What the hell are carbs?
Replies
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French_Peasant wrote: »Ben_there_done_that wrote: »Carcomymrates are like spaghetti, breads, paper towels...
This is one of the best posts I have EVER seen on MFP. It *is* true that paper towels are carbs. Or carcs, as the case may be.
ETA: I believe it is actually "pasketti" that is a carc.
ETA ETA: Are popscockles carcs?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85wujdlSSYI
Thank you. Just . . . . thank you for posting this, lol.
Hey, all credit goes to @Ben_there_done_that...his response cracked me up so much I suspected there was more merriment to be had, and yes, I was amply rewarded by my "research"/googling skills!7 -
French_Peasant wrote: »I would imagine that your nutritionist is referring to heavy/refined/processed carbs that don't have much nutrition, such as bread or pasta.
Carbs in fruits and vegetables are fine as they're natural - these are 'fiber' carbs and needed.
Just like sugar in a banana is natural when compared to sugar in sweets, natural carbs are full of nutrition (such as fibre) and are a much better choice when compared to processed carbs.
So carbs in bread....are not fiber carbs...and are not natural? Hmmmm.
No, bread isn't natural, it's man made and it's a refined carb (especially if it's white, whole grain is better for you and more nutritional). Bread is made from natural ingredients (wheat) so does have fiber in it, but it's a 'starchy' refined carb and nowhere near as nutritional as natural fiber carbs found in vegetables that grow naturally, such as broccoli.
Sorry but this this actually doesn't make the slightest bit of sense and just adds to people's confusion.
Starchy carbs are actually the cornerstone on many of the planet's healthiest diets eaten by the highest proportion of the healthiest populations (Blue Zones).
The colour of a food is also a poor indicator of its nutrition!
Ditto for man-made...19 -
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janejellyroll wrote: »French_Peasant wrote: »I would imagine that your nutritionist is referring to heavy/refined/processed carbs that don't have much nutrition, such as bread or pasta.
Carbs in fruits and vegetables are fine as they're natural - these are 'fiber' carbs and needed.
Just like sugar in a banana is natural when compared to sugar in sweets, natural carbs are full of nutrition (such as fibre) and are a much better choice when compared to processed carbs.
So carbs in bread....are not fiber carbs...and are not natural? Hmmmm.
No, bread isn't natural, it's man made and it's a refined carb (especially if it's white, whole grain is better for you and more nutritional). Bread is made from natural ingredients (wheat) so does have fiber in it, but it's a 'starchy' refined carb and nowhere near as nutritional as natural fiber carbs found in vegetables that grow naturally, such as broccoli.
How can something with "natural ingredients" be unnatural? I mean, if I made a pot of chili that would be (wo)manmade, but it doesn't mean that the nutrients in it somehow vanish. Many of the foods we eat undergo some form of prep or processing (either by us or prior to the point of purchase).
A diet can include bread and broccoli. It's not like we have to forgo all the benefits of broccoli forever in order to have a slice of bread.
This.
Just checked my store bought bread and the ingredient list consists of whole sprouted grains of red wheat berries, quinoa, oat groats, rye berries, barley, amaranth and millet; water, whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, honey, oat fiber, salt, cultured wheat, molasses and yeast. One slice has 11g carb/2 g fiber and then 3g of protein. It's a more nutrient dense bread than what I could make myself.6 -
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lemurcat12 wrote: »I would imagine that your nutritionist is referring to heavy/refined/processed carbs that don't have much nutrition, such as bread or pasta.
We have no clue what her "nutritionist" means or how much education she has, but using "carbs" to mean only highly refined starches would be a good sign that she's not a good nutritionist and is using words incorrectly.
Whole grains are considered reasonably nutritious, btw, and can be part of a very nutritious meal (a favorite of mine when losing weight -- with both whole wheat and white pasta -- was to combine a serving size with a sauce made of many vegetables (also carbs) and some lean meat, with a little olive oil and feta cheese, maybe some pinenuts). Fast, nutritious meal, so I'd like to know why it would be verboten in the advice.
Most foods that are normally meant by low nutrient, highly refined foods, btw, are really as much fat as carbs, like cookies, so it would be extra stupid to mean those if you said carbs.Carbs in fruits and vegetables are fine as they're natural - these are 'fiber' carbs and needed.
No, they are not merely fiber carbs, but also sugar and starches. Most of the calories in fruit, obviously, are from sugar.
They ARE fine, of course -- as are the starches in potatoes and grains which are also natural. (How would they not be natural? Where do you think they come from?)Just like sugar in a banana is natural when compared to sugar in sweets, natural carbs are full of nutrition (such as fibre) and are a much better choice when compared to processed carbs.
Again, do you imagine that the carbs in potatoes are added in? Or the carbs in grains, like say oats or, again, bread? (Some bread has a bit of sugar added, but it need not, and anyway the sugar isn't actually different in kind from that in fruit, it's a matter of dosage and what it comes with.)
There may be a reason for OP to do a low carb diet, but as others would say, recommending it without explaining what is being recommended or the reasons for it is extremely irresponsible.
Thanks for your long corrective rant, but I was using simplistic terms relevant to her query and was simply saying that a LOW CARB DIET refers to cutting carbs such as bread and pasta out, rather than low carb/high fiber foods such as vegetables. It's most common in the atkins or keto diets - which obviously don't cut out vegetables (like the cucumber she has mentioned).
Potatoes are a vegetable, not a refined carb like those I mentioned - not sure why you've even brought those up.
Yes, whole wheat bread and pasta can be nutritional, but they're not as nutritious as fruit and vegetables. You can cut bread and pasta out of a diet completely to no affect, but if you cut vegetables out you'd be unhealthy. End of.23 -
French_Peasant wrote: »I would imagine that your nutritionist is referring to heavy/refined/processed carbs that don't have much nutrition, such as bread or pasta.
Carbs in fruits and vegetables are fine as they're natural - these are 'fiber' carbs and needed.
Just like sugar in a banana is natural when compared to sugar in sweets, natural carbs are full of nutrition (such as fibre) and are a much better choice when compared to processed carbs.
So carbs in bread....are not fiber carbs...and are not natural? Hmmmm.
No, bread isn't natural, it's man made and it's a refined carb (especially if it's white, whole grain is better for you and more nutritional). Bread is made from natural ingredients (wheat) so does have fiber in it, but it's a 'starchy' refined carb and nowhere near as nutritional as natural fiber carbs found in vegetables that grow naturally, such as broccoli.
So....ummmm...is it the chopping that makes wheat not a "natural fiber carb"? And...uh...what happens if you chop the tender broccoli florettes from the thick, inedible, gnarly, but surely naturally fibrous stalks?
[French Peasant scratches her head as she looks at a stand of wheat growing next to some broccoli plants in her garden.]11 -
This conversation is really interesting. I really don't understand why any diet would want you to cut down on cucumbers or carrots.4
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My husband went on a low carb diet recommended by his doctor. The doctor gave him a four page handout which explained the reasons for making the change, and one page that listed the categories of foods he should eat. I'd write or call your nutritionist and ask for a written plan of attack. You paid for the advice, now you're entitled to have access to the information!6
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Wow, some of these points scrutinising everything I say for no reason really...
I'm not saying to cut out bread and pasta - I eat both - I'm answering the first question asking what the nutritionist meant by carbs. It's obvious she didn't mean vegetables.
Eating bread isn't the same as eating vegetables; cooking salmon doesn't make it artificial. Absolutely ridiculous points you're trying to make.
BREAD WOULD NOT EXIST UNLESS SOMEONE COMBINED THE INGREDIENTS, KNEADED IT, LET IT RISE, AND BAKED IT; yes, it's made from natural ingredients, that doesn't make it a raw food, which I'm guessing is what the nutritionist is referring to - you're not eating wheat raw, are you?!
I'm not saying to cut out bread and pasta, I'm saying that a low carb diet refers to this (again, like atkins and keto diets).
It's not rocket science.
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janejellyroll wrote: »French_Peasant wrote: »I would imagine that your nutritionist is referring to heavy/refined/processed carbs that don't have much nutrition, such as bread or pasta.
Carbs in fruits and vegetables are fine as they're natural - these are 'fiber' carbs and needed.
Just like sugar in a banana is natural when compared to sugar in sweets, natural carbs are full of nutrition (such as fibre) and are a much better choice when compared to processed carbs.
So carbs in bread....are not fiber carbs...and are not natural? Hmmmm.
No, bread isn't natural, it's man made and it's a refined carb (especially if it's white, whole grain is better for you and more nutritional). Bread is made from natural ingredients (wheat) so does have fiber in it, but it's a 'starchy' refined carb and nowhere near as nutritional as natural fiber carbs found in vegetables that grow naturally, such as broccoli.
How can something with "natural ingredients" be unnatural? I mean, if I made a pot of chili that would be (wo)manmade, but it doesn't mean that the nutrients in it somehow vanish. Many of the foods we eat undergo some form of prep or processing (either by us or prior to the point of purchase).
A diet can include bread and broccoli. It's not like we have to forgo all the benefits of broccoli forever in order to have a slice of bread.
Beans in that chili or Texas style? Just had to ask.....
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Wow, some of these points scrutinising everything I say for no reason really...
I'm not saying to cut out bread and pasta - I eat both - I'm answering the first question asking what the nutritionist meant by carbs. It's obvious she didn't mean vegetables.
How is it obvious that's what her nutritionist meant? Surely her nutritionist should know what her client is regularly consuming and shouldn't just blanket state she is eating too many carbs without reviewing what it is that she is actually eating. OP has stated she mostly eats meat, fish, fruit, veg and nuts, no mention of over-indulging in bread and pasta.9 -
...Im still sitting here wondering why the next thing out of your mouth wasnt "ok - so whats a carb?"
Your nutritionist- who I assume you pay - should have been the one to answer that question and earn her fee.
Goodness.10 -
tinkerbellang83 wrote: »Wow, some of these points scrutinising everything I say for no reason really...
I'm not saying to cut out bread and pasta - I eat both - I'm answering the first question asking what the nutritionist meant by carbs. It's obvious she didn't mean vegetables.
How is it obvious that's what her nutritionist meant? Surely her nutritionist should know what her client is regularly consuming and shouldn't just blanket state she is eating too many carbs without reviewing what it is that she is actually eating. OP has stated she mostly eats meat, fish, fruit, veg and nuts, no mention of over-indulging in bread and pasta.
I really didn't mean to offend anyone, I'm simply making the point that complex carbs are not the same as simple carbs; no low carb diets (that I know of) cut out vegetables, but almost all cut down on pasta and white bread.
100g of bread is generally considered worse for you than 100g of broccoli in general nutrition & calories.
However, you're right - if she's only eating those foods and the nutritionist wasn't referring to refined carbs, she needs to sack the nutritionist immediately.4 -
Wow, some of these points scrutinising everything I say for no reason really...
I'm not saying to cut out bread and pasta - I eat both - I'm answering the first question asking what the nutritionist meant by carbs. It's obvious she didn't mean vegetables.
Eating bread isn't the same as eating vegetables; cooking salmon doesn't make it artificial. Absolutely ridiculous points you're trying to make.
BREAD WOULD NOT EXIST UNLESS SOMEONE COMBINED THE INGREDIENTS, KNEADED IT, LET IT RISE, AND BAKED IT; yes, it's made from natural ingredients, that doesn't make it a raw food, which I'm guessing is what the nutritionist is referring to - you're not eating wheat raw, are you?!
I'm not saying to cut out bread and pasta, I'm saying that a low carb diet refers to this (again, like atkins and keto diets).
It's not rocket science.
Chili wouldn't exist unless someone chopped the ingredients, mixed them, and applied heat. Salmon, as a food, wouldn't exist unless someone went to the water, got a fish out, killed it, cut it into pieces, applied seasoning, and cooked it. So . . . what's the point?
What does any of this have to do with whether or not we should eat bread?10 -
piperdown44 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »French_Peasant wrote: »I would imagine that your nutritionist is referring to heavy/refined/processed carbs that don't have much nutrition, such as bread or pasta.
Carbs in fruits and vegetables are fine as they're natural - these are 'fiber' carbs and needed.
Just like sugar in a banana is natural when compared to sugar in sweets, natural carbs are full of nutrition (such as fibre) and are a much better choice when compared to processed carbs.
So carbs in bread....are not fiber carbs...and are not natural? Hmmmm.
No, bread isn't natural, it's man made and it's a refined carb (especially if it's white, whole grain is better for you and more nutritional). Bread is made from natural ingredients (wheat) so does have fiber in it, but it's a 'starchy' refined carb and nowhere near as nutritional as natural fiber carbs found in vegetables that grow naturally, such as broccoli.
How can something with "natural ingredients" be unnatural? I mean, if I made a pot of chili that would be (wo)manmade, but it doesn't mean that the nutrients in it somehow vanish. Many of the foods we eat undergo some form of prep or processing (either by us or prior to the point of purchase).
A diet can include bread and broccoli. It's not like we have to forgo all the benefits of broccoli forever in order to have a slice of bread.
Beans in that chili or Texas style? Just had to ask.....
I have an all-inclusive chili philosophy.10 -
tinkerbellang83 wrote: »Wow, some of these points scrutinising everything I say for no reason really...
I'm not saying to cut out bread and pasta - I eat both - I'm answering the first question asking what the nutritionist meant by carbs. It's obvious she didn't mean vegetables.
How is it obvious that's what her nutritionist meant? Surely her nutritionist should know what her client is regularly consuming and shouldn't just blanket state she is eating too many carbs without reviewing what it is that she is actually eating. OP has stated she mostly eats meat, fish, fruit, veg and nuts, no mention of over-indulging in bread and pasta.
I really didn't mean to offend anyone, I'm simply making the point that complex carbs are not the same as simple carbs; no low carb diets (that I know of) cut out vegetables, but almost all cut down on pasta and white bread.
100g of bread is generally considered worse for you than 100g of broccoli in general nutrition & calories.
However, you're right - if she's only eating those foods and the nutritionist wasn't referring to refined carbs, she needs to sack the nutritionist immediately.
Psst . . . bread and pasta are are complex carbohydrates.16 -
Actually Chili con carne with beans is a "Texas-style". Texas-style is with or without beans.piperdown44 wrote: »Beans in that chili or Texas style? Just had to ask.....
The Texas Penal system came up with the idea to add beans in chili con carne to make it go farther, if I recall correctly.
"Chili con carne is the official dish of the U.S. state of Texas as designated by the House Concurrent Resolution Number 18 of the 65th Texas Legislature during its regular session in 1977.
"Texas-style chili" may or may not contain beans and may even be made without other vegetables whatsoever besides chili peppers." -- Wikipedia
But traditional Mexican chili con carne did not have beans in the mix.
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lemurcat12 wrote: »I would imagine that your nutritionist is referring to heavy/refined/processed carbs that don't have much nutrition, such as bread or pasta.
We have no clue what her "nutritionist" means or how much education she has, but using "carbs" to mean only highly refined starches would be a good sign that she's not a good nutritionist and is using words incorrectly.
Whole grains are considered reasonably nutritious, btw, and can be part of a very nutritious meal (a favorite of mine when losing weight -- with both whole wheat and white pasta -- was to combine a serving size with a sauce made of many vegetables (also carbs) and some lean meat, with a little olive oil and feta cheese, maybe some pinenuts). Fast, nutritious meal, so I'd like to know why it would be verboten in the advice.
Most foods that are normally meant by low nutrient, highly refined foods, btw, are really as much fat as carbs, like cookies, so it would be extra stupid to mean those if you said carbs.Carbs in fruits and vegetables are fine as they're natural - these are 'fiber' carbs and needed.
No, they are not merely fiber carbs, but also sugar and starches. Most of the calories in fruit, obviously, are from sugar.
They ARE fine, of course -- as are the starches in potatoes and grains which are also natural. (How would they not be natural? Where do you think they come from?)Just like sugar in a banana is natural when compared to sugar in sweets, natural carbs are full of nutrition (such as fibre) and are a much better choice when compared to processed carbs.
Again, do you imagine that the carbs in potatoes are added in? Or the carbs in grains, like say oats or, again, bread? (Some bread has a bit of sugar added, but it need not, and anyway the sugar isn't actually different in kind from that in fruit, it's a matter of dosage and what it comes with.)
There may be a reason for OP to do a low carb diet, but as others would say, recommending it without explaining what is being recommended or the reasons for it is extremely irresponsible.
Thanks for your long corrective rant, but I was using simplistic terms relevant to her query and was simply saying that a LOW CARB DIET refers to cutting carbs such as bread and pasta out, rather than low carb/high fiber foods such as vegetables. It's most common in the atkins or keto diets - which obviously don't cut out vegetables (like the cucumber she has mentioned).
Potatoes are a vegetable, not a refined carb like those I mentioned - not sure why you've even brought those up.
Yes, whole wheat bread and pasta can be nutritional, but they're not as nutritious as fruit and vegetables. You can cut bread and pasta out of a diet completely to no affect, but if you cut vegetables out you'd be unhealthy. End of.
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