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Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

nytimes.com

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Re: Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

#231

Post by tpeo »

abtinf wrote: post #89
athenot wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's interesting but the rate at which sugar is metabolised is more relevant. If it's not consumed fast enough, then yes you have a problem. Drinking a coke while at rest is definitely a problem.

> the rate at which sugar is metabolised is more relevant It's not "more relevant", but it is deeply related and important. A low glycemic index food will spike your blood sugar much less than a high GI food. And the relation of a food to blood-glucose is not fully intuitive. Sure, soda is obvious because it contains pure sugar. But carrots have roughly the same impact as soda.

I don't think the usage of "rate" here meant the ease of converting sugar from some particular source into blood glucose, but rather how much of blood glucose is used up by the body per unit of time.

The issue wouldn't be so much that a coke has a large amount of sugar compared to expected blood glucose levels, but rather whether that can of coke puts a person in a caloric surplus. At any point in time there might be some glucose either coming in or coming out of our bloodstream. Expected blood glucose levels don't tell us much about that. For instance, two people might have the same blood glucose levels but two completely different energetic requirements due to differing levels of physical activity.

At least, that's what I get from the post you're responding to. Mind you, I don't think that a calorie is a calorie: consuming shitloads of sugar might be bad for anyone for other reasons besides inducing caloric surpluses, so energy sources aren't perfect substitutes for one another. But I don't see what insight is to be gained from the relationship between the amount of sugar in a coke can and average blood glucose levels either.

Re: Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

#233

Post by mixmastamyk »

valueprop wrote: post #212
nathan-wailes wrote: post #24

Preface: Over the past 12+ years I have spent a fair amount of time learning about foods/diets, at first to try to get rid of my acne (which I was successful at), but then later to stay lean and stop any diet-related dips in my mood (which I was also successful at). What I want to say: Cutting carbs is difficult for most people because of two things: 1) withdrawal from the sugar-high that you get from eating high-gly…

Would you please what did you do to get rid of the acne? My GF has acne too. Various face creams or treatments from dermatologists didn't work. She tried cutting lactose (milk, cheese), which had a good, but small effect. Would like to try anything else before laser treatments. Thank you!

I've heard some people get rashes due to gluten allergies but not sure it exacerbates acne as well.

Re: Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

#234

Post by overcast »

sleavey wrote: post #155
overcast wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure I would equate that to alcoholism. How about rather than a scoop of ice cream every day. You have a bowl of it on Friday night watching a movie? Rest of the week, eat healthier. It's all about calories consumed, and used. You want to eat a ton of ice cream, go for it. Just be aware you've used up all of your caloric intake for the day.

Well, if you're in ketosis, a spoon of ice cream will probably not kick you out, but a whole bowl would. It would replenish your muscles' glycogen supplies, and you'd be running on sugar for the next few days and get no benefits from ketosis.

That's the point, ketosis, and the no carb diet is ridiculous. Enjoy all the foods of the world, just don't eat a truck load of it.

Re: Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

#235

Post by overcast »

jshevek wrote: post #182
overcast wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure I would equate that to alcoholism. How about rather than a scoop of ice cream every day. You have a bowl of it on Friday night watching a movie? Rest of the week, eat healthier. It's all about calories consumed, and used. You want to eat a ton of ice cream, go for it. Just be aware you've used up all of your caloric intake for the day.

The ways that foods can harm our bodies goes far beyond whether or not you consume too many calories and gain weight. You could get most of your calories from table sugar and not gain weight if you do the math correctly. But this diet will eventually severely damage the hormonal regulation in your body.

Sure, and I didn't suggest otherwise. People have eaten carbohydrates for thousands of years before the obesity problem we have now.

Re: Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

#236

Post by pandaman »

nicky0 wrote: post #175
bonniemuffin wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If a life without pasta isn't worth living, then I'd rather die than get back on the blood sugar roller coaster that pasta puts me on. This is like telling an alcoholic that life isn't worth living without tequila. You know what? Turns out you can live a meaningful life without it if you have to.

What were the effects of this "blood sugar rollercoaster"? I eat 55% carbs and don't experience this... What am I missing?

Can you skip a meal without going through a withdrawal? A spike in blood sugar from a carb-heavy meal causes an insulin spike and, in turn, it drops the blood sugar below the healthy level, which is experienced as a feeling of hunger and a need to have the next meal or a snack (which in turn spikes sugar again, causing another insulin burst etc. etc.)

Re: Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

#237

Post by ksk »

sn9 wrote: post #213
ksk wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Err, they said this > And carb deficiency is not associated with any impairment or disease. This is an entirely false statement. Different people have different reactions to carbohydrate restriction based on genetics, past diet, medical issues, environmental factors, and a boatload of other well understood reasons.

Can you list anything specifically that anyone is likely to encounter? Your comments are rather vague.

The field is so vast that it depends on what you want to look at. So for e.g. When you consume a high protein diet (proteins > purine > uric acid) you can have problems with your kidneys. I've seen reports of people ending up in the hospital because the body couldn't regulate blood glucose, caused by a low-carb diet. Now, since its more ethical to experiment on rats, you can find numerous studies which show problems with both LCHF/LCHP diets - including long term bone health impact, growth hormone, etc. Note that you can also find benefits (none of which are unique to low-carb AFAICT), but its one of those things where continuing to eat a normal diet doesn't require "proof", but even a single major problem with an extreme diet, is cause for concern. his is a problem with extreme diets in general, because you have to become somewhat of a mini-expert yourself to be able to determine if the diet is providing you all the things you need. The people who tell you its "simple" are the ones who have invested a lot of time (or they were already knowledgeable) in learning about the various factors.

Re: Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

#238

Post by overcast »

tbv wrote: post #195
overcast wrote: post #4

Because they are delicious. Life is too short, not to enjoy one of life's simple pleasures. Obviously moderation is key, but it's silly not to take advantage of being human.

Ribeye steaks, pork, chicken, and other fatty meats are also delicious! One does not need to be an ascetic in order to give up carbs :)

They are delicious, just to satiate me like yummy carbs do though. To be clear, I'm a fit, 6'1, Male, 175 pounds.

Re: Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

#239

Post by the_af »

pandaman wrote: post #236
nicky0 wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What were the effects of this "blood sugar rollercoaster"? I eat 55% carbs and don't experience this... What am I missing?

Can you skip a meal without going through a withdrawal? A spike in blood sugar from a carb-heavy meal causes an insulin spike and, in turn, it drops the blood sugar below the healthy level, which is experienced as a feeling of hunger and a need to have the next meal or a snack (which in turn spikes sugar again, causing another insulin burst etc. etc.)

If I skip a meal I get hungry, but beyond extraordinary circumstances (like being extremely busy or fasting before a blood analysis), why would I want to do that?

> which is experienced as a feeling of hunger and a need to have the next meal or a snack

Why is this bad or surprising? Isn't this how things work? You don't eat ==> you get hungry. Similarly with water and thirst. I'm not being flippant, I genuinely want to know why someone would think this is surprising.

Re: Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough

#240

Post by the_af »

ashark wrote: post #148
the_af wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> [...] living with my wife who adores pasta And who can blame her? I suppose you could live without pasta, but would you call that living? :)

Yeah. My biggest problem with attempting low-carb is that X+rice and X+pasta and X+bread are all delicious for almost any value of X, while nearly all values of X on their own are fairly unappetizing. Beans and rice? YES. Just beans? I mean, I can, but I'll hate every bite. Veggie and tofu fried rice? Yes yes yes. Veggies and tofu alone? Uhhh... must I? The exceptions tend to be expensive and the kind of thing that m…

> Going vegetarian—and probably even vegan—would be far easier for me than a keto diet.

Agreed, especially since you can prepare pretty tasty (and visually appealing!) vegetarian meals. And I'm saying this as a meat eater!

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