Low-Carb Myths and Truths
daisymae9801
Posts: 208 Member
Low-Carb Myths and Truths
The premise of all low-carb foods and diet plans begins with nutrition-science basics.
Carbohydrates do raise blood sugar, because they provide so much of your body's preferred source of fuel: glucose. When glucose levels rise, your pancreas releases a flood of insulin that prompts cells to store sugar. Advocates say that eating a diet low in carb makes weight loss easier because low, steady blood sugar conquers food cravings. But the next step in the low-carb equation is open to debate: Proponents say these diets also change your metabolism so your body breaks down more fats, and--voilà--fewer of the calories you eat are stored as flab.
Low-carb weight-loss plans do work--for a while. Pounds drop quickly at first because burning stored carbs (called glycogen) releases water. Quite simply, you lose excess water weight. Nutritionists say, though, that low-carb weight loss isn't metabolic magic, just the working-out of nature's first rule of weight loss: Eat fewer calories, and you will shed pounds. Some low-carbers say this special way of eating eliminates cravings, but others feel headachy and nauseated. Burning far without carbohydrates produces substances called ketones, which can decrease appetite, but there's a danger because sustained high ketone levels may deplete mineral stores in bones, leaving them fragile. Here's the rest of the low-carb story.
Low-carb diets don't go the distance for weight loss.
Carb-conscious eating may speed up early weight loss, but not much more. In a year-long study of 63 dieters, University of Pennsylvania researchers found that low-carb dieters dropped 4 percent more weight than those following a conventional low-cal plan in the first six months--but both groups achieved nearly identical weight losses after one year.
When researchers at the National Weight Control Registry looked at the diets of 2,681 successful dieters who had maintained at least a 30-pound weight loss for a year or more, they expected to see many low-carb diet adherents. They were shocked to find just 25, or 1 percent of the total group. Their conclusion: Low-carb plans didn't produce a lasting metabolic change that kept pounds off.
A high-fat, super-low-carb diet threatens your heart.
The Atkins Diet--the oldest and most famous of the low-carb regimens--allows a mere 20 grams of carbs per day in the earliest, strictest phase, putting most grains, beans, fruits, breads, rice, potatoes, pastas, and starchy vegetables off-limits. At the same time, it allows generous amounts of beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and butter.
Unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers is tempting, but a low-carb diet that's essentially an all-you-can-eat saturated-fat buffet may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, the American Heart Association cautions. All that sat fat can raise levels of heart-threatening LDL cholesterol--and at the same time shortchange you on the antioxidants from fruits, veggies, and grains that protect arteries from plaque formation. (Low-carb diets are also high in protein, which makes them risky for people with diabetes because they can speed the progression of diabetic kidney disease.)
Low-carb isn't low-calorie.
Many low-carb products undermine weight-loss efforts because they're packed with as many--or even more--calories than "regular carb" versions. Many are also higher in fat. This is especially true of reduced-carb comfort foods such as ice cream, bread, pasta, and snack bars. A 1-ounce low-carb chocolate bar with 120 calories or a 270-calorie scoop of low-carb Rocky Road ice cream won't do your hips any favors.
"It's the calories, not the carbohydrates," notes Robert O. Bonow, M.D., former president of the American Heart Association. "America is gaining weight because people are eating more calories than they can burn and getting less exercise."
Low-carb junk food is still . . . junk.
Indulging in a low-carb snack food with the belief that it's a better weight-loss choice than a piece of fruit, a serving of veggies, or a handful of whole grain crackers (trans fat-free, of course) puts you in double jeopardy: You've just robbed your body of a host of heart-healthy nutrients and fiber, and you may have eaten a ton of empty calories. Example: For 40 grams of carbs a day, you could eat 1/2 cup of lentils, a cup of carrots, an orange, and a slice of light seven-grain bread (total calories: 40; plus a hefty dose of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals). Getting those 40 grams from low-carb snack foods could supply up to 1,440 calories and very few nutrients.
http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Low-Carb-Myths-and-Truths/Detail.aspx
The premise of all low-carb foods and diet plans begins with nutrition-science basics.
Carbohydrates do raise blood sugar, because they provide so much of your body's preferred source of fuel: glucose. When glucose levels rise, your pancreas releases a flood of insulin that prompts cells to store sugar. Advocates say that eating a diet low in carb makes weight loss easier because low, steady blood sugar conquers food cravings. But the next step in the low-carb equation is open to debate: Proponents say these diets also change your metabolism so your body breaks down more fats, and--voilà--fewer of the calories you eat are stored as flab.
Low-carb weight-loss plans do work--for a while. Pounds drop quickly at first because burning stored carbs (called glycogen) releases water. Quite simply, you lose excess water weight. Nutritionists say, though, that low-carb weight loss isn't metabolic magic, just the working-out of nature's first rule of weight loss: Eat fewer calories, and you will shed pounds. Some low-carbers say this special way of eating eliminates cravings, but others feel headachy and nauseated. Burning far without carbohydrates produces substances called ketones, which can decrease appetite, but there's a danger because sustained high ketone levels may deplete mineral stores in bones, leaving them fragile. Here's the rest of the low-carb story.
Low-carb diets don't go the distance for weight loss.
Carb-conscious eating may speed up early weight loss, but not much more. In a year-long study of 63 dieters, University of Pennsylvania researchers found that low-carb dieters dropped 4 percent more weight than those following a conventional low-cal plan in the first six months--but both groups achieved nearly identical weight losses after one year.
When researchers at the National Weight Control Registry looked at the diets of 2,681 successful dieters who had maintained at least a 30-pound weight loss for a year or more, they expected to see many low-carb diet adherents. They were shocked to find just 25, or 1 percent of the total group. Their conclusion: Low-carb plans didn't produce a lasting metabolic change that kept pounds off.
A high-fat, super-low-carb diet threatens your heart.
The Atkins Diet--the oldest and most famous of the low-carb regimens--allows a mere 20 grams of carbs per day in the earliest, strictest phase, putting most grains, beans, fruits, breads, rice, potatoes, pastas, and starchy vegetables off-limits. At the same time, it allows generous amounts of beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and butter.
Unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers is tempting, but a low-carb diet that's essentially an all-you-can-eat saturated-fat buffet may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, the American Heart Association cautions. All that sat fat can raise levels of heart-threatening LDL cholesterol--and at the same time shortchange you on the antioxidants from fruits, veggies, and grains that protect arteries from plaque formation. (Low-carb diets are also high in protein, which makes them risky for people with diabetes because they can speed the progression of diabetic kidney disease.)
Low-carb isn't low-calorie.
Many low-carb products undermine weight-loss efforts because they're packed with as many--or even more--calories than "regular carb" versions. Many are also higher in fat. This is especially true of reduced-carb comfort foods such as ice cream, bread, pasta, and snack bars. A 1-ounce low-carb chocolate bar with 120 calories or a 270-calorie scoop of low-carb Rocky Road ice cream won't do your hips any favors.
"It's the calories, not the carbohydrates," notes Robert O. Bonow, M.D., former president of the American Heart Association. "America is gaining weight because people are eating more calories than they can burn and getting less exercise."
Low-carb junk food is still . . . junk.
Indulging in a low-carb snack food with the belief that it's a better weight-loss choice than a piece of fruit, a serving of veggies, or a handful of whole grain crackers (trans fat-free, of course) puts you in double jeopardy: You've just robbed your body of a host of heart-healthy nutrients and fiber, and you may have eaten a ton of empty calories. Example: For 40 grams of carbs a day, you could eat 1/2 cup of lentils, a cup of carrots, an orange, and a slice of light seven-grain bread (total calories: 40; plus a hefty dose of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals). Getting those 40 grams from low-carb snack foods could supply up to 1,440 calories and very few nutrients.
http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Low-Carb-Myths-and-Truths/Detail.aspx
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Replies
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Sigh. This is such an outdated theory that really never was able to be backed up by any real science.
A high-fat, super-low-carb diet threatens your heart.
The Atkins Diet--the oldest and most famous of the low-carb regimens--allows a mere 20 grams of carbs per day in the earliest, strictest phase, putting most grains, beans, fruits, breads, rice, potatoes, pastas, and starchy vegetables off-limits. At the same time, it allows generous amounts of beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and butter.
Unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers is tempting, but a low-carb diet that's essentially an all-you-can-eat saturated-fat buffet may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, the American Heart Association cautions. All that sat fat can raise levels of heart-threatening LDL cholesterol--and at the same time shortchange you on the antioxidants from fruits, veggies, and grains that protect arteries from plaque formation. (Low-carb diets are also high in protein, which makes them risky for people with diabetes because they can speed the progression of diabetic kidney disease.)
So... nutrition information from a recipe website. Need I say more?0 -
Low-carb junk food is still . . . junk.
Indulging in a low-carb snack food with the belief that it's a better weight-loss choice than a piece of fruit, a serving of veggies, or a handful of whole grain crackers (trans fat-free, of course) puts you in double jeopardy: You've just robbed your body of a host of heart-healthy nutrients and fiber, and you may have eaten a ton of empty calories. Example: For 40 grams of carbs a day, you could eat 1/2 cup of lentils, a cup of carrots, an orange, and a slice of light seven-grain bread (total calories: 40; plus a hefty dose of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals). Getting those 40 grams from low-carb snack foods could supply up to 1,440 calories and very few nutrients.
This is possibly the most ridiculous thing I've seen on the forums as of late. You could also get your 40 grams of carbs from 8 pounds of broccoli, but getting those 40 grams from potato chips suppiles very few nutrients. See what I did there?0 -
Sigh. This is such an outdated theory that really never was able to be backed up by any real science.
A high-fat, super-low-carb diet threatens your heart.
The Atkins Diet--the oldest and most famous of the low-carb regimens--allows a mere 20 grams of carbs per day in the earliest, strictest phase, putting most grains, beans, fruits, breads, rice, potatoes, pastas, and starchy vegetables off-limits. At the same time, it allows generous amounts of beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and butter.
Unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers is tempting, but a low-carb diet that's essentially an all-you-can-eat saturated-fat buffet may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, the American Heart Association cautions. All that sat fat can raise levels of heart-threatening LDL cholesterol--and at the same time shortchange you on the antioxidants from fruits, veggies, and grains that protect arteries from plaque formation. (Low-carb diets are also high in protein, which makes them risky for people with diabetes because they can speed the progression of diabetic kidney disease.)
So... nutrition information from a recipe website. Need I say more?
Very defensive! I'm not even saying I believe in it...but I just wanted people to see it because it's an often argued subject.0 -
I'm not even a low carb eater. I just have a problem with blanket untruths or articles written for the sole purpose of attracting readership, which this clearly seems to be.0
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The biggest problem with a low carb diet is just that.. it is a diet.
It is not sustainable as a lifetime diet, nor was it ever recommended as such.. indeed long term extreme low carb diets are not good for you; they are for quick weight loss. If you lose weight quickly, not only has your body not learned what it needs to consume for longer term maintenance, but you have not learned anything about what you should be eating...course that is the problem with most "diets". Everyone knows that bacon cheeseburgers (even without the bun) is simply not what you should be consuming as regular food. MFP is not a diet, it is a way to learn all sorts of things about the fuels we consume and the portions that we should control.
One thing you can learn from moderate restriction of carbohydrates is that, as you substitute fat and protein calories (not unrestricted! very important to count all fuel calories), you find you may be less hungry. Both protein and fat should provide longer lasting satiety, especially if you have been eating high on the GI/GL scale.
Minor adjustments to the overall profiles with slightly less carbs and slightly more protein and fat, with calories in play, is sustainable over time, and can present a way to maintain proper weight over time.0 -
The Atkins Diet--the oldest and most famous of the low-carb regimens--allows a mere 20 grams of carbs per day in the earliest, strictest phase, putting most grains, beans, fruits, breads, rice, potatoes, pastas, and starchy vegetables off-limits. At the same time, it allows generous amounts of beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and butter.
Unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers is tempting, but a low-carb diet that's essentially an all-you-can-eat saturated-fat buffet may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, the American Heart Association cautions. All that sat fat can raise levels of heart-threatening LDL cholesterol--and at the same time shortchange you on the antioxidants from fruits, veggies, and grains that protect arteries from plaque formation. (Low-carb diets are also high in protein, which makes them risky for people with diabetes because they can speed the progression of diabetic kidney disease.)
I don't understand how low-carb = unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers...0 -
I agree with you, dleithaus. Although, I would prefer doing a diet which will evolve to my daily routine for the rest of my life.
I am on a low carb diet now because it is suggested by doctors for PCOS and insulin resistance. You don't have to go all the way eating only 20g of carbs / day as in Atkins (induction phase), doctors say that reducing a 40% of our carb intake should have a positive effect as well. It also, as you said, gives me a feeling of satiety which is priceless since I'm a bit of an overeater.
To daisymae9801;
... No low carb diet suggests eating all you want. Unfortunately it is in the small letters at the end of the page where they say, "don't pig out on meat", not to mention that saturated fat is completely out.Unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers is tempting, but a low-carb diet that's essentially an all-you-can-eat saturated-fat buffet may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke
I know that Atkins has been advertised as an all you can eat diet that excludes carbs. None is true; you are encouraged to eat protein, but you should cook it healthy, not to mention be wary of the caloric content. And of course, what seems as carb banishment is not the case, as every week you keep adding grams until you reach a point where you keep losing and feel comfortable.0 -
Holy Protein Burger! There is so much mis-information and untruths from OP that I don't know where to begin....Bump!0
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Everyday someone on here has to put have a go at lower carb eaters. If you do not like the idea, don't do it! SIMPLE!
If everyone who keeps arguing this point spent as much time working out, then we would all be fit as fiddles!
Lower carb eaters are not just meat eaters, they eat vegetables, nuts etc too.
EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. THERE IS NO ONE SIZE DIET FITS ALL.
If you do not believe in low carb then fine but do not preach to people.0 -
Thanks for your post, Daisymae. Just wish people wouldn't be so defensive and /or condescending. I don't really think it was deserved here.0
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I am diabetic and living the Atkins lifestyle, YES, I said lifestyle. I now have very tight control over my diabetes and I am healthier and more full of energy than I have ever been. Atkins for life in my case!0
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The Atkins Diet--the oldest and most famous of the low-carb regimens--allows a mere 20 grams of carbs per day in the earliest, strictest phase, putting most grains, beans, fruits, breads, rice, potatoes, pastas, and starchy vegetables off-limits. At the same time, it allows generous amounts of beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and butter.
Unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers is tempting, but a low-carb diet that's essentially an all-you-can-eat saturated-fat buffet may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, the American Heart Association cautions. All that sat fat can raise levels of heart-threatening LDL cholesterol--and at the same time shortchange you on the antioxidants from fruits, veggies, and grains that protect arteries from plaque formation. (Low-carb diets are also high in protein, which makes them risky for people with diabetes because they can speed the progression of diabetic kidney disease.)
I don't understand how low-carb = unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers...
especially because the Atkins diet itself doesn't encourage it.0 -
Thanks for your post, Daisymae. Just wish people wouldn't be so defensive and /or condescending. I don't really think it was deserved here.
point is, the majority of the article is not based in fact. e.g. in its pronouncements about the Atkins approach. Nothing defensive there, just being allergic to untruth.0 -
which is exactly what the Atkins way of eating sets out to do.The biggest problem with a low carb diet is just that.. it is a diet.
It is not sustainable as a lifetime diet, nor was it ever recommended as such.. indeed long term extreme low carb diets are not good for you; they are for quick weight loss. If you lose weight quickly, not only has your body not learned what it needs to consume for longer term maintenance, but you have not learned anything about what you should be eating...course that is the problem with most "diets". Everyone knows that bacon cheeseburgers (even without the bun) is simply not what you should be consuming as regular food. MFP is not a diet, it is a way to learn all sorts of things about the fuels we consume and the portions that we should control.
One thing you can learn from moderate restriction of carbohydrates is that, as you substitute fat and protein calories (not unrestricted! very important to count all fuel calories), you find you may be less hungry. Both protein and fat should provide longer lasting satiety, especially if you have been eating high on the GI/GL scale.
Minor adjustments to the overall profiles with slightly less carbs and slightly more protein and fat, with calories in play, is sustainable over time, and can present a way to maintain proper weight over time.0 -
I initially lost 150lbs using the low carb lifestyle over several years. It was interesting when I went to a nurtitionist recently for metabolic rate testing - she indicated that I probably did more of a food group elimination (dairy, starches, processed sugars, etc) then a low carb diet. Either way, it was effective for me and helped me move away from food items that are high in calories/carbs and move towards a more healthy intake. As for negative effects, I didn't personally experience any; my cholesterol decreased by 40 points and my LDLs/HDLs moved in healthy directions also. So for me personally, telling me that eating more meat, nuts, cheeses, veggies, etc is bad is hard for me to swallow. To each his/her own! As long as their method of diet works and is healthy for them, whose to say differently?0
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These articles are terrible, I hope nobody believes this stuff. All this does is complicate simple concepts like weight loss and confuse everyone.
"high-fat / low-carb diets threaten the heart," lol what a crock of sh...
There's studies that link the superb health of people like eskimos to their huge intake of fats.0 -
I have lost a lot of weight on low carb diet but the way I did it is just dial down the custom feature on MFP for Carbs to 40 percent of normal.0
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Wow, apparently I've lost 40 pounds of water! I wonder how much more water I can lose...0
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It's not that people here are trying to bash posters who throw out a viewpoint... some of us on here are sticklers for peer-reviewed research and using accredited sources before throwing it out on a forum.
The more time I've been chugging away with my health and fitness goals, the bigger skeptic I've become of most "research" and "fitness advice"... popular health and fitness magazines are notorious for posting some really unsound advice.0 -
Wow, apparently I've lost 40 pounds of water! I wonder how much more water I can lose...
Lol!!!0 -
Wow, apparently I've lost 40 pounds of water! I wonder how much more water I can lose...
Me too, this is a big ole crock, I want peer reviewed papers LOL that one was for you Untz.0 -
I agree with you, dleithaus. Although, I would prefer doing a diet which will evolve to my daily routine for the rest of my life.
I am on a low carb diet now because it is suggested by doctors for PCOS and insulin resistance. You don't have to go all the way eating only 20g of carbs / day as in Atkins (induction phase), doctors say that reducing a 40% of our carb intake should have a positive effect as well. It also, as you said, gives me a feeling of satiety which is priceless since I'm a bit of an overeater.
To daisymae9801;
... No low carb diet suggests eating all you want. Unfortunately it is in the small letters at the end of the page where they say, "don't pig out on meat", not to mention that saturated fat is completely out.Unlimited access to bacon cheeseburgers is tempting, but a low-carb diet that's essentially an all-you-can-eat saturated-fat buffet may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke
I know that Atkins has been advertised as an all you can eat diet that excludes carbs. None is true; you are encouraged to eat protein, but you should cook it healthy, not to mention be wary of the caloric content. And of course, what seems as carb banishment is not the case, as every week you keep adding grams until you reach a point where you keep losing and feel comfortable.
I know. I've done Atkins.0 -
Thanks for your post, Daisymae. Just wish people wouldn't be so defensive and /or condescending. I don't really think it was deserved here.
Thank you!
I'm surprised just because I posted this that everyone's assuming I'm anti-low carb. Just the opposite. I'm pro whatever works for you. I've done Atkins, and although I lost weight I eventually ended up binging on carbs. Don't assume that just because someone posts information that they're trying to start an anti-low carb/pro-low carb argument
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Everyday someone on here has to put have a go at lower carb eaters. If you do not like the idea, don't do it! SIMPLE!
If everyone who keeps arguing this point spent as much time working out, then we would all be fit as fiddles!
Lower carb eaters are not just meat eaters, they eat vegetables, nuts etc too.
EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. THERE IS NO ONE SIZE DIET FITS ALL.
If you do not believe in low carb then fine but do not preach to people.
I'm not preaching. WOW
And I'm officially done posting to MFP boards because it seems like some people jump down your throat no matter what you post.0 -
I agree with you on that, there is too much animosity around here. Seems people are always on guard for some reason.. In my post I only wanted to state my point of view and didn't want to insult you in anyway. It's so weird though, I used to be in a forum where people with eating disorders were talking to each other (imagine obese and anorexics in a room) and all posts were civilised. I might go back there come to think of it.0
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I agree with you on that, there is too much animosity around here. Seems people are always on guard for some reason.. In my post I only wanted to state my point of view and didn't want to insult you in anyway. It's so weird though, I used to be in a forum where people with eating disorders were talking to each other (imagine obese and anorexics in a room) and all posts were civilised. I might go back there come to think of it.
Agreed. I mean, if you want to attack the article then go ahead, but don't attack me for posting it. (Not you (: ) But I'm not even against low carb and just because I posted an article doesn't mean I necessarily believe what it's saying. I was just putitng up information that is out there.
People can just be kind of mean sometimes.0 -
I think low carb is a very successful way of eating, but most people who manage to keep at it generally do it because otherwise they'll become extremely ill (diabetics). It's not an unhealthy way to eat though. People assume you can't eat veggies or anything like that...but really you can. Eating natural low carb helps single out the "pretend" healthy foods (Like granola. It does crap for you nutritionally compared to just eating whole grains without sugar).
The diets where you can't eat over 20 carbs a day aren't meant to be permanent--the diet says that specifically.
I can't follow a low carb diet since it triggers binges (even though for others it stops them....strange huh), but I try to keep it under 150 carbs a day, more around 110-140 including fiber. That way I can still eat traditionally for me (what's an Asian girl without her rice?!). Still less than the 240 I'm recommended by mfp, and it gives more room for fats. Nommy free-range bacon! 0 -
and it never crosses anyone's mind that maybe eliminating grains, sugars and whatnot actually improves someone's quality of life. It's more than just weightloss. I don't like how someone can state that a low carb way of eating isn't sustainable. Well eating the SAD isn't sustainable for me, if I'm in chronic pain from RA. I don't need meds when I just simply eliminate the grains and sugars.0
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I'm pro-choice with most things, diets included.
Why worry about what others are eating? I'm vegan and don't care if you eat meat and dairy, because that's your diet, not mine.
I just don't get the bashing of other diets on here. I think that you should find what works for you, stick with it, love it, live it, and don't advertise it unless provoked.0 -
Study on "Eating Nuts Daily...."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712094201.htm
"In the research, published online by the journal Diabetes Care, a team of researchers led by Dr. David Jenkins (University of Toronto Department of Nutritional Sciences; St. Michael's Hospital Risk Factor Modification Centre) reports that consuming two ounces of nuts daily as a replacement for carbohydrates proved effective at glycemic and serum lipid control for people with Type 2 diabetes...."0
This discussion has been closed.
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