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[Jason's Ultimatum]

I'm a general proponent of low-carb diets. But people really need to stop trying to make this argument above. Arguing for health / diet combos across different ethnic groups with totally different cultures, lifestyles, social eating habits, genetic and racial makeups is just silly. There are actual scientific reasons why low-carb can be helpful, but no need to confuse the debate with anecdotal stuff.

I was thinking the same thing when I wrote that there are other variables you need to look at.

I'd take anything you saw on TV with a truck full of salt. Mass media generally does nothing but push the accepted "conventional wisdom", which is still stuck in the 80s with its anti-fat agenda. Corporations own the media and it is simply not in their interests for people to move away from corn and wheat products.

Oh, I understand, which is why I followed my original post with healthy fats. I was just assuming the doctor was referring to bad fats that people need to stay away from, but I could've sworn he seemed cautious about fats. Again, he may have been talking about bad fats.

 

[blackflag]

I was thinking the same thing when I wrote that there are other variables you need to look at.



Oh, I understand, which is why I followed my original post with healthy fats. I was just assuming the doctor was referring to bad fats that people need to stay away from, but I could've sworn he seemed cautious about fats. Again, he may have been talking about bad fats.

Well doctors mostly follow their own opinion anyway. My doctor checked my cholesterol and then said whatever I'm doing, keep doing it. She said that she doesn't believe high fat causes heart attacks but she said her doctor husband does believe that.

 

[EviLore]

I was at the gym the other day, where I receive my only exposure to TV (no audio), and some network TV show -- with Dr. in the title and a bunch of guys in lab coats -- was talking about the pH levels of foods and how you would lose weight if you ate alkaline foods instead of acidic foods. They put on screen an impressive animation where the bad low pH food traveled directly down to the person's gut and expanded it massively.

Wooooo

 

[lenovox1]

I was at the gym the other day, where I receive my only exposure to TV (no audio), and some network TV show -- with Dr. in the title and a bunch of guys in lab coats -- was talking about the pH levels of foods and how you would lose weight if you ate alkaline foods instead of acidic foods. They put on screen an impressive animation where the bad low pH food traveled directly down to the person's gut and expanded it massively.

Wooooo

That describes The Doctors. That's strange. It seems like that show called low-acidic diets bunk. Well, money changes things if it's changed its stance.

 

[entremet]

Unsaturated fat and the other good fats are good for you is what I meant.



I'm sure it's not as simple as you make it out to be. There are other variables that plays into effect.

Sure. But do you blame fat for the increase in obesity, heart disease and diabetes? Are American eating more fat than in previous generations when incidence of obesity, heart disease, diabetes rates were lower?

The biggest source of increased calories have occurred from sugared soft drink, all which are low or have no fat.

 

[Gary Whitta]

Just from a historical perspective the whole story of how dietary fat suddenly became demonized a few decades ago and nutritional dogma became all about eating more grains and carbs than any other type of food, reinforced by the dreaded USDA food pyramid, is really fascinating. Apparently the BBC is running a documentary about it all currently, need to seek that out.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

:lol
OK, man. You're right. All those ingredients are good for you.

Not all of them, some are good for you and others don't do anything for you - but they're not unhealthy or bad for you unless digested in impossible quantities:

Potassium benzoate

Food preserver, so that it won't go off.
It is potentially dangerous, but the following has been found:

The UK Food Standards Agency has stated that people would need to drink at least 20 litres (5.5 gal) per day of a drink containing benzene at 10 μg to equal the amount of benzene they would breathe from city air every day.

Potassium citrate

Effective in reducing the pain and frequency of urination when these are caused by highly acidic urine. Also an effective way to treat gout, arrhythmia, kidney stones.

Aspartame

Need only be avoided by people with phenylketonuria, otherwise deemed safe by all health governing bodies in the world.

Acesulfame potassium

Again, deemed safe to ingest.

 

[blackflag]

Just from a historical perspective the whole story of how dietary fat suddenly became demonized a few decades ago and nutritional dogma became all about eating more grains and carbs than any other type of food, reinforced by the dreaded USDA food pyramid, is really fascinating. Apparently the BBC is running a documentary about it all currently, need to seek that out.

Yeah it is absolutely crazy how that all came about. I can't remember which president, but he was doing the low fat diet himself and gathered a bunch of medical professionals to discuss food standards. The medical professionals disagreed with him so he got others that just went along with it and created the food pyramid. Sorry, some of those details might not be exact but that is the jist of it.

Fat is good for so much. It is great for the brain, especially when growing, great for testosterone levels, great for sanity. Studies have shown that there is a link between low fat diets and depression.

That's just fat, look how low the RDA for protein is. It is ridiculous.

 

[shadyspace]

You know how you're supposed to cut out bread, pasta, etc? Well, if I'm aiming for under 50g a day does it matter if some of that is a slice of bread? Are there things you shouldn't eat no matter what or does it not matter what you eat so long as you don't exceed 50g?

 

[SquiddyCracker]

For those of you who are interested in a low-carb diet but love rice, I suggest outright replacing it with Quinoa.
Works just as well as a "soaker" for sauces and whatnot, but does unlike rice contain complete proteins and a lot less carbs.

 

[Krowley]

You know how you're supposed to cut out bread, pasta, etc? Well, if I'm aiming for under 50g a day does it matter if some of that is a slice of bread? Are there things you shouldn't eat no matter what or does it not matter what you eat so long as you don't exceed 50g?

Bread digests really fast, which means it can cause an insulin spike, so it matters a little bit. Basically, it is much better to be under 50 grams with a slice of bread in the mix than to be over 50 grams, but it would be even better if you did it without the bread.

I've personally had mixed results with including fast digesting carbs in my own version of a low carb diet, and at times, I've bypassed stalls by totally omitting them for a while. I still mix them in occasionally but they worry me.

 

[Liberty4all]

For those of you who are interested in a low-carb diet but love rice, I suggest outright replacing it with Quinoa.
Works just as well as a "soaker" for sauces and whatnot, but does unlike rice contain complete proteins and a lot less carbs.

Can I make it in a rice cooker?

 

[Uno Venova]

You know how you're supposed to cut out bread, pasta, etc? Well, if I'm aiming for under 50g a day does it matter if some of that is a slice of bread? Are there things you shouldn't eat no matter what or does it not matter what you eat so long as you don't exceed 50g?

I sometimes have a sandwich in a day and it doesn't effect my weight loss much.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

Can I make it in a rice cooker?

Yes you can, leave it on for 10-15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed/evaporated.

 

[hockeypuck]

I just read about that study as well and remembered the tread.
Here's the link to it:
http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e4026

It's an observational study. Hardly conclusive.

The Masai people basically eat milk, goat meat and blood, with all the fat and they don't suffer the same ills of civilization--diabetes, heart disease, etc.

The French also eat more fat and suffer least cardiovascular disease than Americans, who have been eating much less fat, historically speaking.

It's the sugar and refined carbs.

This juxtaposition is hilarious. You criticize Phantask2k's linked study as merely "observational" when it having even a shred of scientific validity is greater than the literal observations regarding Masai and French diets. If the results of the BMJ article are "hardly conclusive," then from a pure technical standpoint the conclusions you claim about Masai/French diets and chronic disease are no better than horseshit.

 

[brianmcdoogle]

So I've read through this thread and I have just a couple of questions:

Corn is bad, and so are potatoes. What other vegetables should I avoid? What about fruit like Apples, Peaches, and Bananas?

Beer has a lot of carbs, but what about Michelob Ultra Amber or something really low in carbs? (like, under 4 grams a bottle).

Am I fine in eating things drizzled with olive oil and butter?

And, is a multivitamin almost mandatory?

 

[Backwards Marathon]

So I've read through this thread and I have just a couple of questions:

Corn is bad, and so are potatoes. What other vegetables should I avoid? What about fruit like Apples, Peaches, and Bananas?

Beer has a lot of carbs, but what about Michelob Ultra Amber or something really low in carbs? (like, under 4 grams a bottle).

Am I fine in eating things drizzled with olive oil and butter?

And, is a multivitamin almost mandatory?

Everything in moderation. Multivitamins aren't needed if you have a complete diet but they won't hurt (single vitamin supplements not recommended).

 

[Piecake]

So I've read through this thread and I have just a couple of questions:

Corn is bad, and so are potatoes. What other vegetables should I avoid? What about fruit like Apples, Peaches, and Bananas?

Beer has a lot of carbs, but what about Michelob Ultra Amber or something really low in carbs? (like, under 4 grams a bottle).

Am I fine in eating things drizzled with olive oil and butter?

And, is a multivitamin almost mandatory?

Corn isnt a vegetable, its a grain

Potatoes are not all that great for you, but they are much better than grains. I you love em, just eat sweet potatoes. Those are still not good, but better than regular potatoes. If you feel like you arent losing weight or stalling, stop eating them though

As for fruit, well, i think fruit is fine, but there are better fruit and worse fruit

Best fruit is berries
After that, probably apples
Then stuff like bananas and your tropical fruits (i eat like a banana a day)

Nothing wrong with olive oil and butter. Something is seriously wrong with margarine. Dont eat that crap. Make sure its actual butter

multivitamins are useless crap, dont take them. And with all of the veggies, fruits and other awesome natural foods that you should be eating, you shouldnt have any trouble getting enough vitamins so long as you are paying attention somewhat

Everyone should be taking fish oil supplements. Every single diet that isnt an 'eat fish everyday' diet needs to be taking that since due to bad soil and grain fed animals, food now has shitty omega 6 to omega 3 ratios. Only way to get your ratio in balance is to eat a ton of fish and/or take fish oil supplements

 

[brianmcdoogle]

And I should shoot for definitely under 100 grams a day, preferably under 50? I don't drink soda or juice, and if I cut out bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice, I bet I could under 50, unless I get hidden carbs from things I don't know about. Only thing I do get significant carbs from would be beer, which is why I asked about the low carb beer. This doesn't sound like it might be too bad at all! Though, I guess i would have to suffer throguh the occasional times I get a sweet tooth.

 

[shadyspace]

And I should shoot for definitely under 100 grams a day, preferably under 50? I don't drink soda or juice, and if I cut out bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice, I bet I could under 50, unless I get hidden carbs from things I don't know about. Only thing I do get significant carbs from would be beer, which is why I asked about the low carb beer. This doesn't sound like it might be too bad at all!

My favorite beer is 4.4 per 12oz bottle. I can get in a six pack in a single day and still be sitting pretty under 50g. Plenty of options out there.

 

[ZackieChan]

My favorite beer is 4.4 per 12oz bottle. I can get in a six pack in a single day and still be sitting pretty under 50g. Plenty of options out there.

Remember that when your body is metabolising that alcohol, it stops burning fat. This will impede your weight loss, or so I've heard. Maybe someone can post a link...I am mobile at the moment.

You drink six beers a day?

 

[hoqhuuep]

Remember that when your body is metabolising that alcohol, it stops burning fat.

Could you expand upon this? Did you find this in a scientific journal, news article, or some random fitness forum post?

 

[CrankyJay]

I was at the gym the other day, where I receive my only exposure to TV (no audio), and some network TV show -- with Dr. in the title and a bunch of guys in lab coats -- was talking about the pH levels of foods and how you would lose weight if you ate alkaline foods instead of acidic foods. They put on screen an impressive animation where the bad low pH food traveled directly down to the person's gut and expanded it massively.

Wooooo

Sounds like Dr. Oz.

 

[GatorBait]

I'm a cyclic low carber myself since I weight train. There's a new movement in the low carb, paleo world about safe starches--such as rice and potatoes versus unsafe starches based on grains--pasta, breads. Meaning, rice and potatoes since they're not as refined aren't as bad, from a low carber perspective, as previously though. Obviously, exercise portion control. Eating two huge bowls of rice in one sitting ain't helping anyone, especially if you're sedentary.

But for athletes and those that exercise or train consistently, safe starches provide a healthy source of additional calories to sustain the increased activity.

Sugar is really the worst, though. Alec Baldwin recently lost tons of weight just cutting sugar--all sugar and artificial sweeteners.

Eat what you want, but I know I'm healthier avoiding refined sugars and grains.

New movement? Man, that was pretty much the prescribed "body builder" diet over a decade ago when I started studying nutritional science. Good fats, lean meats, complex carbs, and increasing or decreasing the amount of calories to fit your end goals (fat loss vs. muscle gain).

 

[Piecake]

And I should shoot for definitely under 100 grams a day, preferably under 50? I don't drink soda or juice, and if I cut out bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice, I bet I could under 50, unless I get hidden carbs from things I don't know about. Only thing I do get significant carbs from would be beer, which is why I asked about the low carb beer. This doesn't sound like it might be too bad at all! Though, I guess i would have to suffer throguh the occasional times I get a sweet tooth.

I dont drink beer so i really dont know. As for what amount of carbs you should shoot for, well, that depends on if you want to go keto. Personally, i dont count carbs and simply avoid grain and sugar. I seem to do fine doing that. If you need to do keto to lose weight, yea, you will need to count carbs