should i eat carbs?
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Eating Carbs....Should You?
The principal benefit of carbs is to acquire energy that's easily accessible in the form of glucose. When we eat foods containing carbohydrate, digestive enzymes rapidly break it down into simple sugars and ultimately glucose. The glucose is then absorbed and either distributed to cells and muscles with the help of insulin for immediate use, or retained as an energy reserve in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen, or stored as body fat.
Although protein gives us glucose too, but that process takes much longer. Keep in mind that some cell tissues (eg. in the brain) depend upon glucose which is why one of the side-effects of low-carb diets is a reduction in brain function.
When your body needs energy it first looks for glucose from carbohydrates. If there is a solid amount carb glucose from food (ie. because you're following a low carb diet), the body helps itself to glucose stored as glycogen in fatty tissue. If more energy is needed, the body then burns protein tissue in the muscles. In short, the availability of carbohydrate energy prevents the body from breaking down muscle tissue for fuel.
Carbs are necessary, it's simply the type of carbs you choose. Stay with whole forms of carbs not processes carbs, those are the kind that get you into trouble because they're often loaded with unnecessary amounts of sugar.
The principal benefit of carbs is to acquire energy that's easily accessible in the form of glucose. When we eat foods containing carbohydrate, digestive enzymes rapidly break it down into simple sugars and ultimately glucose. The glucose is then absorbed and either distributed to cells and muscles with the help of insulin for immediate use, or retained as an energy reserve in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen, or stored as body fat.
Although protein gives us glucose too, but that process takes much longer. Keep in mind that some cell tissues (eg. in the brain) depend upon glucose which is why one of the side-effects of low-carb diets is a reduction in brain function.
When your body needs energy it first looks for glucose from carbohydrates. If there is a solid amount carb glucose from food (ie. because you're following a low carb diet), the body helps itself to glucose stored as glycogen in fatty tissue. If more energy is needed, the body then burns protein tissue in the muscles. In short, the availability of carbohydrate energy prevents the body from breaking down muscle tissue for fuel.
Carbs are necessary, it's simply the type of carbs you choose. Stay with whole forms of carbs not processes carbs, those are the kind that get you into trouble because they're often loaded with unnecessary amounts of sugar.
You can do with minimal carbs (<30-60 grams a day) for short periods of time, a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Once your body goes into ketosis (after it has burned all the readily available glucose) most people loose weight quickly. Obviously the side effect is feeling weak, dizzy, drained, etc. Some people find cycling carb intake (1-2 days low carbs, followed by 1-2 days high carbs) to be a useful long term strategy.
And remember, all carbs are not created equal. Try to eat only non-processed carbs (vegetables and fruits) and low glycemic index carbs whenever possible for maximum fat loss.
And remember, all carbs are not created equal. Try to eat only non-processed carbs (vegetables and fruits) and low glycemic index carbs whenever possible for maximum fat loss.
Only eat carbs if you enjoy normal functioning. Seriously, CHO is not the enemy. Remind me to slap whoever came up with that idea. I assume they thought "well gee, most of our energy comes from CHO, so let's eliminate CHO and we'll lose weight." It's only a couple increments smarter than completely refusing to eat. As it's already been said, it GOOD CHO. The wholesome stuff is good for you. Cake, on the other hand, not so much. Body composition management is about portion control and substitution rather than elimination. A percentile split of about 50-60/20-25/20-25 (CHO, protein, fat respectively) in the realms of the slight caloric deficit required for weight loss combined with sensible exercise is generally effective for the goal of decreasing body fat.
If a ketogenic diet works for you, then by all means, stick to it. It's not necessary to lose weight, though.
It can lead to a bit lower function in some cognitive functions, but not by a whole lot. "Reduction in brain function" sounds a bit harsh to me.
Some people get a bit drained while on it, other's don't. For most it passes after a couple of weeks when the body has properly adjusted to ketosis.
The idea isn't that we get most of our energy from carbs so we must cut them out. The idea, at least now a days, is that you eat a lot of protein and get very full from that. So yes, this would probably work with a high protein diet with carbs, but I don't think there has been any research actually comparing no carb and carb with equal protein on weight loss.
that's a lot of carbs and very low fat. Why so many carbs? I get it if you're an endurance athlete with a lot of races, then you need a lot of carbs, but for most people, having higher protein would probably be better because it induces satiety and has a higher thermic effect of feeding.
It can lead to a bit lower function in some cognitive functions, but not by a whole lot. "Reduction in brain function" sounds a bit harsh to me.
Some people get a bit drained while on it, other's don't. For most it passes after a couple of weeks when the body has properly adjusted to ketosis.
The idea isn't that we get most of our energy from carbs so we must cut them out. The idea, at least now a days, is that you eat a lot of protein and get very full from that. So yes, this would probably work with a high protein diet with carbs, but I don't think there has been any research actually comparing no carb and carb with equal protein on weight loss.
that's a lot of carbs and very low fat. Why so many carbs? I get it if you're an endurance athlete with a lot of races, then you need a lot of carbs, but for most people, having higher protein would probably be better because it induces satiety and has a higher thermic effect of feeding.
Yes Nicki you are absolutely right that carbs are an important source to gain energy in body. When carbs are present in our body it breaks down into energy when body doesn't need that it is stored in your liver and muscules and it is called glycogen and when both liver and muscle cells won't support glycogen it turns into fat.
The good sources of carbohydrates are:
Rice
Green Gram
Kidney beans
Honey
Jaggery
Apricot(dry)
Dry Dates.
The right food in the right places
It's an age old debate - what should and what shouldn't we eat in these circumstances.
Carbs are great at the right times and in the right proportions. But equally, so are healthy fats (nuts, seeds, milk, egg yolks). In fact, common to popular belief, the right intake of healthy fats can actually intensify your fat burning!
Two things to be aware of though - soya products and wholegrain. Despite common misconceptions, these two food groups are actually just 'belly fat fertilizer' in disguise.
Good luck
It's an age old debate - what should and what shouldn't we eat in these circumstances.
Carbs are great at the right times and in the right proportions. But equally, so are healthy fats (nuts, seeds, milk, egg yolks). In fact, common to popular belief, the right intake of healthy fats can actually intensify your fat burning!
Two things to be aware of though - soya products and wholegrain. Despite common misconceptions, these two food groups are actually just 'belly fat fertilizer' in disguise.
Good luck
hmm, thank you all very much again, you have given me a lot to think about.
my main goal WAS to burn fat and just look good, however iv thought about that and it is not what i NEED, i plan on doing cert 3 and 4 in fitness and then joining the Airforce and become a fitness instructor and also study nutrition.
so i think i need to reconsider my workouts and diet to gain strength and stamina and not just to make me look good.
my main goal WAS to burn fat and just look good, however iv thought about that and it is not what i NEED, i plan on doing cert 3 and 4 in fitness and then joining the Airforce and become a fitness instructor and also study nutrition.
so i think i need to reconsider my workouts and diet to gain strength and stamina and not just to make me look good.
If you were an endurance athlete, you'd probably be consuming closer to 60-80% CHO, at least according to the figures I was given when I was studying sports nutrition.
On a 2,500kcal diet, 20-25% fat is 500-625kcal, or 55-70g fat. Most sources I've read wouldn't recommend much more than that (then again, some sources recommend very high amounts of fat, but I haven't done much research on the pros and cons of such strategies, so I won't make a decision as to whether or not it's a good idea it this time). Sure, you can consume more fat than that and continue losing weight. My concern is more to do with making sure that people get a significant whack of their energy elsewhere, so that they get all the other nutrients they need.
Because fat is twice as energy-dense as protein, 20-25% protein adds up to be about 110-140g, obviously varying based on the total caloric consumption, which should vary based on the person's current body composition. I'm assuming that jakie is under 100kg, so this is probably more than enough.
Now of course, as your body composition changes and your goals change, nutritional recommendations will change as well. What I offered was a general recommendation. Is it set in stone? Of course not. And it's not meant to be.
You think that if you eat below 50-60% carbs you will have trouble getting all the other nutrients you need? I assume you're talking about vitamins and minerals?
And with higher protein recommendations I wasn't talking about recommended intakes for nitrogen balance, I was talking about satiety and thermic effect of food. Things to do weight loss.
And with higher protein recommendations I wasn't talking about recommended intakes for nitrogen balance, I was talking about satiety and thermic effect of food. Things to do weight loss.
I think it is totally depends on your body requirement and health as, it can be beneficial for us to eat carbs but, at the same time if your body requirement is fulfilled then you dont require it.
Well, it is something that is somewhere beneficial for our body and not.
Thanks
Well, it is something that is somewhere beneficial for our body and not.
Thanks
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