'bad' carbs not the enemy

[ryan2772]

you know, sh*t like this makes me realize that no one knows sh*t about sh*t. everyone says they know sh*t, but they don't know sh*t. you don't know sh*t, i don't know sh*t.

ScienceDaily: 'Bad Carbs' Not The Enemy, Professor Finds

Source: University of Virginia

Date: October 2, 2007

'Bad Carbs' Not The Enemy, Professor Finds

Science Daily — The latest common wisdom on carbohydrates claims that eating so-called “bad†carbohydrates will make you fat, but University of Virginia professor Glenn Gaesser says, “that’s just nonsense.†Eating sandwiches with white bread, or an occasional doughnut, isn't going to kill you, or necessarily even lead to obesity, he said.

In an article in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Gaesser analyzes peer-reviewed, scientific research on carbohydrate consumption, glycemic index and body weight and gives the first detailed review of the literature on the correlation between them. His findings run counter to the current consensus on the effects of “good†and “bad†carbohydrates.

Gaesser, author of “It’s the Calories, Not the Carbs†and other books, found that diets high in carbohydrates are almost universally associated with slimmer bodies. More importantly, Gaesser found that consuming lots of high-glycemic foods is not associated with higher body weights. In fact, several large studies in the United States revealed that high-glycemic diets were linked to better weight control.

“There is no reason to be eating fewer carbs – they’re not the enemy,†says Gaesser, a professor of exercise physiology and director of the kinesiology program in the Curry School of Education.

The description of carbohydrates as “good†or “bad†is based on glycemic index, a measure of the quality of the carbohydrate in terms of how much it raises blood sugar. Foods having a high GI are generally thought to be “bad†because they raise blood sugar more than “good†carbs do. Proponents of the glycemic index claim that this leads to excessive insulin secretion, which can cause weight gain and health problems. Foods such as whole-grain breads are said to offer “good†carbs, because they have a lower GI than white bread, for example. Likewise, a glass of pineapple juice has a high GI compared to apple juice.

Several popular low-carb diets use glycemic index as a key feature for optimum weight control, but it is not a reliable description of carbohydrate quality, Gaesser says. Digestion is a complicated process. It’s very difficult to determine the GI of a whole meal, for instance, so it doesn’t really make sense to use GI or “glycemic load†-- the glycemic index multiplied by the quantity ingested -- as a guide to eating.

After looking at hundreds of articles on large-scale studies using surveys or randomized, controlled trials, Gaesser says they show that “people who consume high-carb diets tend to be slimmer, and often healthier, than people who consume low-carb diets.†Even high-glycemic foods have a place in the diet, he said, attributing that to the overall higher quality of a high-carb diet, which includes more fiber-rich and other nutritional foods.

Gaesser also looked for a clear association between carbohydrate consumption and illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. He found no compelling evidence that avoiding carbohydrates with a high GI helps prevent these diseases and others. People with diabetes, as well as very sedentary women who are obese, may benefit from lowering their consumption of foods with a high GI, Gaesser says.

Reducing any part of the diet -- carbs or proteins or fats -- will result in modest weight loss in the short term, if calorie consumption is reduced, he points out. But for long-term weight maintenance, a high-carb, low-fat diet is still the best bet, he said.

Note: This story has been adapted from material provided by University of Virginia.

[Guest JMT]

i eat my weight in bread. i don't think i could ever give it up.

[ryan2772]

i eat my weight in bread. i don't think i could never give it up.

you weren't an english major, were you? haha

dude, are we the only 2 people on this goddamn website?

[Guest mr.miami]

I low carb sometimes, but it is definitely temporary thing. Still there are different levels of low. I think the recommended number is between 200 and 300 for normal people and I dont always eat that much a day.

[Oni1414777741]

Shit.

[Oni1414777741]

Shit.

Ok i wanted to make sure that the board doesn't censor the word "shit".

[Guest saintjohn]

Ok i wanted to make sure that the board doesn't censor the word "shit".

LOL!

I was wondering about that, too

[ryan2772]

LOL!

I was wondering about that, too

self-censorship. trying to class this joint up a little (i don't think it's working).

[Guest saintjohn]

I appreciate your efforts

[Guest RzO]

carbs are great. me likes pasta

[Guest lulamishka]

Can we say fuck?

Anywho, I subscribe to the 'everything in moderation' school of thought. It seems to be working out just fine for me. I also make an effort to have a balanced diet on a day-to-day basis.

[Guest RzO]

i wanna say fuck too!

fuck, ok it seems to be fine:D

and yah moderation is always the key, its what keeps me and crackheads separated, and i guess in food terms, me and obese people. Its one of those things one just has to do. anyhow i am, about to kill some edys grand topped with walnuts in syrup...i love food:)

[ryan2772]

anyhow i am, about to kill some edys grand topped with walnuts in syrup...i love food:)

wet nuts!

[Guest pod]

I say fuck all the time. And I eat unhealthy food. And I'm an asshole.

[Guest JMT]

you weren't an english major, were you? haha

dude, are we the only 2 people on this goddamn website?

no, i majored in apiculture with a minor in procrastination.

at times it seems like it. this place is a ghost town.

[Guest lulamishka]

I say fuck all the time. And I eat unhealthy food. And I'm an asshole.

lol, a triple threat

[V. Barbarino]

I'm not buying it at all! Humans only started to consume carbs a short while ago. For the rest of human history it was protein.

I did akins a few years ago, I would loose a pound a day. Seriously a pound a day. The problem was, I'm Italian and needed my pasta.

The article also doesn't mention sugar. To me sugar is the real problem in America.

Also being Italian, you'll never see a skinny one, why? Well it's not just calories, it's the carbs...