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The current state of health in this country has nothing to do with the food pyramid. People don't even follow that. The servings sizes of the food pyramid are rather small...do you actually think that people follow it? Heck, while some people know that it's shaped like a triangle, there are many who don't even understand it. People aren't getting fat because they eat a potato. The American populace is fat because many people eat out, consume huge portions, heap gobs of fatty sauces on their food...I can go on and on. There are those who have legit issues when it comes to weight gain, but from my common observance, it's huge portions and too many of the wrong foods (tons of refined carbs, crappy fats, etc etc) that's doing people in. Not bulgur wheat, rice, or whatever.
As anecdotal as it may be, neither me nor my family nor my friends have any insulin issues despite eating rice, potatoes, and grains. I doubt that we are outliers. Because we eat smaller portions and work out, we're doing ok.
And while an avocado is fiber rich and satisfying, I wouldn't make that claim for many vegetables, despite my love of them. If I ate just meat and vegetables with no accompanying starch (be it root vegetables, rice, or grians) I'd be hungry a couple of hours later. I eat a bag of broccoli with my meal and I can tell you, despite its 4g of fiber, it doesn't really fill me up since vegetables are mostly water. When I pair my meal with all three macros, I have a meal that lasts for hours, until the next day.
I think I agree with this. I can't get filled up without carbs. I eat vegetables for the fiber and nutrients, not for the calories.
I have been eating whole wheat pasta in the middle of the day, for I guess a couple of weeks. I seem to get stable energy with no crash. So maybe it really is natural whole wheat? I forgot to read the fine print and I don't have any now. But it was the ONLY brand of whole wheat pasta in the store, out of many different refined brands.
Most whole wheat breads are not particularly healthy, some even add coloring to make it look dark. Your best bet to tell if it is "whole grainier" is to divide the carbs by the fiber....if it is 5 or below it is a healthier carb.
Black beans area fabulous addition in Mexican food.
As with all aspects of diet, variety is key. If your only carbs are things like bread and white rice you are getting minimal nutrition. Beans, lentils, farro,millet...there are literally hundreds of options.
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Most whole wheat breads are not particularly healthy, some even add coloring to make it look dark. Your best bet to tell if it is "whole grainier" is to divide the carbs by the fiber....if it is 5 or below it is a healthier carb.
Black beans area fabulous addition in Mexican food.
As with all aspects of diet, variety is key. If your only carbs are things like bread and white rice you are getting minimal nutrition. Beans, lentils, farro,millet...there are literally hundreds of options.
Only problem is I can't make myself like beans or lentils. Maybe once in a while, but I get tired of them so fast. And they are easy and cheap and great nutrition.
Only problem is I can't make myself like beans or lentils. Maybe once in a while, but I get tired of them so fast. And they are easy and cheap and great nutrition.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Good4Nothin
Only problem is I can't make myself like beans or lentils. Maybe once in a while, but I get tired of them so fast. And they are easy and cheap and great nutrition.
You've said this numerous times. My guess is that while you eat your pasta with a variety of toppings that you aren't being creative with legumes and beans. That you're just making a pot of them and after the second serving you're sick of them.
If you actually COOK with them and make recipes, they are much more interesting. There are many Mediterranean, Indian, and African recipes where you can make a pot, freeze half and then rotate among these various dishes...but yeah, you have to add a few ingredients and not just hold your nose and eat a plain bowl of beans every day. But yeah, you don't really want to spend any time cooking so forget it.
BTW. most beans and legumes beat the carbs/fiber < 5 rule quite easily and to a much greater degree than even whole wheat pasta.
You've said this numerous times. My guess is that while you eat your pasta with a variety of toppings that you aren't being creative with legumes and beans. That you're just making a pot of them and after the second serving you're sick of them.
If you actually COOK with them and make recipes, they are much more interesting. There are many Mediterranean, Indian, and African recipes where you can make a pot, freeze half and then rotate among these various dishes...but yeah, you have to add a few ingredients and not just hold your nose and eat a plain bowl of beans every day. But yeah, you don't really want to spend any time cooking so forget it.
BTW. most beans and legumes beat the carbs/fiber < 5 rule quite easily and to a much greater degree than even whole wheat pasta.
I LOVE beans. They are so versatile. I love baking chick peas with some spices. They are goof for snacking. We eat beans at least 3 times a week. I will even put canellini beans in some pasta dishes I make.
They are so nutritious, filled with fiber and cheap!
There are PLENTY of people who do just fine eating those insulin spiking foods. Plus the benefits are worth it for those people like me. I want those nutrients and fiber.
You have a very myopic view. People from around the world have zero problem eating grains. You fail to understand that not everyone needs to eat the way you think they should.
I think the poster was speaking in the context of people with some measure of insulin-resistance, or who are at risk for developing it. Gguerra is a gold mine of info for such people, on the health and diabetes forums.
I think the poster was speaking in the context of people with some measure of insulin-resistance, or who are at risk for developing it. Gguerra is a gold mine of info for such people, on the health and diabetes forums.
I mention insulin because it is the fat storage hormone. Eating foods that provoke an insulin response may, in turn, cause weight gain. If you repeat this at every meal it could lead to significant weight gain. The opposite is also true, low carb diets reduce insulin which makes losing weight easier. This is innate in all of us, not just some of us. Exercise also plays a big role and would offset some of these effects.
I think the poster was speaking in the context of people with some measure of insulin-resistance, or who are at risk for developing it. Gguerra is a gold mine of info for such people, on the health and diabetes forums.
He may be a goldmine for those who are diabetic but his one size fits all views on carbs is flawed at best. I dont think the OP was worried about insulin. She just had general inquiry about the pasta she was eating.
There is so much confusion regarding carbs because people like Gguerra demonize them to the point that goes beyond any supporting evidence that they are that bad for the general population. After all grains are eaten all over the world.
There are 12 pages of posts (so far) in the thread and is often the case, the topic has veered away from the OP's question on pasta, so obviously I am not responding to the OP. As far as carbs go I can provide more than enough supporting evidence. Some people are in denial as to why low carb diets are good for general health, not just weight loss and most certainly not just for diabetics. As far as the general population, I go back to the same thing over and over, the general population in this country as a whole is not in good health. Obesity is at epidemic levels. A full 1/3 of this country is either pre-diabetic or diabetic. I wonder why that is? Could it be diet? Could it be WHAT they are eating and simply not portion size? I believe it is and I am not the only one.
There are 12 pages of posts (so far) in the thread and is often the case, the topic has veered away from the OP's question on pasta, so obviously I am not responding to the OP. As far as carbs go I can provide more than enough supporting evidence. Some people are in denial as to why low carb diets are good for general health, not just weight loss and most certainly not just for diabetics. As far as the general population, I go back to the same thing over and over, the general population in this country as a whole is not in good health. Obesity is at epidemic levels. A full 1/3 of this country is either pre-diabetic or diabetic. I wonder why that is? Could it be diet? Could it be WHAT they are eating and simply not portion size? I believe it is and I am not the only one.
No, we're diabetic/prediabetic mostly because we are fat, and we are fat mostly because we ride desk chairs and more likely than not overeat.
I have enough anecdotal stories to back me up, and I used to be one of those people myself.
Low carb diets are usually pushed on those who are overweight, just like any other diet. And the driving factor is weight loss, not health.
Most people overeat and don't even realize that they are overeating. There are many who think that a potato should be the size of a men's shoe, and a chicken breast is a whole, not a half. I bet you if people ate smaller sensible portions of most things, then short of a metabolic issue, there wouldn't be many health problems or obesity. I lost weight by simply curbing what I ate, changing my mentality, and working out.
Not only are we large, but we can barely walk a mile. It shouldn't be that I, as a 43 year old woman, can easily walk a mile vs. someone who is in their 20s.
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