Is high carb healthy?

slt56789
slt56789 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I don’t always count calories but I have for the past few days. The first picture is what I would normally consider a healthy day of eating. Yes it’s fairly high carb, but I really enjoy carb loaded foods and don’t have any real interest in fatty or protein rich foods. 50% carb is about as low as I’ve ever been able to do. I am trying out a vegan diet now and I am concerned about how little fat and protein I’m getting. How can I get more fat and protein in a vegan diet? The second picture shows my macros so far today.

Replies

  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    edited July 2018
    Of course it's healthy, why shouldn't it? I also eat a high carb diet to a point that sometimes I have to force myself to add some fats or else they would be too low. With fats, it's important not to go too low, because it can *kitten* up your hormones. As for carbs, too low or too high, they don't make a difference health wise unless you have a medical issue requiring you limiting them. Where carbs can make a big difference is when you do physical activities. They help you thrive.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    High carb, just like low carb, is as healthy as you make it. Are you eating a varied diet and have a reasonable deficit? Then your diet is healthy, regardless of the macro you choose to eat more of.

    Your fat intake in the first picture looks fine to me, so I wouldn't worry too much about that unless you'd like it higher (in which case, nuts help). The only issue I see is that protein could be a little bit higher, maybe 20 grams more at least? If you introduce more activity you should be able to increase protein without reducing carbs. It doesn't have to be something drastic, just an evening stroll should do it.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Pritikin and Ornish seem to have great results with higher carb diets. They can be quite good. IMO, keeping refined and highly processed carbs (flour based goods like baked goods and noodles, and added sugar) to a minimum seems to help keep it healthier - probably true for any diet but a higher percentage of refined carbs may be larger on a higher carb diet.

    You probably could use more protein though. You are below or barely exceeding the minimum needed for continued good health. Maybe a vegan protein powder could help?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Higher protein vegan foods: Beans, tofu/tempeh, seitan, protein powders made from soy/hemp/rice/peas

    Higher fat vegan foods: Plant oils, coconut, avocado, olives, nuts/seeds

    A high carbohydrate diet, in and of itself, isn't healthy or unhealthy. Like any other diet, it's going to come down to the foods you choose to meet your nutritional needs.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Beyond Meat makes very high protein stuff out of peas.
  • maybebeccadough
    maybebeccadough Posts: 49 Member
    edited August 2018
    I have researched this pretty extensively being vegan. The lower limit for fats for women that I've seen is around 25-30g per day. There are fat soluble vitamins you might have trouble absorbing at lower levels. Also. I believe 10% protein is about the lower limit there, as well.

    More worryingly, working from the grams of macros provided, you only ate 825 calories on your high-carb day? That's way too low, by at least 300 calories, unless you are being monitored by a doctor, or drinking alcohol in addition to your diet. Adding some nuts, seeds and tofu would get you to the 1200 calorie threshhold, and add some needed fat and protein.

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