When the Atkins craze finally bit the dust, you couldn’t have found a happier girl than me. However, all too often I still hear my friends, family members, and fellow bloggers voice a fear of:
The Big, Bad Carbohydrates
Dun dun dun.
(Click for more on the Alfredo Pasta meal above)
Pick up any health magazine, and you have a good chance of seeing a celebrity interview where said celebrity credits her slim physique to:
1. An absolutely-no-bread diet
2. Eschewing all carbs after 7pm
3. Steering clear of pasta at any cost… after all, pasta is Satan in noodle form, right??
This is ridiculous! I would argue that these celebrities are thin thanks to regimented workout routines (hello, personal trainers!), low-calorie diets that do not include very many Mexican-restaurant gorges or Dunkin Doughnut runs (meal delivery service, anyone?), hectic, on-the-go schedules, and industry pressures that motivate and remind them to keep up these practices. It’s not the carbs! I feel sad every time one of my friends admits to a fear of carbs—pasta in particular.
You deserve to eat pasta! Real pasta. There’s a reason carbohydrates exist: protein repairs and rebuilds cells, fats provide hormonal functions for cells, and it’s the job of the carbohydrates to energize cells. Cut out carbs, and you cut out energy. You’re doing your body a major disservice, especially if you’re highly active. We live in a society that deems any weight loss a good thing. But on low-carb diets, the major source of weight loss is muscle loss (which, in term, slows one’s metabolism) and water loss/dehydration (which presents a problem for one’s kidneys and can cause one’s body to go into a very dangerous state called “ketosis”). So yes, one may initially lose water weight and muscle weight on a low-carb diet; but in the long run, it means a sacrifice of one’s metabolism and muscles.
And a lack of carbs in one’s diet has also been associated with inferior athletic performance and brain function. Glucose (from carbohydrates) is the favored fuel for one’s muscles, brain, and central nervous system, so a breakdown of glycogen (the storage form of glucose) causes fatigue and confusion, thus inhibiting the desire and ability to exercise. Part of the reason carbs get a bad rap is that people fill up on highly-refined grains—cookies, white flour, etc. But restrict whole-grain carbohydrates and you’ll be missing out on fiber, B vitamins, thiamin, niacin, and even protein (surprisingly enough, grains offer quite a bit of protein).
Most of you are probably rolling your eyes at me right now, because how can one little blog post successfully counter a message that’s been drummed into Americans’ minds for years and years and years? But consider the source. While I’m not going to get into specific numbers (the subject of this post is not my weight; if you’re interested in that, please see my FAQ page), I’m nowhere near overweight. I adore carbs. You know this. Carbs fuel my super-active runner lifestyle, fill my body with essential nutrients, and—most importantly—taste delicious.
And yes, pasta too.
CCK Pasta Love:
Pasta Substitutions
One of my friends told me the reason she stays away from pasta is that it’s such a small serving and, for the same amount of calories, she can eat a much bigger serving of say, spaghetti squash.
True, a big bowl of something like my favorite voluminous oatmeal recipe can be much more filling than a small bowl of pasta. But sometimes you don’t want to feel bloated after eating (such as if you have a date that night!). Also, I’d argue that if one tries to fake oneself out with a pasta substitute, he or she subconsciously won’t feel as satisfied after eating because his or her brain knows it’s a substitute and therefore doesn’t register that the food craving was met. This can thus lead to bingeing as the brain attempts to satisfy the craving for the desired food, so, in the long run, a person can end up taking in way more calories than if he or she had simply indulged in a small amount of the real stuff to begin with. It’s like those studies that have shown people who use artificial sweeteners actually end up consuming more calories than those who don’t.
This isn’t to say spaghetti squash is not satisfying in its own right; it’s only when such foods become replacements for others that a problem can arise. Although spaghetti squash, zucchini spirals, mushroom pasta, and those Asian shirataki noodles can be super-fun to eat it’s sad when they completely replace pasta in one’s diet.
This doesn’t mean one should quaff down a quadruple serving of Fettuccine Alfredo every day because “CCK said it’s ok” (especially since the sauce, not the pasta, is filled with unhealthy saturated fat and cholesterol). Everything in moderation. But it’s recommended that the average person take in 6-11 servings of whole grains per day (depending on activity level; athletes obviously need more carbohydrates than sedentary people).
So go ahead and eat those carbs (especially if they’re served to you by a cute boy)! 😉
I’m going to disagree, and agree. I’m a huge believer in different strokes for different folks, I just can’t function happily and normally without carbs in my life, I LOVE them. Pasta makes me happy and I want to be happy.
But then I have met people who do better on less carbs and more protein because it makes them feel fuller for longer and keeps them more satisfied. Note I said LESS carbs, not NO carbs.
So yeah, I agree, but I disagree too. Hope you don’t mind!
Ok Katie, I feel like this post was written for me! Just last night I wrote a post about craving carbs like mad because my brekkie and lunch were lacking them. I came home and had a carb fest….not cool. I mean, I really need to incorporate them into most meals/snacks so I don’t go crazy. I will admit that I get a little kooky about eating too many carbs and is something I need to work on for sure. My goal this week and maybe next, is too eat healthy carbs at most meals/snacks and see how much better I feel! Great post.
Don’t worry, anon is just jealous 🙂
I love carbs, but sadly they don’t seem to fill me up!! Grrrr! I love love love anything carbalicious- and I’m only just now introducing “Real” bread (vs “light” bread) back into my life. I cannot resist sweet potato fries, and I ate all (ALLLLL!) of my brown rice at sushi lunch today- shocked even myself. Thanks for the post though and for making the point that many people can live carb-friendly lives. Sure more delish, no doubt! Man (woman) can’t survive on egg whites and lettuce alone- I should know…I tried!!
Hey Katie I love carbs! But i actually got another question for you – ive been vegan for about a year now and I recently had a blood test done and it showed that im anemic. How do you make sure you get enough iron and B12?
Great post! We were just discussing how the Atkins diet is dangerous (and why it doesn’t work) today in kinesiology class. Carbs are the most efficient source of fuel for our bodies. Your brain needs glucose (from carbs) in order to function! If you exercise at moderate to high intensity without enough carbs in your diet, you’re gonna eventually conk out. And even if you never get to the point where your brain can’t get enough glucose, you’ll be sluggish because your fuel system isn’t working efficiently.
AND in order to burn fat, you need to have carbohydrates. In the words of my professor, “fat only burns in a carbohydrate fire!” And since we WANT to burn off the extra fat, it makes no sense to avoid carbs.
No idea where the carb hatin’ came from. Thanks for helping get this info out there 😀 Your pasta dishes look delish!
i am definatly one who fears pasta 🙁
I dont want to fear it.. i just do.
i want to learn to love my carbs, and protiens, and so on.. I want to learn to nourish my body.. and feel i DESERVE good for me foods 😀 and ALL foods. such as pasta, and bread..
🙁 sigh
i love carbs, too, but i actually think that the recommendation for 50% of our diet is too much. carbs do give us the quickest source of energy, but they are not our only source of energy- the body can also convert protein and fat into glucose as well. (carbs or glucose can not become protein). the reason i think that 50% is too much is because you can get a much more concentrated source of the nutrients in whole grains from vegetables than pasta, bread, rice, etc. too many carbs over time can cause insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. obviously, whole grains are a much better choice and are easier on your insulin than refined carbs, but i think a greater portion of the calories in our diet should come from proteins and fats.
also ketosis is not a dangerous state at all…it just describes the higher levels of ketones that occur when the liver breaks down fat for energy. it is completely normal. ketosis is frequently mistaken for ketoacidosis, which is dangerous! ketoacidosis occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin to control ketone production. ketoacidosis commonly occurs in type 1 diabetes; a low carb diet will not cause this condition.
all that being said, i love my whole grains. i think we can be healthy without them, but i’m still going to eat oatmeal in the morning. i guess i aim for a lower carb diet without avoiding carbs completely (because really fresh bread and homemade pastries are sooo good!). it’s all about balance and moderation. carbs aren’t the best thing for you, but they are not the worst either. especially if you avoid sugar. sorry if my comment was a downer, but those are my thoughts!
Thank you for having the most educated answer.
You are correct; we do not need carbohydrates for our exclusive source of energy; the body is incredibly adept at converting fat and protein into glucose. And 50% of one’s daily caloric intake of carbohydrates is simply too high. Over time, such a high consumption of carbohydrates can cause metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance.
Grains, are also full of toxins and anti-nutrients that we cannot absorb; which is a shame since they are incredibly nutrient dense.
And yes, you are correct; ketosis is not a dangerous state. One’s daily caloric intake should come from 60% fats, 18 – 20% carbohydrates, and 20% protein. And the protein must be from animal-based sources; over-indulgence of legumes, grains and nuts can cause diverticulitis and ruptured intestinal linings.
Fruit should also be consumed in moderation; it can be very fattening. Try to eat fruit that that gives you the most bang for your nutritional buck: fibrous, full of antioxidants and nutrients.
The idea of needing to ‘carb load’ is also a dangerous fallacy. The body does not deplete it’s glycogen stores until it has been in a state of exercise for more than 90 minutes; at which point, yes, you will need a simple carbohydrate to quickly convert to an energy source. Otherwise, you can be fat-efficient, burning fat to fuel you — which is a wonderful thing, and one of the reasons why the best time to exercise is actually in a fasted state.
I shed weight like water when I restrict my carbohydrate intake to 50 – 100 g a day. Some of you reading this, if you’re unable to lose weight, check your carbohydrate intake.
It’s only taken me all day to read this and write back 🙂 As the 52nd comment, it’s all been said. But girl, I love agave, fruit, oats, sugar (yes real cane sugar not fake sweeteners), and I love chocolate and all things that have sugar in them. I too am super active with running, yoga, and runnin after my 2.5 yr old 🙂 so I need fuel. I find that nothing fuels me better than carbs. I could never be a low carber. Heck no, I love sweet things and since I am not over weight I indulge, with pleasure 🙂 Great post and I also cringe when I read people carb-bashing, or even bashing fruit b/c it has “sugar” in it. Yeah, so? LOL girl. Anyway, I dont eat as many processed grains as others b/c I am GF and cannot digest gluten but that’s ok. Bottom line, carbs are cool. Thanks for the post!
xoox
ave
Carbs have always been a problem…but this positive reinforcement is really what I needed. Bring on the carbs–we NEED them to live, after all:)
I never understood carb free diets. Now do I understand ANY diet. I LOVE carbs and I am glad there are supporters of them! 🙂