chocolate chip cookie is about 3% of the RDA of carbs and 6% of the RDA of fat. Cake is 17% carbs and 25% fat.

It just drives me a little batty because then whole food carbs like potatoes and rice get thrown in with these other types of carbs (fats) and people avoid them even though they are good for you.

So fat is the problem for you. Not me. People differ.

That's not what she's saying at all. She's saying that the foods people often cite being "addicted" to are full of fat, too - so why are we assuming that carbs are the issue?

If you crave carbs, wouldn't you crave all carbs? Like potatoes, vegetables, dried fruits? It seems there's a clearer correlation between "cravings" and fat vs "cravings" and carbs. IMO, anyway. And perhaps when people go low carb, they generally up their fat, and their "cravings" are reduced because their fat intake is up.

It's an interesting point but there is some indication that sugar is unique in it's ability to induce cravings -- the milkshake study from a year or two comes to mind. That, and I just tend to believe people when they say carbs and sugar are the issue. I imagine that by the time they get to MFP seeking help they've been dealing with their issue long enough to know.

And I think they are latching onto the current craze.

I mean, if you google "how to lose weight" the very first thing listed is "eat low carb". Carbs and sugar are the current "bad" food, like fat was in the 80's.

I think humans are, more often than not, looking for things to blame when we make bad choices. It's much easier to say "I'm addicted to carbs" than "I didn't control myself very well". One places blame on something external, the other internal.

Again, all of this is my opinion.

Yes, one of the reasons the 12 step model never worked for me because I could never get past the need to admit I was powerless, because I was not and am not powerless. I chose to do [insert addictive thing here], and I chose to stop doing it.

Maybe this is why we're always arguing over whether sugar is addictive - perhaps some people define addictive as something you are powerless over and don't see how one can be powerless over sugar. I agree - we're not powerless over sugar...or booze, or whatever.

(I have spent quite a bit of time in 12 step meetings with friends, and am not recommending against it for anyone who finds it helpful.)

Do you believe addiction exists?

As defined here, yes:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/addiction

What Is Addiction?

Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance (e.g., alcohol, cocaine, nicotine) or engages in an activity (e.g., gambling, sex, shopping) that can be pleasurable but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health. Users may not be aware that their behavior is out of control and causing problems for themselves and others.

The word addiction is used in several different ways. One definition describes physical addiction. This is a biological state in which the body adapts to the presence of a drug so that drug no longer has the same effect, otherwise known as a tolerance. Because of tolerance, the biological reaction of withdrawal occurs the drug is discontinued. Another form of physical addiction is the phenomenon of overreaction by the brain to drugs (or to cues associated with the drugs). An alcoholic walking into a bar, for instance, will feel an extra pull to have a drink because of these cues.

However, most addictive behavior is not related to either physical tolerance or exposure to cues. People compulsively use drugs, gamble, or shop nearly always in reaction to being emotionally stressed, whether or not they have a physical addiction. Since these psychologically based addictions are not based on drug or brain effects, they can account for why people frequently switch addictive actions from one drug to a completely different kind of drug, or even to a non-drug behavior. The focus of the addiction isn't what matters; it's the need to take action under certain kinds of stress. Treating this kind of addiction requires an understanding of how it works psychologically.

castlerobber wrote: »

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

If you crave carbs, wouldn't you crave all carbs? Like potatoes, vegetables, dried fruits?

Not necessarily. If I crave carbs, I want the fast-acting stuff (simple carbs). Potatoes and vegetables would be slower to digest than, say, a slice of plain, soft white bread, or a couple of cookies, or a bag of Skittles. The combination of sugar (or quickly-digested white-flour products) and fat seems to be uniquely enticing.

Apples and diary are simple carbs.

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

castlerobber wrote: »

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

If you crave carbs, wouldn't you crave all carbs? Like potatoes, vegetables, dried fruits?

Not necessarily. If I crave carbs, I want the fast-acting stuff (simple carbs). Potatoes and vegetables would be slower to digest than, say, a slice of plain, soft white bread, or a couple of cookies, or a bag of Skittles. The combination of sugar (or quickly-digested white-flour products) and fat seems to be uniquely enticing.

Apples and diary are simple carbs.

I don't know that I'd say that. Simple carbs will "melt" on your tongue due to amylase in your saliva. A piece of apple does not melt on the tongue the way sugar does or refined flour. A piece of cheese does not melt on your tongue. I'm not claiming to be an expert, it was just my understanding that "ingestible in the mouth without chewing" was the usual definition of simple carbs.

Edit to add: thinking more, I'm not sure highly refined white flour is a simple carb. I think its molecule chain is still a bit too complex to be ingested completely in the mouth. Please see comment below.

WBB55 wrote: »

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

castlerobber wrote: »

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

If you crave carbs, wouldn't you crave all carbs? Like potatoes, vegetables, dried fruits?

Not necessarily. If I crave carbs, I want the fast-acting stuff (simple carbs). Potatoes and vegetables would be slower to digest than, say, a slice of plain, soft white bread, or a couple of cookies, or a bag of Skittles. The combination of sugar (or quickly-digested white-flour products) and fat seems to be uniquely enticing.

Apples and diary are simple carbs.

I don't know that I'd say that. Simple carbs will "melt" on your tongue due to amylase in your saliva. A piece of apple does not melt on the tongue the way sugar does or refined flour. A piece of cheese does not melt on your tongue. I'm not claiming to be an expert, it was just my understanding that "ingestible in the mouth without chewing" was the usual definition of simple carbs.

It's determined by how many sugars the food has (1 or 2, simple - 3+ complex).

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002469.htm

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

WBB55 wrote: »

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

castlerobber wrote: »

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

If you crave carbs, wouldn't you crave all carbs? Like potatoes, vegetables, dried fruits?

Not necessarily. If I crave carbs, I want the fast-acting stuff (simple carbs). Potatoes and vegetables would be slower to digest than, say, a slice of plain, soft white bread, or a couple of cookies, or a bag of Skittles. The combination of sugar (or quickly-digested white-flour products) and fat seems to be uniquely enticing.

Apples and diary are simple carbs.

I don't know that I'd say that. Simple carbs will "melt" on your tongue due to amylase in your saliva. A piece of apple does not melt on the tongue the way sugar does or refined flour. A piece of cheese does not melt on your tongue. I'm not claiming to be an expert, it was just my understanding that "ingestible in the mouth without chewing" was the usual definition of simple carbs.

It's determined by how many sugars the food has (1 or 2, simple - 3+ complex).

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002469.htm

Ah.

cld111 wrote: »

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. Sometimes I crave cheese, but more often it's bread, cakes, crackers or cookies.

I don't understand why these things always get thrown into the carbs category when they are mostly fat?

For instance, a chocolate chip cookie is about 3% of the RDA of carbs and 6% of the RDA of fat. Cake is 17% carbs and 25% fat.

It just drives me a little batty because then whole food carbs like potatoes and rice get thrown in with these other types of carbs (fats) and people avoid them even though they are good for you.

Because they're not mostly fat. I don't know what kind of chocolate cake you eat, but the stuff I eat is 57% carbs and 39% fat. Chocolate chip cookie: 53% carbs and 43% fat. Yes, a lot of fat, but not "mostly" fat. I don't think anyone in this thread is talking about craving carbs like potatoes, rice, beans, fruits or vegetables. They're talking about carbs that are also high in fat. But still carbs.

Oh, I should remind everyone that OP's post didn't have anything to do with cravings or having trouble not eating carbs (or fat). He had cut carbs (and presumably calories) some unidentified amount and wanted to know if his resulting low energy was the sign of a "carb addiction."

Almost no one is talking about anything like that, not since the first page of this thread.