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If you are not insulin resistant, carbs are probably not a problem for you. But if you are insulin resistant a lower carb diet is the way to go - that means even watching all of those healthy whole grains, lentils, fruit, starchy veggies. Once you lose some weight and/or improve your muscle/fat ratio, your insulin resistance will improve quite a bit but even then you'll still have to watch those carbs...
If you are not insulin resistant, carbs are probably not a problem for you. But if you are insulin resistant a lower carb diet is the way to go - that means even watching all of those healthy whole grains, lentils, fruit, starchy veggies.
Lower carbohydrate diets can help people with insulin resistance manage their symptoms, but it does little to resolve the issue.
The problem with "carbohydrates" is that to the vast majority of people it means sugar and products made from refined flour. These foods are problematic for everyone but cause a lot of issues in people with insulin resistance, but whole foods that are naturally high in fiber aren't an issue. You can treat diabetes with a high carbohydrate diet so long as the carbohydrates are coming from whole high fiber foods.
The carbohydrate phobia is counter-productive, a diet rich in whole plant foods is the best way to promote health, maintain a healthy weight, etc.
How would you count lentils?? As carbohydrates or protein?? Is the carbohydrate content as much as potatoes/brown rice, in lentils? I was thinking that if I eat carbohydrates once a day. Is it ok? I would like to eat the lowest form of carbs as possible. so what you guys say??
We don't know your diet. If someone is doing the first phase of Atkins I would say don't eat them. For regular diets I would watch my portion size, they are high in calories(but very nutricious) For me they count as both but since most food is carbs I actually watch more my protein intake and total calories.
Lower carbohydrate diets can help people with insulin resistance manage their symptoms, but it does little to resolve the issue.
The problem with "carbohydrates" is that to the vast majority of people it means sugar and products made from refined flour. These foods are problematic for everyone but cause a lot of issues in people with insulin resistance, but whole foods that are naturally high in fiber aren't an issue. You can treat diabetes with a high carbohydrate diet so long as the carbohydrates are coming from whole high fiber foods.
The carbohydrate phobia is counter-productive, a diet rich in whole plant foods is the best way to promote health, maintain a healthy weight, etc.
The best way to treat insulin resistance is through weight loss (ie - improving muscle/fat ratio). If you can lose weight while eating lots of whole grains/starchy veggies/sugary fruits/lentils - by all means do so. But if those foods s-l-o-w your weight loss down to the point of frustration, it's time to reconsider what you're eating. Maybe decrease or take some of those foods out of your diet all together.
That's what I've done, and I have *never* had diabetic blood sugar readings - at home (I monitor out of curiosity) or at the doctor's office. But when I eat too many whole grains, my blood sugar can rise to prediabetic levels - which is very counter productive to weight loss and, in fact, could lead to diabetes if left unchecked. When that stuff is out of my diet my energy level just shoots up and the weight comes off pretty easily - especially with exercise, cardio and strength training. My diet is very rich in non-starchy whole plant foods.
Once I drop a little weight and exercise regularly my body becomes way less sensitive to carbs and I find that I can have some every now and again without any real repercussions.
Btw, you don't have to be fat to experience the harmful effects of insulin resistance.
Last edited by springfieldva; 02-23-2013 at 06:48 AM..
I love lentils but my body reacts to them like a starchy carb. So I've really got to watch them.
Me too, they really boost my blood sugar. I stick my finger after everything I eat and keep a log so I can tell what my sugars are doing in relation to my diet.
The best way to treat insulin resistance is through weight loss (ie - improving muscle/fat ratio). If you can lose weight while eating lots of whole grains/starchy veggies/sugary fruits/lentils - by all means do so.
I like how you try to demonize these foods by saying "starchy veggies" and "sugary fruits". Yes, losing weight is important to improving insulin resistances.....and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc is the best way to promote long-term weight loss.
Everyone can lose weight by eating lots of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, etc. If someone has developed insulin resistance then avoiding the higher glycemic options would be a good idea. But Lentils, like most legumes, have a low glycemic index and are great sources of carbohydrates for people with insulin resistance.
Eating "whole grains" isn't a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Also, when people say "whole grains" what they are usually talking about is whole grain breads, muffins, etc....products that usually contain sugar as well. Whole grain flour may be superior in terms of nutrients, but as for as insulin levels go they aren't much different than white flour. In both cases its been highly ground and as a result is quickly digested. For grains, people with insulin resistance should be eating intact grains like rolled oats, brown rice, whole barley, etc.
So, as I said, the carbohydrate or starch phobia is counter-productive. Carbohydrates in general aren't the issue, instead particular processed carbohydrates.
I like how you try to demonize these foods by saying "starchy veggies" and "sugary fruits". Yes, losing weight is important to improving insulin resistances.....and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc is the best way to promote long-term weight loss.
Everyone can lose weight by eating lots of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, etc. If someone has developed insulin resistance then avoiding the higher glycemic options would be a good idea. But Lentils, like most legumes, have a low glycemic index and are great sources of carbohydrates for people with insulin resistance.
Eating "whole grains" isn't a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Also, when people say "whole grains" what they are usually talking about is whole grain breads, muffins, etc....products that usually contain sugar as well. Whole grain flour may be superior in terms of nutrients, but as for as insulin levels go they aren't much different than white flour. In both cases its been highly ground and as a result is quickly digested. For grains, people with insulin resistance should be eating intact grains like rolled oats, brown rice, whole barley, etc.
So, as I said, the carbohydrate or starch phobia is counter-productive. Carbohydrates in general aren't the issue, instead particular processed carbohydrates.
I don't know if you actually have IR or if you're just talking theories here...
But I know how *my* body feels when I eat a trigger food. And I can't stand the feeling of IR so I'd just as soon stay away from anything that might trigger it in me. If that means staying away from a plate of barley, oats and groats than so be it. If that means serving my spaghetti sauce over zucchini noodles instead of whole grain pasta, fine. If I have mashed cauli instead of brown rice, even better - especially if I lose weight and feel energized by my diet.
I don't exactly consider myself carb "phobic", just carb aware. And with IR that's what you have to be - aware.
Last edited by springfieldva; 02-23-2013 at 01:48 PM..
I don't know if you actually have IR or if you're just talking theories here...
I'm really not sure what you mean by "IR" in this case, I'm talking about how the human body responses to carbohydrates. "Feelings" aren't reliable, people's "feelings" are influenced by what they think. So if someone thinks that "carbohydrates are bad", they are likely to convenience themselves that they feel bad after eating them.
But I'm not denying that some high carbohydrate foods can make people with insulin resistance feel bad, what I'm denying is that all high carbohydrate foods are a problem.
Different sources of carbohydrates respond differently in the body, this doesn't change from individual to individual. Lentils are slowly digested and as a result don't spike insulin, on the other hand wheat breads (even whole wheat) are digested rapidly and can spike insulin in sensitive individuals.
Avoiding carbohydrates may help people with insulin resistance deal with their symptoms, but it does little to resolve the condition. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc will resolve the condition by promoting weight loss and improve insulin control.
I'm really not sure what you mean by "IR" in this case, I'm talking about how the human body responses to carbohydrates. "Feelings" aren't reliable, people's "feelings" are influenced by what they think. So if someone thinks that "carbohydrates are bad", they are likely to convenience themselves that they feel bad after eating them.
But I'm not denying that some high carbohydrate foods can make people with insulin resistance feel bad, what I'm denying is that all high carbohydrate foods are a problem.
Different sources of carbohydrates respond differently in the body, this doesn't change from individual to individual. Lentils are slowly digested and as a result don't spike insulin, on the other hand wheat breads (even whole wheat) are digested rapidly and can spike insulin in sensitive individuals.
Avoiding carbohydrates may help people with insulin resistance deal with their symptoms, but it does little to resolve the condition. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc will resolve the condition by promoting weight loss and improve insulin control.
The feeling that I'm talking about is *physical* - that awful, jittery "food as crack - I need to eat RIGHT NOW" feeling.
I have learned that if I gain weight past a certain point, it doesn't take much to trigger that feeling. Brown rice, a black bean burger, certainly potatoes will do it for me. So I avoid those foods. Once I get below a certain weight, I am much less carb sensitive. I can have a baked potato without getting that crappy famished feeling an hour or so later. Heck, I can have a bowl of ice cream without getting that feeling. Not something I can do on any regular basis, of course, or I'll start putting the weight right back on.
And for the record, I do not have, nor have I ever had, a refined whole grain bread/muffin/pancake/biscuit habit.
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