In the end carbs are just sugars of different complexity. For example add some saliva to starch and you got glucose. Hence white bread, pasta and even potatoes are really bad for your blood sugar.
You don’t have to avoid them, but carbs are not necessarily part of a healthy and balanced diet. Their only benefit is that they are cheap sources of energy. If you don’t eat carbs the body has to use fat to metabolize sugar which works just as well.
It is useful to avoid carbs for a diet, because you can remove a lot of calories from any meal by replacing them with mostly vegetables without reducing the portion size at all. Also it helps with cravings a lot.
That’s a tough one. Proteins are a much more useful source of energy and nutrients here. There are limits though and then it doesn’t really matter how you get your calories.
So obviously carbs are cheap food and pack a lot of calories which might be beneficial in this scenario.
You are right. I can’t argue with that, but I would be careful with this as general advice.
Cut down, yes. We overeat carbohydrates, especially empty carbohydrates. It’s a cheap source of energy sure, but if we are inputting more than we are outputting, the excess is stored as fat, which can lead to inflammation and other health issues.
I did keto for a couple years and yes, cutting out most carbs that weren’t nutrient dense did wonders. Only reason I’ve been moving off of it is because it’s honestly difficult to eat that way in a world of excess carbohydrates. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, has added sugars or fillers added in that increase the carb count for cheap. I did it for like 5 years, but it cost a lot of money and time. Money because it’s all about eating whole, nutritious, and organic. Time because It takes time to cook and do meal prep, and sometimes I don’t have that time or energy mentally.
Still the consumption of carbs is too normalized. Many people believe that you should have carbs with every meal which is insane. Just look at any restaurant food, fast food and everywhere. Unless you are dieting you for sure don’t have to avoid carbs, but don’t seek them out either.
I believe this is the single biggest reason for the obesity problem. Most meals really shouldn’t have any added carbs, yet they do.
Ohh, that’s an interesting take! I guess for large parts of Asia it is a bit different. It is a problem in north America as far as I can tell and in Europe where I am from.
Every single meal has some form of pasta, potato or rice as a side unless you pick a salad and even then you get some complementary white bread when you eat out.
I always get weird looks when I am asking for more salad or vegetables and no frites.
Just check the menu of any random restaurant around you and look for any low carb option which is not a salad. It is really difficult where I live unless it is a tapas bar.
To effectively diet you have to reduce the amount you eat. You can do this through calorie restriction, time restriction, or food restriction. Low carb diets are a form of food restriction that are particularly effective because dropping carbs also drops hunger levels so it is easier to sustain the restriction.
In the end carbs are just sugars of different complexity. For example add some saliva to starch and you got glucose. Hence white bread, pasta and even potatoes are really bad for your blood sugar.
You don’t have to avoid them, but carbs are not necessarily part of a healthy and balanced diet. Their only benefit is that they are cheap sources of energy. If you don’t eat carbs the body has to use fat to metabolize sugar which works just as well.
It is useful to avoid carbs for a diet, because you can remove a lot of calories from any meal by replacing them with mostly vegetables without reducing the portion size at all. Also it helps with cravings a lot.
deleted by creator
That’s a tough one. Proteins are a much more useful source of energy and nutrients here. There are limits though and then it doesn’t really matter how you get your calories.
So obviously carbs are cheap food and pack a lot of calories which might be beneficial in this scenario.
You are right. I can’t argue with that, but I would be careful with this as general advice.
deleted by creator
Avoid, no.
Cut down, yes. We overeat carbohydrates, especially empty carbohydrates. It’s a cheap source of energy sure, but if we are inputting more than we are outputting, the excess is stored as fat, which can lead to inflammation and other health issues.
I did keto for a couple years and yes, cutting out most carbs that weren’t nutrient dense did wonders. Only reason I’ve been moving off of it is because it’s honestly difficult to eat that way in a world of excess carbohydrates. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, has added sugars or fillers added in that increase the carb count for cheap. I did it for like 5 years, but it cost a lot of money and time. Money because it’s all about eating whole, nutritious, and organic. Time because It takes time to cook and do meal prep, and sometimes I don’t have that time or energy mentally.
You are right with everything you say.
Still the consumption of carbs is too normalized. Many people believe that you should have carbs with every meal which is insane. Just look at any restaurant food, fast food and everywhere. Unless you are dieting you for sure don’t have to avoid carbs, but don’t seek them out either.
I believe this is the single biggest reason for the obesity problem. Most meals really shouldn’t have any added carbs, yet they do.
deleted by creator
Ohh, that’s an interesting take! I guess for large parts of Asia it is a bit different. It is a problem in north America as far as I can tell and in Europe where I am from.
deleted by creator
Over 50% of all adults are overweight here.
Every single meal has some form of pasta, potato or rice as a side unless you pick a salad and even then you get some complementary white bread when you eat out.
I always get weird looks when I am asking for more salad or vegetables and no frites.
Just check the menu of any random restaurant around you and look for any low carb option which is not a salad. It is really difficult where I live unless it is a tapas bar.
To effectively diet you have to reduce the amount you eat. You can do this through calorie restriction, time restriction, or food restriction. Low carb diets are a form of food restriction that are particularly effective because dropping carbs also drops hunger levels so it is easier to sustain the restriction.
It depends on the meaning of amount. By volume no, you can continue to eat like always if you adjust the food itself.
Technically yes, it is a food restriction, but in the end it is especially a calorie restriction which is the important part.
You are absolutely correct though.