Question:
What are good carbs or bad carbs???????

i have been hearing on the news lately about carbs, what is the "good" and what is the "bad" and what foods are they found in? i am very frustrated at this fat, calorie,carb,protein counting stuff that i could scream. i know i,m not getting all my protein in daily (50-60 grams) i,m lucky to get half that. about the only thing i am getting in is my daily water. at 5 1/2 weeks out how many carbs should i be getting daily? i will be seeing my nutrisionist next Thurs 25th and i sure have a lot of questions. i know as time goes on my hunger will start to increase and i want to be ready. this really has me confused. i appreciate any and all answers given.    — patricia M. (posted on September 18, 2003)

September 18, 2003
I am 6 weeks post op and I use fitday.com to track everything I eat, and to explain the good carbs from the bad carbs go to Adkins.com. The good carbs are like veggies and fruit, the bad carbs would be pasta and bread. My doctor requires me to have 70 to 100 gms of protein daily, 800 to 1200 calories daily, 10 to 25 fat gms daily and 30 to 50 carbs daily, as I am able to eat more foods, I will decrease my carb intake.
   — cindy

September 18, 2003
I suspect you're going to get a lot of different responses to this question, so please check them out with your dietitian at your next visit. Personally, I don't find it useful to label foods "good" and "bad". However, since these are generally-used terms when it comes to carbohydrates, I'll do my best to exlain. "Good" carbs come from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They provide essential nutrients, fiber and the type of fuel that your brain, heart and lungs prefer to burn for optimal efficiency. The veggie, fruit and whole grain carbs are a necessary part of everyone's diet. "Bad" carbs generally refer to refined carbohydrates--most of your white-colored foods. These are foods made with refined sugar, and/or white flour (such as all sweets, bakery goods, ice cream, pasta, bread, etc.) and rice and potatoes. These are often labeled "bad" for two reasons: 1. they provide little nutrition for the calories, and 2. they are processed differently in the body than proteins. The "bad" carbs create an insulin reaction, which tells your body to store fat, and not to burn it. It also raises the level of sugar in your blood, and can create food cravings, and blood sugar "crashes". Protein, on the other hand, creates a glucogon reaction, which tells the body to release stored fat (this is part of the reason why we need to keep our protein levels up, and why diets like Atkins and South Beach work as long as you can stick to them). You will see the term "glycemic index" used to describe carbs. This is a measure of how much the carb will contriubte to an insulin reaction. The lower the index, the less the affect. So, try to eat a balanced diet, emphasizing protein, but incorporating lower glycemic index "good" carbs. Regarding the amount of protein you're taking in a day: it's very hard early on to get 60 grams of protein a day, but by six weeks out you should be able to do better than 30 grams a day. It is very important to get enough protein for lots of reasons (one being so that you lose fat and not lean tissue, another so that your organs can function properly, another that you can heal properly, etc.). Talk with your dititian about how to get more into your day. It's great that you're getting all your water in. That's critical. Talk with your dietitian about what you should be counting each day. Early on, mine had me count only protein and water. At about four months out, she did have me start to pay attention to calories (1200 or fewer a day), but told me not to obsess about it. She still does not have me counting carbs and fats. Find out what yours wants you to do. And, best wishes. It really does become much less overwhelming after awhile (after about two months for me).
   — Vespa R.

September 18, 2003
VESPA! I AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE..WAY TO GO GIRL! I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE SHOULD HAVE A QUESTION REAGARDING GOOD OR BAD CARBS AFTER READING YOUR POST...THANKS!
   — Beth K.

September 18, 2003
It is always protein first and if you are not getting in all of your protein I would suggest that you eat no carbs until you can get all of your protein. Nutritionally carbs are very low on the totem pole at this stage of your game. For healing and energy you NEED the protein. When you are talking good or bad it is all about the diabetic glycemic levels and how much insulin they cause your body to produce. A great resource of good versus bad carbs is the Atkins book or website. Good Luck!
   — Carol S.