There does seem to be some evidence that saturated fat is only a problem in the presence of lots of carbs especially fast acting carbs. A persons genetics probably has an impact also.
So according to present research both a low carb diet with saturated fat and a higher carb diet restricting saturated fat can be healthy. Lots of research concerning this has been done because of the Atkins diet craze a few years ago. Most seem to show a slight edge in favor of low carb in regards to blood lipids, but it is very small.
To me pragmatism is the order of the day. As a T2 not on insulin I found I could not meet my goals for control without giving up grains completely. If I had my druthers I would still have a whole wheat sandwich for lunch every day but my meter says no.
T1ās have a better chance of adopting a moderate approach if it fits them.
One thing Iām sure of, unanimity concerning diet is impossible and probably not even appropriate. YMMV. But I continue to participate in these carb discussions, not so that my diet ultimately wins, but so that new folks can be exposed to all view points and make an informed decision.
With that in mind I want to commend everyone here for the tone of tolerance and absence of flame wars in these discussions lately. Itās certainly a breath of fresh air.
Well, itās really not as simple as that. When I eat too many carbs, my BG skyrockets, even though Iāve taken enough insulin ā that is proved because they come back down again to where they started within 4 hours. But those 4 hours at higher BGs canāt be good for my body. Iāve tried bolusing in advance, but I canāt go too far in advance or Iāll have a low.
Also, if you eat enough protein, your body will make all the glucose it needs from the protein. There is NO documented need for carbohydrates in humans. However, if youāre NOT eating enough protein, then, indeed, it robs the muscles, which is why protein consumption is emphasized in low carb diets.
It is certainly true that different eating patterns work for different people. If I could tolerate more carbs, believe me, Iād be eating them, because I really like them, but they just donāt work for me. Iām still not very good at low-carbing, and I eat more carbs than Bernstein, for example, recommends, but I havenāt got my BGs where I want them, either.
On the other hand, my A1c, at 6.3 is surely better than the 10.7 I had last September when I went into a coma from bingeing on carbs. For me, the choice is clear, even if Iām not the most conscientious of low-carbers!
Natalie it sounds as if youāre going low carb dieting as the AA program to keep you from carb binging. I am persuaded that eating balanced meals including reasonable amounts of carbohydrate and taking the correct amount of insulin is the best way for me. I test frequently and donāt have the spikes following the consumption of carbs that you seem to have. Iām fortunate in that regard. Good arguments can be made for the low carb diet but Iām unpersuaded. Youāre probably on the right track for you. It wouldnāt work for me.
Carbs are āoneā source of energy. Protein and fat also provide fuel for your body. When you are carb adapted, your body will tend to find sources of glucose, when you become fat adapted, you burn fat. It turns out your body is quite happy burning fat all the time and our bodies have evolved to develop an exquisite storage system for energy (bodyfat) and the means to utilize that energy. Our bodies store many thousands of calories in our bodyfat as a way of fueling our way through fasting (due to lack of food). Fasting is historically a daily fact of life. Our ancestors did not lay down and die, they just kept running after that buffalo. Suggesting that the human body should always be provided with dietary carbs to alway fuel our day is suggested we should abandon the way our bodies work, constantly eat carbs and develop a constant accumulation of bodyfat. I think it is way healthier have my body readily use fat for energy and be lean.
ps. And I like the AA program metaphor. I think for many, carbs can be quite addicting. Perhaps the first step is to admit you have a problem.
I never thought of it as the AA way. It was actually because I was big-time depressed, and carbs are a comfort food for me. But too many is too many, which I learned the hard way.
The good part about cutting down my carbs is that I lost the 20 lb. I had gained during my bingeing ā so my weight is actually a little lower than it was to begin with. I think Iām on the right track trying to eat more vegetables (which is very hard, being a picky eater), and also making sure to keep my protein consumption up. I also got the best lipid profile I have ever had for my last physical. The part that pleased me the most was that I got a normal VLDL (34, range 0 - 40) for the first time in my life, and my triglycerides were only a smidge up (168, range 0-149). My cardiologist was pleased as punch, although I didnāt discuss diet with him.
But even saying all that, I fully understand the need of each person to work with the meal plan that is suitable for them. If, as Onesaint says, you can manage moderation in your diet and not binge, and not experience marked peaks, go for it!!
Seriously, I ate some pasta the other night and I ended up at 285 even with a pump! I also experimented with whole grain oatmeal (which was delicious) but also went high.
I feel much healthier and have really good numbers when I stick to barely any carbs. Iām certainly not malnourished that I can see. In fact, Iām a very healthy weight. Iām 5ā4" and range between 120 and 124.
You are like me. If I eat carbs, I go high, period, although not usually as high as you went! The only suggestion I have if you want to eat carbs is to bolus about 15 minutes in advance, EVEN though they say the 'logs and Apidra are rapid acting enough to bolus when you eat. I just donāt find that to be so.
But to be honest, Iām trying to limit carbs, too ā itās just plain easier, and I donāt have the lows that I used to have. Well, OK, I do have mild ones, but not severe ones that make me feel icky for hours, LOL!
Sweet potatos digest more slowly than Irish potatos, so they should not produce as high a peak BG reading. Better to start them in small amounts, until you see how much you can have without your BG getting too high.
Looks like she still believes the obsolete idea that all complex carbohydrates digest slowly enough that they will not raise your BG very high, and that no research is needed to check if this is correct. Well, guess what - the research was finally done anyway, and it showed that thereās actually a wide range of how fast they digest. Some of the white foods, such as bread, rice, corn, and Irish potatos digest about as fast as table sugar, and give about the same effect on your BG. For brown breads, the speed varies, depending on how small the grains were ground, and whether molasses residue was used to help with the brown color. Sweet potatos and cooked dried beans actually digest slowly. Some complex carbohydrates digest slowly enough that they are better for feeding the bacteria in your intestines than for feeding you; these are known as fibers.
Your liver should be able to convert enough protein into glucose to feed those portions of your brain that canāt use the ketones it makes from fats instead. Therefore, if you are on a lowcarb diet, make sure that it includes more than a minimum level of protein.
Expect pizza to digest more slowly than almost all other foods that will digest at all. The effects tend to be spead out for around 5 hours for many people, so youāre likely to need more test strips than usual after eating pizza in order to determine how much is safe for you.
Iād expect the BG results from thin crust pizza to be less than from thicker crust pizza, but havenāt had the chance to test if this is correct.
From what I understand you need carbs for energy. If you donāt eat much carbs and you are somewhat physical, you will bottom out on your blood sugar. I am thin, so I try to eat 60 carbs per meal to help maintain my weight. Check with your doctor on how many they suggest you eat per meal or in a dayās time.
Mine told me women need between 40-60 per meal, men need more, up to about 70. I understand sometimes itās hard to get that many in a meal. I try to boost mine with fruit, which is good for you. And yes, fruit has more carbs, but they are healthy carbs!! Good luck
Marsha - maybe you can tolerate fruit better than I can. But my meter tells me that eating fruit has the same BG effect as eating plain old sugar. So, no thanks, as much as I love fruit, I donāt really like eating plain old sugar and so tend to reserve fruit as a hypo treatment (and treat). I get my fibre, vitamins, minerals etc from non-starchy vegetables. The only fruit I eat in any quantity are tomatoes and peppers.
Marsha, there are more sources than carbs to get energy from. The low carb folks put their bodies in a position where energy is either drawn from protein or fat. This is an old function of the body used in the paleolithic period when humans survived off of protein and gathered plants / fruits (although more berry like than our cultivated fruit as I understand it). There is no essential need for carbs for energy.
On the physical front, carbs provide short burst type energy so when one works out it helps in that manner, although I have read of low carb eaters that get around that. Someone with a more extensive exercise regiment might be more knowledgeable about these low carb methods.
I think there has to be a clear distinction between dietary, exogenous carbs, and endogenous carbs from gluconeogenesis.
For high intensity, anaerobic activities, carbs are absolutely irreplaceable. The metbaolic pathways simply do not exist in humans to burn fat or protein anaerobically. There is no way around that for anybody. However, whether those carbs come straight from the food you eat, or gluconeogenesis from proteins makes no difference to your cells.
As your high intensity, anaerobic activity level increases, however, it becoems less and less likely that you can meet all your energy requirements through the gluconeogenesis of proteins to carbs, especially since these types of activitites usually require increased dietary protein, as well, just to rebuild muscles. At some point, with increasing levels of high intensity, anaerobic activity, you will have to increase your diertary carb intake to compensate.
Yeah, really, any activity will be using some percentage of anaerobic versus aerobic pathways, which is why you can never depend 100% on fat and protein for energy. But, generally, if you find yourself up above 75% of maximum effort during your activity, youāve switched over to using mostly anaerobic pathways.
I think they like to keep us coming back sicker, I know its a sick way to make business but it is REALā¦ its always this way, eat more carbs get higher BS , take more meds and Insulin, add weight from the carbs and they then tell you your weight is the cause. It is a vicious mess.
We need to walk away and eat how we know will help us. Lucky for us we have learned about what carbs do to us.
I take insulin, and when I read someone taking triple mine but eating 200 cabs a day, I feel tongue tied. I donāt want to say anything to start a conversation of Judgement on them. But one can bet, it was the Dietition and or both the Dr to.
We do what you know best, and it sure sounds like you know better:)
