Are carbs really the enemy?
Mandylou19912014
Posts: 208 Member
So I just wanted to hear how other people view carbs. I know that they are in pretty much every single food like your fruit and veg and in dairy etc, which is why keto diets exist to find the foods that have the lowest carb contents. However, I do also think they are useful for giving you energy and keeping you full. Are they really the enemy and should we really be avoiding them? Keen to hear other people’s thoughts
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Replies
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They aren't evil or bad and we shouldn't be avoiding them unless there's medical reason to do so (just like some people have medical reason to avoid protein or fats)11
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Over-eating and inactivity are the real enemies.29
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Taking in each and every tidbit of "information" without thinking critically and using common sense, is the real enemy.23
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not necessarily the enemy, no. I did however see a medical program about how individuals deal with carbs personally. It was on the BBC. I have found some details about the Cracker Test they did on the program for you.
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/229568/20180606/how-a-30-second-cracker-test-reveals-how-much-carbs-you-can-eat-per-day.htm15 -
Eat ALL the carbs! Hahaha. Carbs are delicious AND they’re wonderful for energy.
The only time I avoid rice/bread/pasta is when I’m on the verge of a weight goal and don’t want to be held up for a week with water weight. But that’s just because I retain water really easily. But I DONT avoid them for actual weight loss purposes.
I love carbs so much. And they haven’t hindered my progress.5 -
I don't think any food type is an enemy unless it would actually make you sick or kill you to eat it.
Diet choice tends to be a preference unless you have a medical condition requiring you eat a particular way or avoid certain foods.
Some people do well with a lower carb diet- feel more satisfied and able to stick to their goal. Others do better with greater amounts of carbs. For weight management calories are more important than type of food so just eat the foods you like and the diet you can sustain.
If you love food with a lot of carbs you probably will have trouble sustaining a lower carb diet long term. If you are vegan then eating a very low carb diet also is probably not the best plan. My observation is the more restrictive and rule heavy a diet is the harder it is for most to sustain for months or years for weight loss and maintenance purposes. Most people seem to be better off making small changes to their normal way of eating.
I think I do best with just moderation. Moderate amounts of protein, fats and carbs.5 -
It goes to show the power of media. Carbs are nothing to be feared, the fear started because in the media, that's how they portray carbs. My mom was watching Rachel Ray the other day and it annoyed me that she kept saying "Oh this is a very healthy meal because how low the carbs are in this recipe"....I cringed when I heard that. Just because a meal has low carb, doesn't mean nothing. It is very rare for me to hear on tv or in magazine that you need to eat less calories than you burn. Very rare, it actually surprises me when I hear it on rare occasions.
As long as you don't have health issues requiring you to limit carbs, in the end, it's all about being in a caloric deficit. I have done 5 years of bulking and cutting and my diet has always been high carbs to the point I have to force myself to hit my minimum of fats. Nonetheless, I have always managed to lose the weight I wanted when cutting and I've gained the weight I wanted when bulking.
The fear of carbs is just exaggerated and it doesn't help that there's this keto fad going on where you have snake oil salesmen putting more useless fear in people on the dangers of carbs.7 -
kommodevaran wrote: »Taking in each and every tidbit of "information" without thinking critically and using common sense, is the real enemy.
So much this.7 -
Precisely.kommodevaran wrote: »Taking in each and every tidbit of "information" without thinking critically and using common sense, is the real enemy.
No, carbs aren't the enemy. Not having a balanced diet and a good exercise regime are.7 -
I often go way over on the carbs mfp recommends for each day, but stay within my calories, and I'm still losing as expected.6
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Mandylou19912014 wrote: »So I just wanted to hear how other people view carbs. I know that they are in pretty much every single food like your fruit and veg and in dairy etc, which is why keto diets exist to find the foods that have the lowest carb contents. However, I do also think they are useful for giving you energy and keeping you full. Are they really the enemy and should we really be avoiding them? Keen to hear other people’s thoughts
Your understanding of the driving force behind trends that you are seeing is woefully narrow minded. Ketogenic diets have been used for decades to treat various medical conditions - originally to help with epilepsy, more recently (again for decades) to help those with insulin related illnesses manage their conditions. It can be very helpful for those with a legitimate reason to reduce or minimize carb intake. It’s become a fad diet more recently because of the prevalence of overblown statements in the media sensationalizing and fear mongering and appealing to people who just want to grab onto the latest click bait headline and being seduced by colorful infographics.
For those choosing a ketogenic diet for weight loss, they have a tendency to lose a higher amount of initial water weight which levels off and there is no long term metabolic advantage for weight loss for keto compared to any other diet with calorie restrictions. Some people find the foods satiating and enjoy eating a high fat diet, this may help with adherence to the diet where other approaches were not sustainable.
In general, any article, blog post, book etc that uses buzz words like “carbs are the enemy” should be widely dismissed. They are marketing to people who aren’t knowledgeable enough to understand the true scientific principles behind weight loss and who are looking for quick fixes. By running here to start a discussion thread to see what others think about this topic demonstrates your inability to think critically, vet sources, and wade through misinformation for yourself. Stop looking at instagram and go to google scholar. Read peer reviewed journal articles instead of the daily mail.
Or... use the search feature here and read some of the hundreds of debates on this topic that already exist in these forums rather than starting your own individual thread.20 -
MsHarryWinston wrote: »Eat ALL the carbs! Hahaha. Carbs are delicious AND they’re wonderful for energy.
The only time I avoid rice/bread/pasta is when I’m on the verge of a weight goal and don’t want to be held up for a week with water weight. But that’s just because I retain water really easily. But I DONT avoid them for actual weight loss purposes.
I love carbs so much. And they haven’t hindered my progress.
We are the same person! I'm trying to meet a goal tomorrow, so that english muffin at work will not go in my tummy today, next week however, it's on, with zero guilt!2 -
WinoGelato wrote: »Mandylou19912014 wrote: »So I just wanted to hear how other people view carbs. I know that they are in pretty much every single food like your fruit and veg and in dairy etc, which is why keto diets exist to find the foods that have the lowest carb contents. However, I do also think they are useful for giving you energy and keeping you full. Are they really the enemy and should we really be avoiding them? Keen to hear other people’s thoughts
Your understanding of the driving force behind trends that you are seeing is woefully narrow minded. Ketogenic diets have been used for decades to treat various medical conditions - originally to help with epilepsy, more recently (again for decades) to help those with insulin related illnesses manage their conditions. It can be very helpful for those with a legitimate reason to reduce or minimize carb intake. It’s become a fad diet more recently because of the prevalence of overblown statements in the media sensationalizing and fear mongering and appealing to people who just want to grab onto the latest click bait headline and being seduced by colorful infographics.
For those choosing a ketogenic diet for weight loss, they have a tendency to lose a higher amount of initial water weight which levels off and there is no long term metabolic advantage for weight loss for keto compared to any other diet with calorie restrictions. Some people find the foods satiating and enjoy eating a high fat diet, this may help with adherence to the diet where other approaches were not sustainable.
In general, any article, blog post, book etc that uses buzz words like “carbs are the enemy” should be widely dismissed. They are marketing to people who aren’t knowledgeable enough to understand the true scientific principles behind weight loss and who are looking for quick fixes. By running here to start a discussion thread to see what others think about this topic demonstrates your inability to think critically, vet sources, and wade through misinformation for yourself. Stop looking at instagram and go to google scholar. Read peer reviewed journal articles instead of the daily mail.
Or... use the search feature here and read some of the hundreds of debates on this topic that already exist in these forums rather than starting your own individual thread.
Keto diets are known to be low in carbs .. that’s not me being narrow minded that’s me identifying an example of a diet which is low in carbs .. I plucked the keto diet out of air as an example of something people follow to reduce their carb intake, I can see that lately it’s become quite a well known diet plan so just wanted to see what others thought about cutting back carbs and if it works for them etc. I have done some of my own research on having carbs in diets etc but as this is a forum where I am able to speak to lots of different people with different views etc I wanted to write a thread.7 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »Are they really the enemy and should we really be avoiding them?
No.4 -
jillstreett wrote: »MsHarryWinston wrote: »Eat ALL the carbs! Hahaha. Carbs are delicious AND they’re wonderful for energy.
The only time I avoid rice/bread/pasta is when I’m on the verge of a weight goal and don’t want to be held up for a week with water weight. But that’s just because I retain water really easily. But I DONT avoid them for actual weight loss purposes.
I love carbs so much. And they haven’t hindered my progress.
We are the same person! I'm trying to meet a goal tomorrow, so that english muffin at work will not go in my tummy today, next week however, it's on, with zero guilt!
Love it! There’s a goal I’m hoping to see by the 7th. It’s my final mini weight goal before I actually hit “GOAL” so this week I’m all meat, cheese and veg, but next week I’m going to be stuffing rice, pizza and bagels into my face like RAAAAAAAWR!
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No, carbs are not the enemy. Do not demonize any foods. The body needs carbs, fats and protein and it is not healthy to avoid any of them. The key is moderation and ratio. Keep your macros balanced and it will fall into place. That said there are carbs that offer far more nutritional value than others, so you want to make sure you are getting nutrient dense food to get the most bank for your buck.
80/20 rule works well, so that you don't get that feeling of depravation and can still enjoy those "treats" without the guilt.1 -
I think carb rich foods are perfectly fine and delicious to eat but they're filler - extra calories. If you're over fat carbs are where you cut back.
This is what I was taught at home about health and nutrition growing up (before seemingly everyone was fat and sick) and I've found it all to be true:
Whole foods are healthful.
Meat/animal products and vegetables are the nutritious parts of the meal.
Bread, grains and starches are filler foods - if calories need to be reduced this is where you cut down.
Sugar should be limited - if calories need to be reduced this is what you cut out.
Don't snack.
Be active.
Go outside. Fresh air and sunshine are necessary for good health.
Go to bed.18 -
I love fruit and veggies. Carbs are a huge part of my diet.4
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It goes to show the power of media. Carbs are nothing to be feared, the fear started because in the media, that's how they portray carbs. My mom was watching Rachel Ray the other day and it annoyed me that she kept saying "Oh this is a very healthy meal because how low the carbs are in this recipe"....I cringed when I heard that. Just because a meal has low carb, doesn't mean nothing. It is very rare for me to hear on tv or in magazine that you need to eat less calories than you burn. Very rare, it actually surprises me when I hear it on rare occasions.
As long as you don't have health issues requiring you to limit carbs, in the end, it's all about being in a caloric deficit. I have done 5 years of bulking and cutting and my diet has always been high carbs to the point I have to force myself to hit my minimum of fats. Nonetheless, I have always managed to lose the weight I wanted when cutting and I've gained the weight I wanted when bulking.
The fear of carbs is just exaggerated and it doesn't help that there's this keto fad going on where you have snake oil salesmen putting more useless fear in people on the dangers of carbs.
I signed up for one of those monthly meal prep services (basically you do all your cooking for the month in a weekend to freeze it) - they had tons of low carb recipes (labelled as such) but when I asked if they intended to do the same with lower-fat...I got told it was too hard for them...I cancelled my subscription I day later0 -
Having seen so much misinformation that starts with "People say..." or "I've heard..." or "Research says...", I have determined that the real enemy is Facebook.23
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Mandylou19912014 wrote: »So I just wanted to hear how other people view carbs. I know that they are in pretty much every single food like your fruit and veg and in dairy etc, which is why keto diets exist to find the foods that have the lowest carb contents. However, I do also think they are useful for giving you energy and keeping you full. Are they really the enemy and should we really be avoiding them? Keen to hear other people’s thoughts
No...1 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »So I just wanted to hear how other people view carbs. I know that they are in pretty much every single food like your fruit and veg and in dairy etc, which is why keto diets exist to find the foods that have the lowest carb contents. However, I do also think they are useful for giving you energy and keeping you full. Are they really the enemy and should we really be avoiding them? Keen to hear other people’s thoughts
The only time I cut carbs is when I'm cutting and need to balance my macros with adequate fat and high protein. In that instance, I tend to lower carbs based on total calories rather than whether or not they are bad. For instance if I'm cutting at a higher rate I try to keep an average of about .8-1g/lb of target body weight, and if that means that I need to cut carbs down to stay under my calorie goal and keep my fat levels high enough then so be it. I don't truly believe that makes me lose more fat, only calorie deficit does that. But, carbs are the first place I cut because they are less important to me than adequate fat or protein. /shrug
As far as a keto diet, you probably should consult your doctor before going on one. As it has been mentioned, they are designed for specific medical reasons. For people who have medical reasons to be on a keto diet it has been noticed that it helps them burn fat a little quicker. Doesn't mean it'll work for everyone, and it doesn't mean it won't cause you health problems down the road. The only people I know personally who use keto for weight loss generally lose the weight they want then after going off the keto diet gain it all back in less time than it took to lose it in the first place. To me that doesn't make much sense.2 -
Carbs are not the enemy. Over consumption of carbs is the problem. Very low carb (keto) diets are fashionable right now, but they are not magic and potentially harmful over the long term. Most people are going to be best off out of dietary ketosis, but not consuming alot more carbs than necessary to accomplish that. A good rule of thumb for someone who is not doing a ton of cardio would be 100-150 grams per day.12
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Carbs are not the enemy. Over consumption of carbs is the problem. Very low carb (keto) diets are fashionable right now, but they are not magic and potentially harmful over the long term. Most people are going to be best off out of dietary ketosis, but not consuming alot more carbs than necessary to accomplish that. A good rule of thumb for someone who is not doing a ton of cardio would be 100-150 grams per day.
I think you mean calories...6 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Carbs are not the enemy. Over consumption of carbs is the problem. Very low carb (keto) diets are fashionable right now, but they are not magic and potentially harmful over the long term. Most people are going to be best off out of dietary ketosis, but not consuming alot more carbs than necessary to accomplish that. A good rule of thumb for someone who is not doing a ton of cardio would be 100-150 grams per day.
I think you mean calories...
I meant carbs, but you can over consume carbs and/or calories. The OP was asking specifically if carbs are the enemy.15 -
The article quoted above is interesting. insufficient amylase causing reduced carb digestion therefore being over weight, thought provoking. Thank you.
eta, its not uncommon for the body to work less well as we age. Getting older could be the enemy.3 -
SuzySunshine99 wrote: »Having seen so much misinformation that starts with "People say..." or "I've heard..." or "Research says...", I have determined that the real enemy is Facebook.
Facebook sucks6 -
My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes, and in support of that, we both took a nutrition course with a dietician. I've also done a lot of other research. Carbs are not the enemy, but all the carbs you take in change to sugar in your body. Now that sugar is what gives you energy, and is necessary. But some carbs are better than others, will spike your blood sugar (even if you don't have diabetes) which is not a good thing. But if you eat too few, your liver will kick in and release a bunch glucose into your system, and that isn't good. You want to avoid starchy carbs like pasta and white bread, and potatoes and replace those with healthy carbs like salads and broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes. There are carbs that are OK in moderation like whole wheat pasta, and bread, brown rice, corn, peas, etc. So to cut carbs out of your diet is just not a good idea.
But I think another important part is portion control. When you buy something to eat, look at what constitutes a portion size. It's a lot smaller than you think! A serving of meat is between 2 and 4 oz. A serving size of vegetables can be 1/3 of a cup to a full cup. This is why you need to pay attention and read labels. A serving size of salad dressing is one or two tablespoons. A serving size of peanut butter is 1 TBSP.
And sugars - have you ever looked at the sugars in a box of cereal? You think you are eating healthy and you aren't. Milk is high in sugars. And Starbucks drinks like frappachinos? Don't even think about it.
So no, I don't think carbs are the enemy, but I think you need to pay attention to them. For a woman 30-45 per meal.
Do some research.
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WinoGelato wrote: »Mandylou19912014 wrote: »So I just wanted to hear how other people view carbs. I know that they are in pretty much every single food like your fruit and veg and in dairy etc, which is why keto diets exist to find the foods that have the lowest carb contents. However, I do also think they are useful for giving you energy and keeping you full. Are they really the enemy and should we really be avoiding them? Keen to hear other people’s thoughts
Your understanding of the driving force behind trends that you are seeing is woefully narrow minded. Ketogenic diets have been used for decades to treat various medical conditions - originally to help with epilepsy, more recently (again for decades) to help those with insulin related illnesses manage their conditions. It can be very helpful for those with a legitimate reason to reduce or minimize carb intake. It’s become a fad diet more recently because of the prevalence of overblown statements in the media sensationalizing and fear mongering and appealing to people who just want to grab onto the latest click bait headline and being seduced by colorful infographics.
For those choosing a ketogenic diet for weight loss, they have a tendency to lose a higher amount of initial water weight which levels off and there is no long term metabolic advantage for weight loss for keto compared to any other diet with calorie restrictions. Some people find the foods satiating and enjoy eating a high fat diet, this may help with adherence to the diet where other approaches were not sustainable.
In general, any article, blog post, book etc that uses buzz words like “carbs are the enemy” should be widely dismissed. They are marketing to people who aren’t knowledgeable enough to understand the true scientific principles behind weight loss and who are looking for quick fixes. By running here to start a discussion thread to see what others think about this topic demonstrates your inability to think critically, vet sources, and wade through misinformation for yourself. Stop looking at instagram and go to google scholar. Read peer reviewed journal articles instead of the daily mail.
Or... use the search feature here and read some of the hundreds of debates on this topic that already exist in these forums rather than starting your own individual thread.
That's it exactly. I agree with the bolded. The low carb bandwagon is overloaded with people jumping on board to sell something.
Low carb can be really helpful to some, but things are starting to go the same way that low fat went. Processed low carb foods, basically the LCHF equivalent of Snackwells, are starting to pop up all over which is missing part of the point when it comes to LCHF for better health, or taking advantage of the possible appetite suppression.... Don't go buying LCHF snack foods when trying to cut back on snacking.
I'm a celiac. When the Gluten-free craze hit I was at first pleased because it made my life a bit simpler, but those GF substitute foods are generally inferior products (nutritionally and to the wallet) than those foods that are naturally GF.
I feel the same way about LCHF. At first it made my life simpler that people understood it. Now people want to feed my low carb substitutes of stuff like bread and desserts. Just like the GF stuff, it's less healthy and doesn't really help with weight management either. People seem to forget that food can be naturally low carb and gimmicks aren't needed.4 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »So I just wanted to hear how other people view carbs. I know that they are in pretty much every single food like your fruit and veg and in dairy etc, which is why keto diets exist to find the foods that have the lowest carb contents. However, I do also think they are useful for giving you energy and keeping you full. Are they really the enemy and should we really be avoiding them? Keen to hear other people’s thoughts
Keto diets exist because it was believed that low carb could help control certain medical conditions (and it can do). They do not exist to find foods that have low carb content. Their goal is low carb, not their purpose. I'm beginning to see why there are so many miscommunications and misunderstanding happening.
Carbs are not the enemy for healthy individuals. There are many ways in which carbs can be part of a healthy balanced diet.
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