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Sugar found naturally in whole fruit tends to have less of an effect on blood sugar because of the fiber content in said fruit. The same can’t be said for the added sugar in white bread or things like fruit juice, for example, because of the loss of fiber that happens during processing.
Direct Answers to the Original Questions:
>Are fruit carbs the same as the carbs in a BLT on white bread? Or even from whole grain bread?
>I’ve heard advice for fighting acne is to eat a low-carb diet, but what does that mean? Is there an exact number in grams?
According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, some evidence from small studies does exist, suggesting that a low-glycemic index diet can help reduce acne.
There wouldn’t necessarily be an exact number of grams of carbs for this, because the point of a low-glycemic index diet, is that it matters whether the carbs are simple sugars (bad), or starches that turn quickly into simple sugars (not as good), versus if they’re resistant starches (better).
>Does that include fruits, vegetables, and dairy all of which contain carbs?
Most vegetables and most carb-containing dairy types are low glycemic index. Some fruits are too. Many fruits are high glycemic index.
>Is a low-carb diet something that can even be quantified?
You can definitely calculate the amount of digestible carbs in foods, keto people do that often.
But just because this thing in the world quantifiable, that doesn’t mean that you know what anyone else means when they say “low carb”. If you want to know what someone means when they say “low carb”, you have to ask them what they mean by that.
>Does it mean eating 2 slices of bread and half a cup of rice daily or a single crouton per week?
It’s kind of like doing the limbo: how low can you go?
Or, better yet: how low do you want to go? We can’t make that choice for you.
Low carb simply means lowering your carb intake. The amount it’s lowered to varies greatly from person to person following such diet.
In research, it looks like this.
Very low-carbohydrate (less than 10% carbohydrates) or 20 to 50 gm/day
Low-carbohydrate (less than 26% carbohydrates) or less than 130 gm/day
Moderate-carbohydrate (26% to 44%)
High-carbohydrate (45% or greater)
“Carbohydrates play an important role in the human body. They act as an energy source, help control blood glucose and insulin metabolism, participate in cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism, and help with fermentation…
Carbohydrates is an umbrella term that encompasses sugar, fruits, vegetables, fibers, and legumes. While there are numerous divisions of carbohydrates, the human diet benefits mostly from a certain subset.”
> For years, I’ve heard about how carbs cause or have a role in virtually every disease and disorder in existence.
Carbs are the most important energy source in our diet. The advice to reduce carbs is mostly given because the carbs people typically eat are quick to digest and often from sources with poor nutritional value.
Complex carbs are awesome, they help you feel full and give you sustained energy as they are difficult to digest. Simple carbs digest quickly and give you lots of energy for a short period of time. We also can’t digest some carbs, insoluble fiber passes right through you and helps you poop.
Its also a case of looking holistically at your meal. Having a piece of white bread as a snack is very different then having a piece of white bread with a meal that includes lots of fiber.
The magic thing here is glucose curves. Unless you are about to run a marathon you want your glucose curve to slowly increase and then decrease rather than spike & crash. The types of carbs you eat (also fats & protein) determine this curve.
> Are these the same as the carbs in a BLT on white bread? Or even from whole grain bread?
A whole piece of fruit the sugars are not super easy to digest as they are trapped in cells and encased in fiber. The more you do to that fruit before eating it the more easily your body will digest those sugars. Juices are often little better then soda because the sugar is immediately available, as an example no sugar added orange juice contains nearly the same amount of sugar as soda.
Fructose is also digested differently to sucrose. Fructose can be taken up immediately in the gut without further processing while sucrose does at least require some digestion (it doesn’t take very long though).
> Also, I’ve heard advice for fighting acne is to eat a low-carb diet, but what does that mean?
Whatever whomever is trying to sell you the book says it is :)
If you have <200g then you are eating less then a typical western diet. The types of carbs you eat are much more important than the actual number. The closer you are to the whole grain the better (not just in carbs either, whole grains contain more minerals & vitamins). Grains like farro and other wheat varietals are also awesome because they give you a bread like taste and tones of texture.
Pay attention to serving sizes too if you don’t want to count everything. A serving size of rice is 1/2 a cup cooked not the 2 or 3 cups restaurants like serving.
Probably one of the best things you can do is experiment with how different foods make you feel. Its easy to keep track of you had x for lunch and you did or didn’t raid snacks a couple of hours later. Once you have an understanding of what does and doesn’t work for you you can tweak from there.
My partner is Type 2 diabetic.
Blood glucose meter readings are VERY firm in teaching the various “HEALTHY” carbs including “Healthy Whole Wheat” and the various Fruits destroy any chance of having relatively normal blood glucose A1c levels.
Obviously, this is an individual body thing, and may not affect your body, but I hate to hear “Universal” recommendations that would lead to dialysis, amputations, and transplants when the highly profitable drugs gave up the ghost.