What are good carbs?
snowey7
Posts: 6 Member
This probably sounds like a silly question, but when going low carb, what carbs are good? Sweet potatoes, bananas, and butternut squash have carbs but are also loaded with nutrients. Am I simply avoiding carbs like white bread and cereal? Can you help clarify? Thanks in advance.
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Replies
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Is it carbs that do their homework?
I assume when people talk about good and bad foods they have been drinking kool-aid TBH but what they generally mean is carbs from whole vegetables and fruits (where they are wrapped up with fibre and vitamins and minerals like squash, carrots, corn on the cob, bananas, potatoes etc, from wholegrains, from chestnuts, nuts
Rather than from processed or sugar sweetened drinks
Really it's about hitting your macros and satiety though3 -
I focus my carb intake on vegetables and fruit as well as the dairy I consume. I do limit my bread consumption because I can find more nutrient dense alternatives and I need to keep my protein high. That said, I do eat bread, white rice, and some ice cream and other sweets on occasion, so I'm almost certain that some "carbs are bad" folks would argue I'm gonna die . . .1
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Sorry: I missed the low carb part of the OP
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Having had a look around here, I'd recommend doing your nutrition research @ a library.2
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The whole idea is hopeless, and you just pointed out why. Instead of "going low carb", focus on getting in adequate nutrition in a form you like - this will be the best food you can eat without overeating. If reducing carb intake helps you with that, by all means, reduce carbs. If not, you are setting yourself up for failure with unnecessary, arbitrary food rules.2
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For me, good carbs are carbs that a) fit into my macro and calorie goals b)taste good c) leave me feeling satiated and not hungry later d) have some form of fiber wrapped up in there with everything else.
I'm not currently doing a low carb diet, but when I was, I was able to find plenty of veg that I enjoyed that fit the bill but I was also counting net carbs rather than total carbs.1 -
I would think that if a person chose to limit any macro, the thing to do would be pick nutrient rich versions of the amounts they can eat. Or just take vitamin supplements. Or both.
There are a couple of low carb groups, and you would probably get more solid input there, as many in the group have these questions to deal with on a regular basis. The trend on the main forums seems to be that a great number will just question or argue why you made the choice.1 -
i've been very LCHF for over a year. I tend towards green leafy and low GI veggies so I can get more nutritional bang for my (carb) buck. Spinach, green beans, bok choy,celery, broccoli, cucumbers, snap peas, peppers, etc. are my go to choices. I'll include some mushrooms, onions, carrots and other starchy root veggies too, but I limit the amount.
As a treat I will have some low GI fruits - usually berries. I'll rarely have a bit of higher GI fruit or veggie, like potato, but I restrict the amount to much less than what the typical person would eat.
I skip all grains. I consider them to be nutritional fluff. they taste good, but if I am limiting carbs, the amount I could eat while remaining low carb is minimal, and would provide very little nutritional benefit. They aren't worth it. Besides, who wants to stop at 1/4 of a chocolate muffin or a third of a slice of bread? I would MUCH rather have a salad or a side of green beans.
That being said, some people are happier with a slice of bread over a couple of servings of veggies. That's just not my thing.
The Low Carber Daily would be a helpful MFP group to join.2 -
People who talk about "good carbs" or "good fats" are talking about those which are typically underrepresented in the diet (like Omega-3 fats), not associated with bad health outcomes when eaten in the amounts commonly eaten in the US average diet (super processed carbs vs. ones with more fiber, sat fat vs unsat), or, especially, which come with more nutrients.
When doing low carb none of that really matters, as the point is to keep carbs below a certain number. I suppose a "good carb" would be a food that is primarily carbs but still doesn't have that many (because low calorie). So the idea of getting carbs from non starchy veg. Low carb isn't about cutting out low nutrient carbs, but cutting way down on carbs, even carbs from high nutrient sources.
This is one reason I'm not interested in it, but some find it an easy and satisfying way to cut calories or have appetite issues it helps with. All that is great when they don't pretend it's inherently more healthful!0 -
Complex carbs are better for you overall than simple carbs.
Common Complex Carbohydrates
Dairy
Low fat yogurt
Skim milk
Nuts, Seeds and Legumes
Lentils
Kidney beans
Chick peas
Split peas
Soy beans
Pinto beans
Soymilk
Whole Grain Breads and Pastas
Breads and pastas made with the whole grains listed below provide more fiber resulting in feeling full sooner, and longer.
Whole Grains
Buckwheat
Brown rice
Corn
Wheat
Barley
Oats
Sorghum
Quinoa
Fruits and Vegetables
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Onions
Okra
Dill pickles
Carrots
Yams
Strawberries
Peas
Radishes
Beans
Broccoli
Spinach
Green beans
Zucchini
Apples
Pears
Cucumbers
Asparagus
Grapefruit
Prunes
Simple carbohydrates to limit in your diet include:
Soda
Candy
Artificial syrups
Sugar
White rice, white bread, and white pasta
Potatoes (which are technically a complex carb, but act more like simple carbs in the body)
Pastries and desserts0 -
Complex carbs are better for you overall than simple carbs.
No, and your categorization is way off.
Simple carbs are sugars (this has to do with the molecular structure) and include fruits and veg.
Complex carbs are starches and include all grains and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Pastries and desserts have both simple and complex carbs and get about half their calories from fat. Calling them "carbs" makes no sense when they are as much "fats."
I don't believe in claiming that foods are "bad" or "good" on their own anyway, but claiming that potatoes are "bad" (and same with pasta and rice) is weird -- they are staples in perfectly healthful diets, and potatoes are for many people quite satiating and contribute micronutrients. Demonizing them makes no sense.2 -
Complex carbs are better for you overall than simple carbs.
Common Complex Carbohydrates
Dairy
Low fat yogurt
Skim milk
Nuts, Seeds and Legumes
Lentils
Kidney beans
Chick peas
Split peas
Soy beans
Pinto beans
Soymilk
Whole Grain Breads and Pastas
Breads and pastas made with the whole grains listed below provide more fiber resulting in feeling full sooner, and longer.
Whole Grains
Buckwheat
Brown rice
Corn
Wheat
Barley
Oats
Sorghum
Quinoa
Fruits and Vegetables
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Onions
Okra
Dill pickles
Carrots
Yams
Strawberries
Peas
Radishes
Beans
Broccoli
Spinach
Green beans
Zucchini
Apples
Pears
Cucumbers
Asparagus
Grapefruit
Prunes
Simple carbohydrates to limit in your diet include:
Soda
Candy
Artificial syrups
Sugar
White rice, white bread, and white pasta
Potatoes (which are technically a complex carb, but act more like simple carbs in the body)
Pastries and desserts
Copy and paste lol, nothing wrong with white rice/pasta/bread if like me you have IBS which means I struggle to digest the fibre in brown rice. These do nothing to alter our composition and should not be limited, yes soda/candy should be1 -
I don't get this "I don't have diabetes, high blood pressure - pick your ailment - so I don't have to watch my "carbs, sugar, etc". Maybe if people did watch these things before they get something, and made better choices in carbs, sugars, fats, ate less sodium to start with, they won't get it these ailments. I'm sorry, but I eat complex carbs because they are better for your blood sugar, and have more fiber. It keeps you from crashing from the immediate sugar rush and keeps it steady. Sorry, but I think that is much better than having sugar spikes which make you hungry and over eat, and crave more sugar. But you go ahead and eat your simple carbs for your IBS. I have IBS too, and I'm fine on complex carbs. But then I don't eat a crap-ton of them either. I stay about 150 grams a day or less.0
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I don't get this "I don't have diabetes, high blood pressure - pick your ailment - so I don't have to watch my "carbs, sugar, etc". Maybe if people did watch these things before they get something, and made better choices in carbs, sugars, fats, ate less sodium to start with, they won't get it these ailments.
I agree. I'm in the 'prevention is better than cure' camp.
My dad died of cancer, once he had it he started looking after himself, but it was too late by then. Had he done the right thing years earlier he most likely would have been fine. Now granted his was skin cancer, not brought on by nutritional excess or deficiency.
My long winded point is, just because you don't have any ailments... yet, doesn't mean the devil may care attitude won't catch up with you, or maybe it wont
It's a roll of the dice in the end, but if one does get a medical condition at least they will be able to say "well it's no fault of mine, i did everything i could" rather than "damn, why didn't i pay attention".
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To the OP: welcome to the eat all the sugar you want/low carb is completely BS versus eat any sugar and you die/carbs are eevviill wars on MFP.
Take everything you read here with a grain of salt -- including statements from people like me telling you to take everything with a grain of salt. Oh, and by the way, salt is totally evil too. Or totally good.1 -
I don't get this "I don't have diabetes, high blood pressure - pick your ailment - so I don't have to watch my "carbs, sugar, etc". Maybe if people did watch these things before they get something, and made better choices in carbs, sugars, fats, ate less sodium to start with, they won't get it these ailments. I'm sorry, but I eat complex carbs because they are better for your blood sugar, and have more fiber. It keeps you from crashing from the immediate sugar rush and keeps it steady. Sorry, but I think that is much better than having sugar spikes which make you hungry and over eat, and crave more sugar. But you go ahead and eat your simple carbs for your IBS. I have IBS too, and I'm fine on complex carbs. But then I don't eat a crap-ton of them either. I stay about 150 grams a day or less.
Why? None of those things directly cause diabetes or ailments, with the exception of excess sodium and blood pressure
Excess weight is a contributing factor in developing type 2 diabetes ...not sugar, carbs, fats...surplus calories
Stop conflating cause and treatment / correlation1 -
to my tastebuds? every possible form of carb.0
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The term "good carbs" usually refers to foods that contain slower digesting carbs, which generally means foods that contain a decent amount of fiber.
When counting carbs for a low carb diet you typically subtract the fiber carbs as they are not fully absorbed.0 -
This probably sounds like a silly question, but when going low carb, what carbs are good? Sweet potatoes, bananas, and butternut squash have carbs but are also loaded with nutrients. Am I simply avoiding carbs like white bread and cereal? Can you help clarify? Thanks in advance.
Sounds like you need to do A LOT of research before going low carb.
Usually a "good" carb is nutrient dense, high in fiber, naturally low in carbs, and, for a low carb diet, often green. Do your homework, and good luck!
Join this group:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group0 -
This probably sounds like a silly question, but when going low carb, what carbs are good? Sweet potatoes, bananas, and butternut squash have carbs but are also loaded with nutrients. Am I simply avoiding carbs like white bread and cereal? Can you help clarify? Thanks in advance.
If you are interested in low carb dieting, I highly recommend checking out the low carb group here on MFP. It's a really active group of users with long term experience in low carb dieting, and you'll be able to find plenty of information of about what types of foods people eat, as well answers to pretty much any question you could have about the diet.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group0 -
I don't get this "I don't have diabetes, high blood pressure - pick your ailment - so I don't have to watch my "carbs, sugar, etc". Maybe if people did watch these things before they get something, and made better choices in carbs, sugars, fats, ate less sodium to start with, they won't get it these ailments. I'm sorry, but I eat complex carbs because they are better for your blood sugar, and have more fiber.
Hmm. But from your prior post, as pointed out, you don't seem to understand the actual distinction between complex and simple carbs (which doesn't mean much from a nutrition POV).
Also, I didn't object to the claim that pasta, potatoes, and rice are bad carbs because I don't have diabetes, etc. (although I do not), but because they are foods that are staples in plenty of healthy diets. Focusing on overall diets, and how they eat in blue zones, is, IMO, more helpful than putting labels on foods based on current fads.
As for IBS (which I don't have, but my sister does), what works for people differs, and to suggest that what works for others is bad because it's different than what works for you isn't particularly sensitive. My sister avoids certain "good" foods because they have a negative effect on her, but eats an overall healthful diet. Similarly, I eat pasta and potatoes and bananas (not all of these every day, obviously), and yet am regularly way over my fiber goals, because there are numerous other foods I eat that have fiber (beans, lentils, berries, avocado, many vegetables, etc.). The idea that if someone eats pasta (which I normally eat with lean meat and lots of vegetables) or rice or potatoes, etc,, that one can't have a healthy diet is pretty offensive and just wrong.0 -
Good carbs = carbs that taste good (as opposed to carbs that don't taste good like beets). That's my definition and I stand by it.
What some people mean by that though is non starchy vegetables. That's the only carb people agree on. Some add legumes and starchy vegetables to the list and stop there, others go further and include fruits and whole grains in their definition. The most lenient group would also add whole grain flour.
In my personal opinion, all these labels are unnecessary and serve no purpose.0 -
Complex carbs are better for you overall than simple carbs.
Common Complex Carbohydrates
Dairy
Low fat yogurt
Skim milk
Nuts, Seeds and Legumes
Lentils
Kidney beans
Chick peas
Split peas
Soy beans
Pinto beans
Soymilk
Whole Grain Breads and Pastas
Breads and pastas made with the whole grains listed below provide more fiber resulting in feeling full sooner, and longer.
Whole Grains
Buckwheat
Brown rice
Corn
Wheat
Barley
Oats
Sorghum
Quinoa
Fruits and Vegetables
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Onions
Okra
Dill pickles
Carrots
Yams
Strawberries
Peas
Radishes
Beans
Broccoli
Spinach
Green beans
Zucchini
Apples
Pears
Cucumbers
Asparagus
Grapefruit
Prunes
Simple carbohydrates to limit in your diet include:
Soda
Candy
Artificial syrups
Sugar
White rice, white bread, and white pasta
Potatoes (which are technically a complex carb, but act more like simple carbs in the body)
Pastries and desserts
White rice is not a bad source of carbs.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Complex carbs are better for you overall than simple carbs.
No, and your categorization is way off.
Simple carbs are sugars (this has to do with the molecular structure) and include fruits and veg.
Complex carbs are starches and include all grains and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Pastries and desserts have both simple and complex carbs and get about half their calories from fat. Calling them "carbs" makes no sense when they are as much "fats."
I don't believe in claiming that foods are "bad" or "good" on their own anyway, but claiming that potatoes are "bad" (and same with pasta and rice) is weird -- they are staples in perfectly healthful diets, and potatoes are for many people quite satiating and contribute micronutrients. Demonizing them makes no sense.
Complex carbs are not starch. Starch is long chains of glucose that begin being digested when they enter your mouth through salivary amylase. Starchy foods, when eaten alone, cause rapid blood sugar spikes because they quickly and easily digested, as well as taken up by the blood.
Non-starchy Fruits and vegetables tend to be a mix of sugars, mainly glucose and fructose, and will cause a lower/slower blood sugar spike.2 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Complex carbs are better for you overall than simple carbs.
No, and your categorization is way off.
Simple carbs are sugars (this has to do with the molecular structure) and include fruits and veg.
Complex carbs are starches and include all grains and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Pastries and desserts have both simple and complex carbs and get about half their calories from fat. Calling them "carbs" makes no sense when they are as much "fats."
I don't believe in claiming that foods are "bad" or "good" on their own anyway, but claiming that potatoes are "bad" (and same with pasta and rice) is weird -- they are staples in perfectly healthful diets, and potatoes are for many people quite satiating and contribute micronutrients. Demonizing them makes no sense.
Complex carbs are not starch. Starch is long chains of glucose that begin being digested when they enter your mouth through salivary amylase. Starchy foods, when eaten alone, cause rapid blood sugar spikes because they quickly and easily digested, as well as taken up by the blood.
Non-starchy Fruits and vegetables tend to be a mix of sugars, mainly glucose and fructose, and will cause a lower/slower blood sugar spike.
I think the world is changing the definition of "simple carbs". Vegetables and fruits are not "simple" in my book. Especially vegetables.
But then, I think "simple" and "complex" aren't particularly useful as terms.
Hell, these days I'm not finding "carbohydrate" all that useful, given that a cup of spinach has virtually none.1 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Complex carbs are better for you overall than simple carbs.
No, and your categorization is way off.
Simple carbs are sugars (this has to do with the molecular structure) and include fruits and veg.
Complex carbs are starches and include all grains and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Pastries and desserts have both simple and complex carbs and get about half their calories from fat. Calling them "carbs" makes no sense when they are as much "fats."
I don't believe in claiming that foods are "bad" or "good" on their own anyway, but claiming that potatoes are "bad" (and same with pasta and rice) is weird -- they are staples in perfectly healthful diets, and potatoes are for many people quite satiating and contribute micronutrients. Demonizing them makes no sense.
Complex carbs are not starch. Starch is long chains of glucose that begin being digested when they enter your mouth through salivary amylase. Starchy foods, when eaten alone, cause rapid blood sugar spikes because they quickly and easily digested, as well as taken up by the blood.
Non-starchy Fruits and vegetables tend to be a mix of sugars, mainly glucose and fructose, and will cause a lower/slower blood sugar spike.
lemurcat12 is correct. Simple carbs, or simple sugars, are monosaccharides and disaccharides, and fruits contain many of these. They also contain fiber, in the form of cellulose and lignin. Chemically speaking, complex carbs are starches (amylose and amylopectin) and cellulose - all are long chains of glucose. We can digest the starch, but we cannot digest the cellulose. We do not have the enzymes to do so.
Complex carbs in the nutrition world usually indicate foods that have sugar and/or starch + fiber.0 -
geneticsteacher wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Complex carbs are better for you overall than simple carbs.
No, and your categorization is way off.
Simple carbs are sugars (this has to do with the molecular structure) and include fruits and veg.
Complex carbs are starches and include all grains and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Pastries and desserts have both simple and complex carbs and get about half their calories from fat. Calling them "carbs" makes no sense when they are as much "fats."
I don't believe in claiming that foods are "bad" or "good" on their own anyway, but claiming that potatoes are "bad" (and same with pasta and rice) is weird -- they are staples in perfectly healthful diets, and potatoes are for many people quite satiating and contribute micronutrients. Demonizing them makes no sense.
Complex carbs are not starch. Starch is long chains of glucose that begin being digested when they enter your mouth through salivary amylase. Starchy foods, when eaten alone, cause rapid blood sugar spikes because they quickly and easily digested, as well as taken up by the blood.
Non-starchy Fruits and vegetables tend to be a mix of sugars, mainly glucose and fructose, and will cause a lower/slower blood sugar spike.
lemurcat12 is correct. Simple carbs, or simple sugars, are monosaccharides and disaccharides, and fruits contain many of these. They also contain fiber, in the form of cellulose and lignin. Chemically speaking, complex carbs are starches (amylose and amylopectin) and cellulose - all are long chains of glucose. We can digest the starch, but we cannot digest the cellulose. We do not have the enzymes to do so.
Complex carbs in the nutrition world usually indicate foods that have sugar and/or starch + fiber.
Starch is glucose. Glucose is a monosaccharide.
The most readily digested and the only sugar that matters when looking at blood sugar for the human body, is glucose. If a potato is 100% starch and an apple is 50% glucose and 50% fructose when both have roughly the same fiber content, which would you consider to be simple?
"Complex carbs" are supposed to be those that cause a smaller blood glucose spike (GI Index). These carbs are supposed to take longer to digest, which causes glucose to be released slower than those with a high GI rating. With pure glucose being the baseline, food items such as white rice, white bread, white pasta, and potatoes (all starch heavy) have some of (if not the highest) GI ratings. Example: a baked potato (potato only) on average has a GI rating of 85 while an apple has a rating of around 40.
All of that being said, potatoes are awesome. And delicious. The GI index can be lowered for them by adding fats and proteins to your potato.
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lemurcat12 wrote: »Complex carbs are better for you overall than simple carbs.
No, and your categorization is way off.
Simple carbs are sugars (this has to do with the molecular structure) and include fruits and veg.
Complex carbs are starches and include all grains and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Pastries and desserts have both simple and complex carbs and get about half their calories from fat. Calling them "carbs" makes no sense when they are as much "fats."
I don't believe in claiming that foods are "bad" or "good" on their own anyway, but claiming that potatoes are "bad" (and same with pasta and rice) is weird -- they are staples in perfectly healthful diets, and potatoes are for many people quite satiating and contribute micronutrients. Demonizing them makes no sense.
Complex carbs are not starch. Starch is long chains of glucose that begin being digested when they enter your mouth through salivary amylase. Starchy foods, when eaten alone, cause rapid blood sugar spikes because they quickly and easily digested, as well as taken up by the blood.
Complex vs. simple is not a value judgment, as people seem to think sometimes. They refer to the molecular structure. That starch is a long chain is why it's complex. Sugar molecules are simpler, and so they are simple carbs. This has zero to do with nutritional value or effect on blood sugar (which is only an issue for some and if the foods are eaten alone, anyway).Non-starchy Fruits and vegetables tend to be a mix of sugars, mainly glucose and fructose, and will cause a lower/slower blood sugar spike.
No, sugars DON'T cause a lower/slower spike, the fact that foods -- whether the carbs are mainly from sugar or starch -- also have fiber tends to slow down the reaction of the body to them. Other things that slow it down are fat and eating them with other foods with fat, protein, and fiber.
People seem really confused about this simple vs. complex thing, I think just because "complex" sounds better, so they assume it refers to more nutrient dense foods. Some pop nutrition sources have unfortunately made this error, so it's become common, but check out a reputable nutrition textbook for better information.
People like Walter Willett will just say that the distinction between complex and simple does not matter.0
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