Carbs Needed for Brain Power?

good carbs i think are somewhat necessary fruits veggies and whole grains.....they make our bodies run properly....it kind of reminds me of machines that need certain amounts of oil and gas to make it go.....our bodies need a mixture of carbs, fats, and protien to make us go....and fiber to really make us GO :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Okay I have found Tuff's results and it did take some searching, but this is there report on what they had found.

Could Low-Carb Diets Deprive Your Brain of Fuel?
MARCH 2009

Tufts researchers have found that low-carbohydrate diets, such as the popular Atkins Diet, may reduce cognitive ability. Researchers theorized that low-carb diets could have a negative impact on thinking and cognition because the brain doesn’t store glucose, its primary fuel, but depends on the body’s production of it from carbohydrates in the diet. After only a day or two, even the glucose stored by the body is exhausted and must be replenished by food.

Low-carb diets, however, often restrict dietary carbohydrates to as little as 20 grams a day. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of carbs is 130 grams, based in part on what the brain needs for fuel.

As low-carb diets promise quick weight loss, their other potential effects are often overlooked. Tufts psychology professor Holly A. Taylor, PhD, corresponding author of the new study, which was published in Appetite, says, “Diets can affect more than just weight. The popular low-carb, no-carb diets have the strongest potential for negative impact on thinking and cognition. The brain needs glucose for energy, and diets low in carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory and thinking.

The Tufts researchers compared 19 women who were allowed to choose a low-carb diet, similar to the Atkins plan, or a reduced-calorie diet recommended by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Self-selection, to insure the best possible compliance, led to nine on the low-carb diet and 10 picking the ADA plan. The women were tested for long- and short-term memory, spatial memory and visual attention 72 hours before starting the diets, and again 48 hours and one week after going on the diets. Carbohydrates were then reintroduced, and the women’s cognitive abilities were retested at the two- and three-week points.

“Although the study had a modest sample size, the results showed a clear difference in cognitive performance as a function of diet,” Taylor reports.

Those on the low-carb diet suffered a gradual decrease in memory performance and scored slower reaction times on all tests. Previous studies have suggested that low-carb diets can improve short-term attention span, however, and the low-carb group did outperform the ADA group in attention tests. Neither subjective ratings of hunger nor average weight loss (4.4 pounds) varied between the two groups.

The good news for low-carb dieters is that cognitive performance improved after carbohydrates were reintroduced to the diets. But long-term adherence to a low-carb regimen could have negative effects on mental skills for at least as long as the diet lasts. As Taylor and colleagues conclude, “The macronutrient makeup of various weight-loss regimens is likely to have both positive and negative effects on our ability to think, attend and remember.”

It just goes to show... following Canada's food guide...or the Food Pyramid in The US is the best way to go. Eat things in moderation, drink water and exercise regularly.

I have been doing this since January ...no cutting out carbs or sugar or fat and I have lost 72 lbs.

It works for me

although i did forget to say earlier...it's fair to say there are people with different needs and requirments for foods.......everyones body is different....i think carbs are neccessary but i cant eat 130carbs a day ...i'll have the carb overload feeling unless all of my carbs are natural ones.....my body burns the carbs very very very slow tho....but i would never recommend cutting them out entirely

I've found that my optimum carb level is not low (below 100, for me). I tried it and felt crummy, not just foggy but physically exhausted. I upped the carb level a little at a time until I got to a level that works better for me. My goal is to avoid processed, white carbs and make sure the ones I do take in are from veggies, fruit, and whole grains (well, except for my nightly ice cream ). It's working like a charm!

I've found that my optimum carb level is not low (below 100, for me). I tried it and felt crummy, not just foggy but physically exhausted. I upped the carb level a little at a time until I got to a level that works better for me. My goal is to avoid processed, white carbs and make sure the ones I do take in are from veggies, fruit, and whole grains (well, except for my nightly ice cream ). It's working like a charm!

That sounds very reasonable. I do on occasion still eat whole grains, I just try to avoid bread/pita/whatever in general. But I still eat a tortilla on occasion and I know that I won't avoid it forever.

Thanks!

oooo u know whats really good?...smart and delicious wraps....i get the extra virgin oil/ rye and it has 13 grams of fiber and only 90 cals :noway: :noway: sooooo yummy too

Your body produces its own glucose at the expense of amino acids (dietary protein and muscle) and the glycerol backbone of fats (from the diet or circulating fatty acids), so you are never without it. Otherwise, you would indeed die. The brain uses both glucose (carbohydrates) and ketones (from amino acids and fatty acids) during times of low dietary-carbohydrate intake. It takes a few days or weeks to adjust to the change. There are certain energy systems that suffer in terms of efficiency due to a carb-restricted diet, so it's certainly not for an athlete, but can be just as effective as plain old caloric restriction when it comes to fat loss.

I have to say that I have NOT found this to be true (at least for me). I eat between 50 and 75 g carbs daily. Have for over 15 months. I'm MORE alert and happier than I have been in the last 20 yrs.

Now, I do find that if I lower my protein (under 100 g / which would be about 50 g per normal person, due to bariatric surgery I had) I do get confused and my memory is not as good.

I really think it has more to do with what YOUR own body does with the nurtients you put into it.

I would suggest leaving sugars and white flour (anything white) alone, use higher fiber breads instead of white things. You will find it helps weight loss and you will feel much better!

I said that earlier in the post that everyones body performs differently :flowerforyou: i am the same way i cant eat too many carbs or i get sluggish :bigsmile:

It just goes to show... following Canada's food guide...or the Food Pyramid in The US is the best way to go. Eat things in moderation, drink water and exercise regularly.

I have been doing this since January ...no cutting out carbs or sugar or fat and I have lost 72 lbs.

It works for me

Completely agree!!!!
I'm not saying cutting out carbs can't work, I'm no expert. But I would rather go with a method that has really stood the test of time (and yes I know there will be people who will take exception to that statement). Also, I don't see the point of completely cutting out anything if it is not necessary. :happy: To me living life to the fullest includes fruit and a plate of pasta every once in a while!:flowerforyou:

It just goes to show... following Canada's food guide...or the Food Pyramid in The US is the best way to go. Eat things in moderation, drink water and exercise regularly.

I have been doing this since January ...no cutting out carbs or sugar or fat and I have lost 72 lbs.

It works for me

Completely agree!!!!
I'm not saying cutting out carbs can't work, I'm no expert. But I would rather go with a method that has really stood the test of time (and yes I know there will be people who will take exception to that statement). Also, I don't see the point of completely cutting out anything if it is not necessary. :happy: To me living life to the fullest includes fruit and a plate of pasta every once in a while!:flowerforyou:

But it hasn't stood the test of time. When grain became introduced into the world eating plan, diseases and obesity came about. Humans are not meant to eat grains, that is the reason for so many diseases and ailments in the world now days.......

Obesity
Diabetes
Autism
ADD
all types of auto immune disorders
Bi-polar disorder
PCOS

Just to name a few.............I could go on and on with the research I have been reading.