Carbohydrate Addiction

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Replies

  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    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.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    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.

    I think it was a long time coming and it was inevitable because it's a real concern (not a low carb craze) but that could just be my own bias. Time will tell. I did just come across an article from 1993 (22 years ago when fat was bad and carbs were good) that proposes excessive carbs are a real concern... beyond being tasty and people would rather eat them than lose weight.

    "It is proposed that chronic hyperinsulinemia is largely responsible for hunger, cravings and weight gain observed in many obese. This form of obesity can be treated by decreasing frequency of daily intake of carbohydrates to one well-balance meal each day and allowing for additional meals that are low in fat, low carbohydrates and high fiber. Animal experimentation and epidemiological evidence support the role of chronic hyperinsulinemia as a major factor in obesity and accounts for the frequent failures of diet and behavioral modification programs. Chronic hyperinsulinemia upsets metabolic balances and favors anabolic metabolism; fosters carbohydrate cravings; promotes insulin resistance which further promotes anabolic metabolism; and insulin resistance in turn exacerbates chronic hyperinsulinemia. This vicious cycle maintains excess weight and defeats diet and behavioral modification attempts to treat obesity. An eating program focused on reduction of chronic hyperinsulinemia coupled with appropriate exercise and behavior modification can successfully and permanently bring down cravings, hunger and body weight." --Hyperinsulinemic obesity and carbohydrate addiction: the missing link is the carbohydrate frequency factor

    I think there's much more to be learned yet.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    kshama2001 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.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited July 2015
    so many people equate lack of self control with addiction...it's ludicrous. people just don't like taking personal responsibility for the most part...

    now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my cherry fix on before I get the shakes....oh yeah...that's the stuff....fecking cracked out on cherries now...feelin' good...
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    so many people equate lack of self control with addiction...it's ludicrous. people just don't like taking personal responsibility for the most part...

    now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my cherry fix on before I get the shakes....oh yeah...that's the stuff....fecking cracked out on cherries now...feelin' good...

    Also any craving, and any instance of being out of control due to alcohol or drug use.

    "I want a cookie so bad, I'm, like, ADDICTED to them"

    "The last couple of times I got drunk I slept with someone I wouldn't have otherwise. I'm an ALCOHOLIC"

    Utterly thoughtless.

  • pf1975_NW
    pf1975_NW Posts: 266 Member
    Depends on your definition of addiction - I find the more I ate carbs, the more I wanted them and the worse I felt when I didn't get them...you could say I was "addicted" or use another term - personally I think it's the cycle of behaviour that is important rather than the term you use. As others have said here, they are normal for some people and problematic for others.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    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.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    so many people equate lack of self control with addiction...it's ludicrous. people just don't like taking personal responsibility for the most part...

    now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my cherry fix on before I get the shakes....oh yeah...that's the stuff....fecking cracked out on cherries now...feelin' good...

    Also any craving, and any instance of being out of control due to alcohol or drug use.

    "I want a cookie so bad, I'm, like, ADDICTED to them"

    "The last couple of times I got drunk I slept with someone I wouldn't have otherwise. I'm an ALCOHOLIC"

    Utterly thoughtless.

    Is it here you are seeing this trivialization of addiction or elsewhere?
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    so many people equate lack of self control with addiction...it's ludicrous. people just don't like taking personal responsibility for the most part...

    now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my cherry fix on before I get the shakes....oh yeah...that's the stuff....fecking cracked out on cherries now...feelin' good...

    Also any craving, and any instance of being out of control due to alcohol or drug use.

    "I want a cookie so bad, I'm, like, ADDICTED to them"

    "The last couple of times I got drunk I slept with someone I wouldn't have otherwise. I'm an ALCOHOLIC"

    Utterly thoughtless.

    Is it here you are seeing this trivialization of addiction or elsewhere?

    Now you are clearly baiting. Wonderful if that's how you have fun, but try it with someone else. I'm not interested.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    so many people equate lack of self control with addiction...it's ludicrous. people just don't like taking personal responsibility for the most part...

    now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my cherry fix on before I get the shakes....oh yeah...that's the stuff....fecking cracked out on cherries now...feelin' good...

    Also any craving, and any instance of being out of control due to alcohol or drug use.

    "I want a cookie so bad, I'm, like, ADDICTED to them"

    "The last couple of times I got drunk I slept with someone I wouldn't have otherwise. I'm an ALCOHOLIC"

    Utterly thoughtless.

    Is it here you are seeing this trivialization of addiction or elsewhere?

    Now you are clearly baiting. Wonderful if that's how you have fun, but try it with someone else. I'm not interested.

    I'm very pleased that you appreciated my response to you so much that you copied and pasted it here. I'm flattered.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    edited July 2015
    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.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    MoiAussi93 wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    so many people equate lack of self control with addiction...it's ludicrous. people just don't like taking personal responsibility for the most part...

    now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my cherry fix on before I get the shakes....oh yeah...that's the stuff....fecking cracked out on cherries now...feelin' good...

    Also any craving, and any instance of being out of control due to alcohol or drug use.

    "I want a cookie so bad, I'm, like, ADDICTED to them"

    "The last couple of times I got drunk I slept with someone I wouldn't have otherwise. I'm an ALCOHOLIC"

    Utterly thoughtless.

    Is it here you are seeing this trivialization of addiction or elsewhere?

    Now you are clearly baiting. Wonderful if that's how you have fun, but try it with someone else. I'm not interested.

    I'm very pleased that you appreciated my response to you so much that you copied and pasted it here. I'm flattered.

    Thanks for clearing that up. It didn't make sense as she used it.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    WBB55 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
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    MoiAussi93 wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    so many people equate lack of self control with addiction...it's ludicrous. people just don't like taking personal responsibility for the most part...

    now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my cherry fix on before I get the shakes....oh yeah...that's the stuff....fecking cracked out on cherries now...feelin' good...

    Also any craving, and any instance of being out of control due to alcohol or drug use.

    "I want a cookie so bad, I'm, like, ADDICTED to them"

    "The last couple of times I got drunk I slept with someone I wouldn't have otherwise. I'm an ALCOHOLIC"

    Utterly thoughtless.

    Is it here you are seeing this trivialization of addiction or elsewhere?

    Now you are clearly baiting. Wonderful if that's how you have fun, but try it with someone else. I'm not interested.

    I'm very pleased that you appreciated my response to you so much that you copied and pasted it here. I'm flattered.

    Thanks for clearing that up. It didn't make sense as she used it.

    No problem! LOL!
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    WBB55 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.

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    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.

    Yes, some of these high glycemic load foods are problematic for me:

    Foods with a high glycemic load of 20 or more:

    High-sugar beverages
    Candy
    Sweetened fruit juices
    Couscous
    White rice
    White pasta
    French fries and baked potatoes
    Low-fiber cereals (high in added sugar)
    Macaroni and cheese
    Pizza
    Raisins and dates
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,255 Member
    edited July 2015
    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.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    whmscll wrote: »
    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.

    Essentially half and half. Usually with more calories from fat than sugar. To call that carbs--when as you acknowledge it's usually not other carbs or carbs without fat--seems to buy into the current weird obsession with carbs, which is just as silly IMO as the old obsession with fat.

    More accurately combos of fat and carbs and often fat and salt (or in some cases, like french fries, all three) are perceived by many humans as incredibly palatable and hard to stop eating.

    It's not surprising that these are common ways to make food tasty for basically ever.

    The issue now is that we've come up with ways to make them easily and cheaply, so people can get them with no effort and little cost, so tend to overeat. That in many cases they come in forms that don't have obvious breaks (eating out of a bag, or eating comfort food "family style") seems to me a much more obvious reason that so many people overeat them than this current need to define down addiction to mean a tendency to overeat certain foods and a desire to eat them.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    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.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    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.

    Haha, no he didn't mention cravings at all, poor OP :) everybody joining in the party and forgettig the host :p
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    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.

    Haha, no he didn't mention cravings at all, poor OP :) everybody joining in the party and forgettig the host :p

    Guilty.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    edited July 2015
    WBB55 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.

    Simple sugars are monosaccharides and disaccharides and complex sugars are oligosaccharides and polysacchrides. Many sources of fruit and honey are monosaccharides, and milk is a disaccharide. While cake, is a polysacchrides.


    If you would like to know a little more on sugars, you can please reference this article

    And cheese is fat and a little protein.. I don't even know why that is labeled as "sugar" because it's not.

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    edited July 2015
    whmscll 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.

    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.
    A typical chocolate chip cookie has double the RDA of fat compared to carbs and more calories from fat (at 9 per gram instead of 4) than from carbs.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    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. ;)

    Do you even steak? lol.


    In all seriousness, the majority of men I know would rather have salty foods than sweet foods. I have frequently foregone desert for more steak, wings, lamb, veal, etc.. In fact, if it's not a Klondike, I barely have desert.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    kshama2001 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.

    Yes, some of these high glycemic load foods are problematic for me:

    Foods with a high glycemic load of 20 or more:

    High-sugar beverages
    Candy
    Sweetened fruit juices
    Couscous
    White rice
    White pasta
    French fries and baked potatoes
    Low-fiber cereals (high in added sugar)
    Macaroni and cheese
    Pizza
    Raisins and dates

    But what about figs?
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,255 Member
    whmscll 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.

    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.
    A typical chocolate chip cookie has double the RDA of fat compared to carbs and more calories from fat (at 9 per gram instead of 4) than from carbs.

    Call them whatever you want. It doesn't matter. Semantics. I call them carbs. The point is, they tend to make you want more and more. Because they are manufactured to, but that's another thread derailment that I won't get into.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    edited July 2015
    whmscll wrote: »
    whmscll 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.

    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.
    A typical chocolate chip cookie has double the RDA of fat compared to carbs and more calories from fat (at 9 per gram instead of 4) than from carbs.

    Call them whatever you want. It doesn't matter. Semantics. I call them carbs. The point is, they tend to make you want more and more. Because they are manufactured to, but that's another thread derailment that I won't get into.

    They don't do the same thing for everyone. If anything, you have probably associated them with comfort and reward. For me, those would be burgers, steaks, boneless wings and Klondikes

  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    whmscll wrote: »
    whmscll 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.

    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.
    A typical chocolate chip cookie has double the RDA of fat compared to carbs and more calories from fat (at 9 per gram instead of 4) than from carbs.

    Call them whatever you want. It doesn't matter. Semantics. I call them carbs. The point is, they tend to make you want more and more. Because they are manufactured to, but that's another thread derailment that I won't get into.

    A cookie is manufactured to make you want more? I don't manufacture cookies, I bake them. They're pretty good, but it's up to the people eating them how many they eat. There's no devious design in the recipe.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    MoiAussi93 wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    so many people equate lack of self control with addiction...it's ludicrous. people just don't like taking personal responsibility for the most part...

    now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my cherry fix on before I get the shakes....oh yeah...that's the stuff....fecking cracked out on cherries now...feelin' good...

    Also any craving, and any instance of being out of control due to alcohol or drug use.

    "I want a cookie so bad, I'm, like, ADDICTED to them"

    "The last couple of times I got drunk I slept with someone I wouldn't have otherwise. I'm an ALCOHOLIC"

    Utterly thoughtless.

    Is it here you are seeing this trivialization of addiction or elsewhere?

    Now you are clearly baiting. Wonderful if that's how you have fun, but try it with someone else. I'm not interested.

    I'm very pleased that you appreciated my response to you so much that you copied and pasted it here. I'm flattered.

    A nothing response to a sincere question, very cleverly worded as well. I'll re-use it often!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I feel much, much better on a high-carb diet. I like some eggs or cottage cheese, but could live the rest of my life without meat and be happy. Most of protein comes from non-meat sources and some of them are high-carb.

    If the carbs work for you, eat them up. If low-carb is for you, go for it.
This discussion has been closed.