"Good" Carbs

JakoRens
JakoRens Posts: 7
edited October 7 in Food and Nutrition
Hi peeps,

I keep on staying well below my Goal Carbs (+- 212) per day and I don't want to start eating bread to fill it up, I do however eat couscous from time to time.

Is there anything else I could try except pasta or potatoes?

Thanks!
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Replies

  • adidrea
    adidrea Posts: 275 Member
    Quinoa! And oatmeal (but not the instant stuff, go for the whole rolled oats). :flowerforyou:
  • Kewl, thanks! Will give oatmeal a try! :smile:
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Steel cut oats, brown rice, multigrain anything.
    I like a good bowl of cereal before bed!
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
    Rice

    50# sacks are pretty cheap at asian stores or Costco

    invest in a good rice cooker - it makes all the difference
  • Ironbeak88
    Ironbeak88 Posts: 24 Member
    Stay away from potatoes, they're high on the glycemic index and will actually cause weight gain. Try whole wheat bread, kamut, or sprouted grain breads.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    No need to eat the carbs MFP gives you. MFP tends to be high on carbs and low on protein. You can go in and change you %, maybe increase protein by 5-10% and lower carbs by the same. The fat goal on MFP is pretty reasonable.

    To make the change, go to goals, > change goals > Custom > make your changes > save changes.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Stay away from potatoes, they're high on the glycemic index and will actually cause weight gain. Try whole wheat bread, kamut, or sprouted grain breads.

    Food high on GI index does not mean you will gain weight. You will only gain weight if you take in more calories than you consume. high GI foods are only bad from those with or prone to diabetes.
  • Thanks Eric, Yep, I keep going over Protein and under Carbs... Will do!
  • emergencytennis
    emergencytennis Posts: 864 Member
    No need to eat the carbs MFP gives you. MFP tends to be high on carbs and low on protein. You can go in and change you %, maybe increase protein by 5-10% and lower carbs by the same. The fat goal on MFP is pretty reasonable.

    To make the change, go to goals, > change goals > Custom > make your changes > save changes.

    I agree. I ignore the carbs part, go over the protein a bit, hit the calorie goal.
  • Ironbeak88
    Ironbeak88 Posts: 24 Member
    Stay away from potatoes, they're high on the glycemic index and will actually cause weight gain. Try whole wheat bread, kamut, or sprouted grain breads.

    Food high on GI index does not mean you will gain weight. You will only gain weight if you take in more calories than you consume. high GI foods are only bad from those with or prone to diabetes.

    Recently from a local nutritionist I have heard otherwise...It's a new discovery. I'm not saying don't ever eat potatoes, but be aware of your intake.
  • MrsGreenTea703
    MrsGreenTea703 Posts: 300 Member
    Agreed, beware of potatoes, white bread, and white sugar. My carb intake for the day is anywhere between 30-40g and I couldn't be happier. I eat absolutely no bread or potatoes and believe it or not, but that food is not the best for your body. Your topic is called "Good" carbs, well these are not them. This is a great lifestyle for me and it's working.

    Some of the "Good" carbs come from your dark green veggies, cauliflower, and cabbage. There is a wonderful Cauliflower rice that you can make or you can make mashed cauliflower. You would want to stay away from the bad carbs in carrots and corn. Also don't use vegetable oil, instead use Olive Oil. These are just a few of many things I've learned in the last 5 months. I'm here if you need anything!
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member

    Recently from a local nutritionist I have heard otherwise...It's a new discovery. I'm not saying don't ever eat potatoes, but be aware of your intake.

    They are wrong
  • I'll have to try Cauliflower rice that sounds amazing! I struggle to not eat bread for lunch when I'm working, but it's wholegrain at least.
  • mandylooo
    mandylooo Posts: 456 Member
    Bulgar wheat. Does a similar thing to couscous but contains more protein.

    I take what you're really aiming for here is to have additional nutrients riding along with your carbs?
  • bghere
    bghere Posts: 42
    Carbs are your friend. Carbs, especially those junk food types with no nutritional values are bad. Carbs are NOT a friend to anyone who is mostly sedentary. Potatos are very good for, unless you are insulin sensitive, eat all you want, they are nutritional, and burn off like any other carb if you take the time to do it. If you exercise though, and are otherwise active, your body must have carbs to power your muscles. Oatmeal is a great slow burn energy provider, if you are into endurance type of exercising
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Carbs are your friend. Carbs, especially those junk food types with no nutritional values are bad. Carbs are NOT a friend to anyone who is mostly sedentary. Potatos are very good for, unless you are insulin sensitive, eat all you want, they are nutritional, and burn off like any other carb if you take the time to do it. If you exercise though, and are otherwise active, your body must have carbs to power your muscles. Oatmeal is a great slow burn energy provider, if you are into endurance type of exercising

    Why not?
  • kazza135
    kazza135 Posts: 16 Member
    Hi, my dietician told me to have basmati rice as this is best rice carb :happy:
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Stay away from potatoes, they're high on the glycemic index and will actually cause weight gain. Try whole wheat bread, kamut, or sprouted grain breads.

    Food high on GI index does not mean you will gain weight. You will only gain weight if you take in more calories than you consume. high GI foods are only bad from those with or prone to diabetes.

    Recently from a local nutritionist I have heard otherwise...It's a new discovery. I'm not saying don't ever eat potatoes, but be aware of your intake.

    ::SIGH::

    Assuming that was true, we'd predictably find that low GI diets would be superior for weight loss, correct?
  • bghere
    bghere Posts: 42
    But I like oatmeal
  • It's very important to have complex carbs

    as others have stated oatmeal is a great slow digesting carb. i have it every morning :) just regular old fashioned oats.

    others are veggies, sweet potatoes, Ezekiel bread, brown rice, unsalted rice cakes, flat out wraps-- these are the only ones you need.

    Stay away from white bread, white rice, ect. No whites!! :)
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    It's very important to have complex carbs

    as others have stated oatmeal is a great slow digesting carb. i have it every morning :) just regular old fashioned oats.

    others are veggies, sweet potatoes, Ezekiel bread, brown rice, unsalted rice cakes, flat out wraps-- these are the only ones you need.

    Stay away from white bread, white rice, ect. No whites!! :)

    Any particular reason why?
  • You need carbs in your diet-- some more then others but carbs are not the enemy. They help with your overall energy and healthy it's calories in calories out--your body needs all sources of nutrients to operate and function best.

    some carbs in theory are better then others but cutting things out of your diet is not healthy and will not help you loose weight any faster. you are doing this for your health right?

    do it healthy then.
  • wendyw8
    wendyw8 Posts: 86 Member
    Agreed, beware of potatoes, white bread, and white sugar. My carb intake for the day is anywhere between 30-40g and I couldn't be happier. I eat absolutely no bread or potatoes and believe it or not, but that food is not the best for your body. Your topic is called "Good" carbs, well these are not them. This is a great lifestyle for me and it's working.

    Some of the "Good" carbs come from your dark green veggies, cauliflower, and cabbage. There is a wonderful Cauliflower rice that you can make or you can make mashed cauliflower. You would want to stay away from the bad carbs in carrots and corn. Also don't use vegetable oil, instead use Olive Oil. These are just a few of many things I've learned in the last 5 months. I'm here if you need anything!

    Anyone that can eat 30 to 40g of carbs a day amazes me! I always go over on mine! I love bread!
  • crunchybubblez
    crunchybubblez Posts: 387 Member
    It's very important to have complex carbs

    as others have stated oatmeal is a great slow digesting carb. i have it every morning :) just regular old fashioned oats.

    others are veggies, sweet potatoes, Ezekiel bread, brown rice, unsalted rice cakes, flat out wraps-- these are the only ones you need.

    Stay away from white bread, white rice, ect. No whites!! :)

    Any particular reason why?

    For starters, it takes a long time to digest.
    Why eat white bread when you can have some kind of sprouted wheat, or grain bread?
    Seems like a waste when you can get all those great nutrients, that don't slow down your digestive system.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    It's very important to have complex carbs

    as others have stated oatmeal is a great slow digesting carb. i have it every morning :) just regular old fashioned oats.

    others are veggies, sweet potatoes, Ezekiel bread, brown rice, unsalted rice cakes, flat out wraps-- these are the only ones you need.

    Stay away from white bread, white rice, ect. No whites!! :)

    Any particular reason why?

    For starters, it takes a long time to digest.
    Why eat white bread when you can have some kind of sprouted wheat, or grain bread?
    Seems like a waste when you can get all those great nutrients, that don't slow down your digestive system.

    Quite possibly because things like brown rice and whole grains are worse then their white counterparts?
  • It's very important to have complex carbs

    as others have stated oatmeal is a great slow digesting carb. i have it every morning :) just regular old fashioned oats.

    others are veggies, sweet potatoes, Ezekiel bread, brown rice, unsalted rice cakes, flat out wraps-- these are the only ones you need.

    Stay away from white bread, white rice, ect. No whites!! :)

    Any particular reason why?

    Because they are generally over processed and most of the nutritional value is removed from them in production. Wholegrains retain most nutirtion because they are closest to the grain/starch in original form.

    Usually for weightloss etc we always say keep it simple, for Carbs though the opposite is true, keep it complex ;)
  • Sweet potatoes are great for you. There are lots of veggies that are high(ish) in arbs but also vitamins and other healthy stuff. Some of hose are winter squash, carrots, parsnips, peas. Another way I end up getting a lot of my carbs these days is through beans and lentils. They have lots of fiber but other carbs also..but protein, nutrients and SO filling.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Because they are generally over processed and most of the nutritional value is removed from them in production. Wholegrains retain most nutirtion because they are closest to the grain/starch in original form.

    Usually for weightloss etc we always say keep it simple, for Carbs though the opposite is true, keep it complex ;)

    Again, so for weightloss if complex carbs were so great, we'd see that low GI diets were superior to high GI diets for weightloss, correct?
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Hi peeps,

    I keep on staying well below my Goal Carbs (+- 212) per day and I don't want to start eating bread to fill it up, I do however eat couscous from time to time.

    Is there anything else I could try except pasta or potatoes?

    Thanks!

    Actually, pasta isn't exactly a good carb. Minimize your flour based carbs, pasta, breads.

    Good carbs:
    - Rice
    - Sweet Potatoes
    - Red Potatoes
    - Berries
    - Ezekiel Bread (not 100% sure why but my nutritionist let's me eat a little of this)
    - Oats
    - Legumes

    The white rice comment isn't entirely true.

    Edit: A small amount of hi-GI carbs aren't bad immediately after lifting to help increase nutrient uptake into your muscles. Something like a small serving of Apple Sauce immediately following your workout.
  • bdub17
    bdub17 Posts: 9
    Dumbest comment I've read on MFP. Carb "type" has no impact on body composition. Its simply calorie-in/calorie-out
This discussion has been closed.