Good carbs? page

[Kingofturtles]

Can someone explain to me why they are called "good carbs"? Carbs are bad, in terms of cholesterol, inflamation and overall health, all carbs are pretty much the same. Are we calling them "good carbs" when we should be describing them as "carbs in good food"? I get how eatig potatoes for carbs are better than eating bread for carbs, but the carbs arent "good" the food surrounding the carbs are "better".

Is this just a case of mislabeling?

[The Scientist]

Carbohydrates themselves are not necessarily "bad". They are a problem when...

1. they increase blood glucose levels above an ideal range. These are high GI foods like processed grains and sugars.

2. they come packaged with foods that have other "bad" things in them. This is a second argument against grains, gluten-contianing grains mostly.

3. the carbohydrate in question is fructose. Fructose intake above the moderate amount found in a few servings of fruit is hell on your liver.

The carbs of choice by many around here (sweet potatoes, squash, etc...) are free of all three of those issues.

[Dirlot]

Yea, people often say carbs instead of grains. The confusion comes from the fact that in CW most of the carbs people eat come from grains. But you are right there are lots of good sources of carbs that avoid eating grains.

[The Scientist]

The only concussively demonstrated benefit that I have seen to extremely low, ketosis-inducing, carbohydrate restriction is weight loss. If you are at a healthy weight, eating 20-30% of your calories from carbs is no problem. I have found that about 10-15% makes me feel best, but I don't monitor it carefully, and I'm sure everyone is different.

[Dr. Bork Bork]

fruit & veggies-- there's your good carbs

[SJW2]

Carbohydrates themselves are not necessarily "bad". They are a problem when...

1. they increase blood glucose levels above an ideal range. These are high GI foods like processed grains and sugars.

2. they come packaged with foods that have other "bad" things in them. This is a second argument against grains, gluten-contianing grains mostly.

3. the carbohydrate in question is fructose. Fructose intake above the moderate amount found in a few servings of fruit is hell on your liver.

The carbs of choice by many around here (sweet potatoes, squash, etc...) are free of all three of those issues.

This.

Grains, sugar, and fructose are the main problems, and that is where most get their carbs from.

You can't demonize a whole macronutrient in my opinion. But carbs are the most offending one in those with damaged metabolisms (most of us) due to intake of the above offenders.

[counterpuncher]

I'll have a sweet potato over a piece of fruit any day of the week.

[Artbuc]

Carbohydrates themselves are not necessarily "bad". They are a problem when...

1. they increase blood glucose levels above an ideal range. These are high GI foods like processed grains and sugars.

What would you consider to be the ideal blood glucose range? I have read that permanent nerve damage, beta cell destruction and arterial wall inflammation start happening above 140.

I have IGT. 8-10 grams of carbs take me to 140 at 1 hour postprandial and it doesn't seem to make much difference whether it is a high GI simple carb or low GI complex carb. I'm not sold on the GI index.

[zoebird]

As others have said, we are really talking about the quality of carbohydrates, not that carbohydrates are "good/bad." They aren't "bad" for you, it's just that some are more nutritious than others.

We focus on veggies, then sweet potato/squash/pumpkin, then fruit.

[The Scientist]

What would you consider to be the ideal blood glucose range? I have read that permanent nerve damage, beta cell destruction and arterial wall inflammation start happening above 140.

I have IGT. 8-10 grams of carbs take me to 140 at 1 hour postprandial and it doesn't seem to make much difference whether it is a high GI simple carb or low GI complex carb. I'm not sold on the GI index.

That seems like an enormous spike for 8-10 grams. At 100mg/dl you have about 5 grams in your blood, total. What is your fasting level before that? I have not tested mine in a long time, but I noticed a huge difference in high vs low GI foods. The data on GI and blood glucose response is well-documented in the scientific literature. I don't know enough about your specific condition to speculate about why you are seeing that kind of response.