4 ms·

Controlling for calories and assuming you're not diabetic why does it matter what your source of carbohydrate is?

L29Ah 9y ago
Even if you're not a diabetic, blood glucose spikes affect your mental performance like a weak stimulant, creating mild mood swings. Also, high amounts of high GI foods stimulate body fat production.
- allover 9y ago
  > Also, high amounts of high GI foods stimulate body fat production. That idea, 'the insulin hypothesis', has not been proven. In fact there is now evidence that claim is false. (Paywalled study [1], summary in this article [2]). [1] http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v71/n3/full/ejcn2016260a.html http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v71/n3/full/ejcn2016260a.... [2] https://www.vox.com/2016/7/6/12105660/do-low-carb-diets-work https://www.vox.com/2016/7/6/12105660/do-low-carb-diets-work
nopinsight 9y ago
Consuming much simple carbs often results in a faster rise in blood sugar and gradual insulin resistance which may lead to diabetes in the long run. Disclaimer: Not an expert, but here is a reference: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/ https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/c...
- allover 9y ago
  I think that's too simplistic of a connecting of dots. You're conflating with overeating. I don't believe healthy people, that stay within a healthy caloric range, that aren't predisposed to diabetes need to fear that the "rise in blood sugar" from simple carbs is going to lead to diabetes. And I'm not aware of any study that shows that or even could (it'd be incredibly hard to study), correct me if wrong. Most people eat simple carbs every day and don't get diabetes. Athletes eat a lot of carbs and don't get diabetes.
CuriouslyC 9y ago
1.) Carbs are a "hot" fuel, they have been shown to increase markers of oxidative stress and inflammation unless paired with phytonutrients as is typically the case in whole fruits and vegetables. This is because sugars are highly reactive in comparison with fats (particularly fructose). 2.) Highly quality carbs, such as in beans, barley, certain kinds of sweet potatoes, etc, are fermented by by your gut bacteria into short chain fatty acids. Short chain fatty acids have been linked to lower inflammation, improved mood and memory, weight loss, longer life span, the list goes on.
- allover 9y ago
  Sources please. 'Inflammation' sets off my pseudo-science detector. And your first point is suggesting carbs are inherently bad 'because inflammation', which I just don't buy.
  - CuriouslyC 9y ago
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2859324/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2859324/ https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2012/238056/ https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2012/238056/ http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/5/991.short http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/5/991.short http://www.onlinejacc.org/content/48/4/677 http://www.onlinejacc.org/content/48/4/677 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11745-007-3132-7 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11745-007-3132-7 It will also help if you understand the chemistry of carbohydrates vs fats. Carbohydrates are inherently unstable and are much more likely to undergo spontaneous reactions than fats. This is because sugars are fringed with electrophyllic hydroxyl groups that will take part in dehydration reactions under physiological conditions. The result of this is advanced glycation end (AGE) products. The phytonutrients from plants seem to stabilize carbohydrates, which is probably part the reason the plant made them in the first place. Carbohydrates aren't so much you body's preferred fuel, rather your body uses them first because letting them float around in circulation is harmful. This is particularly true of fructose, which the liver works very hard to prevent from entering general circulation.
    - 9y ago

Even if you're not a diabetic, blood glucose spikes affect your mental performance like a weak stimulant, creating mild mood swings. Also, high amounts of high GI foods stimulate body fat production.

allover 9y ago
> Also, high amounts of high GI foods stimulate body fat production. That idea, 'the insulin hypothesis', has not been proven. In fact there is now evidence that claim is false. (Paywalled study [1], summary in this article [2]). [1] http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v71/n3/full/ejcn2016260a.html http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v71/n3/full/ejcn2016260a.... [2] https://www.vox.com/2016/7/6/12105660/do-low-carb-diets-work https://www.vox.com/2016/7/6/12105660/do-low-carb-diets-work

nopinsight 9y ago

Consuming much simple carbs often results in a faster rise in blood sugar and gradual insulin resistance which may lead to diabetes in the long run. Disclaimer: Not an expert, but here is a reference: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/ https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/c...

allover 9y ago
I think that's too simplistic of a connecting of dots. You're conflating with overeating. I don't believe healthy people, that stay within a healthy caloric range, that aren't predisposed to diabetes need to fear that the "rise in blood sugar" from simple carbs is going to lead to diabetes. And I'm not aware of any study that shows that or even could (it'd be incredibly hard to study), correct me if wrong. Most people eat simple carbs every day and don't get diabetes. Athletes eat a lot of carbs and don't get diabetes.

CuriouslyC 9y ago

1.) Carbs are a "hot" fuel, they have been shown to increase markers of oxidative stress and inflammation unless paired with phytonutrients as is typically the case in whole fruits and vegetables. This is because sugars are highly reactive in comparison with fats (particularly fructose). 2.) Highly quality carbs, such as in beans, barley, certain kinds of sweet potatoes, etc, are fermented by by your gut bacteria into short chain fatty acids. Short chain fatty acids have been linked to lower inflammation, improved mood and memory, weight loss, longer life span, the list goes on.

allover 9y ago
Sources please. 'Inflammation' sets off my pseudo-science detector. And your first point is suggesting carbs are inherently bad 'because inflammation', which I just don't buy.
- CuriouslyC 9y ago
  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2859324/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2859324/ https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2012/238056/ https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2012/238056/ http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/5/991.short http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/5/991.short http://www.onlinejacc.org/content/48/4/677 http://www.onlinejacc.org/content/48/4/677 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11745-007-3132-7 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11745-007-3132-7 It will also help if you understand the chemistry of carbohydrates vs fats. Carbohydrates are inherently unstable and are much more likely to undergo spontaneous reactions than fats. This is because sugars are fringed with electrophyllic hydroxyl groups that will take part in dehydration reactions under physiological conditions. The result of this is advanced glycation end (AGE) products. The phytonutrients from plants seem to stabilize carbohydrates, which is probably part the reason the plant made them in the first place. Carbohydrates aren't so much you body's preferred fuel, rather your body uses them first because letting them float around in circulation is harmful. This is particularly true of fructose, which the liver works very hard to prevent from entering general circulation.
  - 9y ago