Are carbs really that bad?

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  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Yeah, that white pasta and bread gives you a horrible body, just look at all those fugly Italians who have one or both at every meal :laugh:
  • LickyNees
    LickyNees Posts: 101 Member
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    carbs are very bad for weight loss, if you are getting carbs from fruit and veg there isnt an issue, the issue lies with bread,pasta, white potato etc. read any nutritionist books and you will learn why I have put what i have posted.

    Right. So how did the twinkie diet work then?
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
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    white rice ,bread and pasta are bad but whole wheat rice,pasta and bread are very good for you.

    why are they bad?

    I can say why white bread and pasta are bad for me... I didn't feel full. Eating white bread and pasta seriously just made me want more and more and more. And if I did get full, I was hungry after just an hour. Same goes for flour and sugar based junk foods and pastries and such. Even when I tried to stay within caloric restriction, I couldn't because I just felt SOOOOO HUNGRY.

    Now that I avoid the white and eat the whole grain (and I vary the grain so I'm not eating just wheat wheat wheat) I feel a lot more in control. I don't have as much hunger or cravings.

    Sure I still eat white bread or white pasta occasionally, but I treat it the same way I would a chocolate bar or pastry. Something to be consumed as an occasional treat.

    I'm sure that if you can stick within your calorie limits, wheat or white won't make a difference as far as weight loss goes, but for me, getting rid of the white is helping me stay within my limits. I'm still eating lots of carbs, I'm just choosing them more carefully.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    <--- About 50% carbs. Pasta, bread, potatoes and/or rice daily. :drinker:
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
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    No scientific data here, I just think the key here, as it is in many things, is to know your body and how you respond to different foods. For some people, carbs like white bread, pasta or rice can lead to over eating... now whether this is due to habit or not, I couldn't say.
  • ooOOooGravy
    ooOOooGravy Posts: 476 Member
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    Only from personall experience here: I eat plenty of Carbs, much pasta, loads of potatoes and Brown Bread until it comes out my ears, i try to aviod the sugar carbs best i can (barring fruit, but not too much), sugar is my biggest killer, i run/cycle or swim 6 days a week for 30+ minutes too, which helps i guess.

    Anyway, from what iv been eating, which is reletively high carb, iv lost 44lbs in 4 months! Only personal experience here, i suppose everyone is different :)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    The problem with the white stuff is that they are very high on the glycemic index. That measures the effect of the carb on your blood sugar level. Some carbs burn very fast and flood your bloodstream with sugar which causes your body to produce a flood of insulin to clear it out. Insulin is produced by your liver and it is the liver's job to "clean it up". The liver also regulates fat storage and fat burning.

    Can you lose weight and eat white carbs? Yes. But you can lose it faster if you avoid them, and your liver and body in general will run more efficiently.
  • december8teen
    december8teen Posts: 107
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    The problem with the white stuff is that they are very high on the glycemic index. That measures the effect of the carb on your blood sugar level. Some carbs burn very fast and flood your bloodstream with sugar which causes your body to produce a flood of insulin to clear it out. Insulin is produced by your liver and it is the liver's job to "clean it up". The liver also regulates fat storage and fat burning.

    Can you lose weight and eat white carbs? Yes. But you can lose it faster if you avoid them, and your liver and body in general will run more efficiently.

    ^ Agree on the GI issue of having refined carbohydrates.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    carbs are very bad for weight loss, if you are getting carbs from fruit and veg there isnt an issue, the issue lies with bread,pasta, white potato etc. read any nutritionist books and you will learn why I have put what i have posted.
    LOL at scientific journals that say carbs like potatoes and bread are bad.......science doesn't work that way.


    what are you on about? listen mate if you cant even be arsed to put a picture on here of your self, I would suggest you dont comment on this thread, mr faceless.

    here is my opinion bad carbs and seems alot of people agree with this, I avoid, white bread, white pasta,rice, etc, good carbs fruit,veg, wholemeal stuff, heres a thought....... any weight loss for a human being has been based around diet and calorie restriction in the last 40 years, but why is the population continuing to get bigger? a diet in high protein works better for me, you dont see body builders at 3%body fat, eating more carbs than protein thus the reason why I believe carbs are bad for weight loss, but thats just my opinion, everybodys body is different and each to their own.

    did you completely ignore my post? and guess what every single diet works due to calorie restriction, unless you want to point me towards a diet that works by consistently eating in a caloric surplus
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Carbs aren't bad, unless you have some kind of metabolic issue, diabetes, insulin resistance, celiac, etc. If you're healthy, there's nothing wrong with eating as many carbs as you want, as long as you get in enough protein and fat, and stick to your overall calorie goals.

    ^ /Thread. This is a great summary.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Glycemic index is completely irrelevant for people without medical conditions related to insulin.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    go away!

    Haha, no. Not going anywhere. You can ignore me if you want, but I'm not leaving.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    The problem with the white stuff is that they are very high on the glycemic index. That measures the effect of the carb on your blood sugar level. Some carbs burn very fast and flood your bloodstream with sugar which causes your body to produce a flood of insulin to clear it out. Insulin is produced by your liver and it is the liver's job to "clean it up". The liver also regulates fat storage and fat burning.

    Can you lose weight and eat white carbs? Yes. But you can lose it faster if you avoid them, and your liver and body in general will run more efficiently.

    Insulin is actually produced by your pancreas, not your liver. GI is meaningless unless you have diabetes.
  • fluffball1
    fluffball1 Posts: 9 Member
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    just been reading this topic (sorry it's a late reply) but I've just started a low carb low cal diet called 'Weight to Go' where meals are supplied and you get shakes, bars, soups etc. It's 850 cals per day and as a vegetarian, I have finally found one of these plans I can follow with sufficient variety.

    I have realised that the way the plan gets to be so low cal but still lets you feel fullish is due to the fact there are virtually no carbs apart from what you might add by way of veggies and fruit. (2 portions on top of food supplied).

    As a fully confessed carbaholic, I have been worried that I would have intense carb cravings but these disappeared much more quickly than I expected after only 2 days of doing the plan! I have occasionally given in and had the odd piece of brown bread but otherwise I've managed to virtually avoid carbs which is nothing short of a miracle.. however I must stress I am only day 5 on the plan! lol

    The main problem is just the habit of getting something to eat! Cooking for the family at a weekend has been hard too, knowing that I'm not going to be eating with them but assume I will get used to it. Very quickly I have adapted to eating less, I've been a little hungry and sometimes lack of energy in the afternoons but feel great in the mornings and much more active.

    I have been recently diagnosed as suffering from insulin resistance and was even prescribed meds such as Metformin to help with this even though I'm not a diabetic and this is a diabetic drug. I have had horrible side effects with this medication so I needed to find another alternative to help me with my insulin resistance problem , my weight has been piling on so quickly and I was getting way too heavy too quick. I'm really hoping this diet will be the answer although I realise that long term I still need to find a way of having small amounts of carbs but without going mad. My body simply can't use refined carbs well and I store them immediately as fat.
  • pfeiferfit
    pfeiferfit Posts: 138 Member
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    Sorry if this was already answered-

    Re White Potatos and other white starches and why they're bad...


    Because they cause your blood sugar to spike right away, vs a slower digested carb. For me, with a metabolic issue, it's bad. For a weightlifter or someone who's young it may not be an issue. But sooner or later, it's not the body's preferred food unless we're talking fat storage.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    I ate a lower carb diet and had great results. I think the key to that diet though was the fact that everything I ate I made myself. I didn't have all of the extre chemicals and salt that are in packaged foods. I was getting all of the nutrients from foods that were deficient in what I was eating before. I had <gasp> white potatoes every day! I didn't have any pasta or breads, but that isn't a great portion of my diet normally anyway. I do think more than anything, the key was that I was getting more protein than normal and I really needed that.
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
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    When I was very obese, I could not even LOOK at a carb without gaining 10 lbs - seriously - it was a viscious, snowballing cycle - I'd eat bread, gain more weight, crave more bread, gain more weight, etc etc etc!

    I had to limit my carbs when I was in that pre-diabetic state in order just to lose some of that stubborn weight.

    Now that I"ve lost a lot of weight, I can actually eat bread/potatoes, even occasional sweets without it affecting my weight loss. Why? Because now that I am at a more healthy weight, my prediabetes has gone away (some may say "cured!") and my body now can tolerate carbs like a 'normal' person.

    The goal for me is: keeping your body in good balance and if you have a genetic predisposition to diabetes (which I do) then carbs are definitely something to look at and consider (the reduction or elimination of).

    Just my opinion.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    I could never give up carbs. I just make healthier choices when I eat them. Whole grain low carb breads, pasta, sweet potatoes, whole grain rice. I try to stay away from refined sugars,watch portion size and make sure it fits into my goals for the day.
  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
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    No scientific data here, I just think the key here, as it is in many things, is to know your body and how you respond to different foods. For some people, carbs like white bread, pasta or rice can lead to over eating... now whether this is due to habit or not, I couldn't say.


    I think this is very true. For me personally I LOVE carbs... potato, white bread, white rice and pasta. But I find it very easy to over eat when I have these so when I am trying to lose weight I try and avoid them but still get my carbs from things such as friut and veg.

    If you are losing weight and eating a balanced diet which includes carbs then great, don't worry about changing it. If you find that carbs are a problem for you then yeah have a look at what you can cut out. Weight loss may speed up but it would probably be because you are including other things that have less calories or lower fat content in place of the carbs.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    The problem with the white stuff is that they are very high on the glycemic index. That measures the effect of the carb on your blood sugar level. Some carbs burn very fast and flood your bloodstream with sugar which causes your body to produce a flood of insulin to clear it out. Insulin is produced by your liver and it is the liver's job to "clean it up". The liver also regulates fat storage and fat burning.

    Can you lose weight and eat white carbs? Yes. But you can lose it faster if you avoid them, and your liver and body in general will run more efficiently.

    Insulin is actually produced by your pancreas, not your liver. GI is meaningless unless you have diabetes.

    You are right, it is produced by pancreas, but the chemical processes in converting the insulin has a lot to do with the liver, and the liver has everything to do with whether it is stored as fat or not.

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