Is low GI always good?

Cokeboyz

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I try my best to eat 6 meals with even amounts of macros a day. By doing research, I found that with a diet like this you should eat mainly low GI carbs. But I looked at the GI scale and apparently cake is a lot lower than shredded wheat. Does this mean that cake is a better source of carbs than shredded wheat? To me it seems to good to be true lol
 
Docmattic

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Its not always the case. Cake also comes with a lot of fat, which would slow the digestion of the High HI carbs (read crap) that go into cake. Cake is essentally carbs and fat which it is not great to combine, as this signals for your body to store the energy as fat. On the other hand shredded wheat may also be highly processed and HI GI as well. In this case you would only want it post workout. However, since it would not be eaten with an abundance of fat, would not be as bad as cake. Thats not to say fat is bad. Its just the wrong types of fats, with the wrong types of carbs in cake.

I try to only combine carbs and protien and fats and protien in each meal-with the aim to keep carbs and fats separate. I Injest carbs around my workouts.

You dont neccessarily have to be eating starch to get low gi carbs though. Look at vegtables like carrots and beans (like kidney beans). These, especially the beans, are great sources of low gi carbs and fiber for throughout the day.
 

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I wasn't aware the argument of "fats slow down carb digestion" was still being touted as accurate advice. Some myths die hard.
 

Cokeboyz

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How did you come to that conclusion?
Read doccmatics post. Another thing, if GI doesn't matter and a carb is a carb then what's the difference between getting carbs from soda or white rice and carbs from an apple or wheat bread?
 
Rodja

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Read doccmatics post. Another thing, if GI doesn't matter and a carb is a carb then what's the difference between getting carbs from soda or white rice and carbs from an apple or wheat bread?
Unless you have a background in biochem, it's going to be over your head.

Easiest route is just to make all of your food and avoid processed items (for reasons other than GI).
 

Cokeboyz

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But do the types of carbs you eat have any affect on your workouts and body composition?
 
Rodja

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But do the types of carbs you eat have any affect on your workouts and body composition?
This is something that varies from person to person (just like everything else in this area) and the only way to find out which one works for you is to try it for yourself for 6 months.
 
Docmattic

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So I should never eat carbs with fat?
Sorry, I should have been more specific. This principle works for me.

In my experience, some fat is okay with carbs (its virtually impossible to have none). However, I would not eat high GI carb, high fat meals together (ie, Cake, pizza, fatty hamburgers) too often. White rice with lots of penut butter for example (i use this combination for the example...i wouldnt generally eat it) would be bad too.

If you had some avocado with your chicken and brown rice.... that wouldnt be so bad.
 
Rodja

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Sorry, I should have been more specific. This principle works for me.

In my experience, some fat is okay with carbs (its virtually impossible to have none). However, I would not eat high GI carb, high fat meals together (ie, Cake, pizza, fatty hamburgers) too often. White rice with lots of penut butter for example (i use this combination for the example...i wouldnt generally eat it) would be bad too.

If you had some avocado with your chicken and brown rice.... that wouldnt be so bad.
You know that the GI of white and brown rice is very close, right?
 
AutoKal47

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I would agree with the caveat that "A processed carb is a processed carb."For my body at least, there's a big difference in the way I feel and look between when I'm eating rice/beans/berries and when I indulge in wheat/flour/sugar.
Of course my friend, when we speak about our bodies, everything requires customization :)
diet, training etc..
 
AaronJP1

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Rodja dropping' knowledge.
 
Docmattic

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You know that the GI of white and brown rice is very close, right?
I thought Jasmin rice had a fairly high gi compared to brown. I know that basmati and brown are close.
 
Rodja

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I thought Jasmin rice had a fairly high gi compared to brown. I know that basmati and brown are close.
They're really close. I personally go with white rices because of more favorable PRAL, but that's a different story.
 
JudoJosh

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They're really close. I personally go with white rices because of more favorable PRAL, but that's a different story.
White rice is also free of phytin and does not have a trypsin inhibitor ;)
 

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In general. Do different types of carbs have different affects on body composition and performance?
 

Cokeboyz

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Can someone please answer the question I just posted?
 
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In general. Do different types of carbs have different affects on body composition and performance?
Yes. Sugars are absorbed and metabolized more quickly because they are simpler molecules than complex carbohydrates. Glucose is a potent and primary energy source for the body, but also a lipogenic stimulus, and chronic hyperglycemia is a large contributing factor to diabetes. Fructose is also known to contribute to insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis when consumed in excess.

Fiber is any carbohydrate the body cannot directly process, is probiotic, and provides bulk to intestinal flowthrough. All good things.

Complex carbohydrates require more time to be catabolized in the GI, resulting in slower steady release of glucose into your system, where it is then moderated by the liver. However, there are a huge variety of complex carbs and they each can have different effects on your system. Additionally, you're rarely ingesting the carbs in isolation, and other nutrients in the bread or pasta or whatever you're eating will affect how the carbs are processed.

In practical terms, just eat healthy. It gets real complex real quick otherwise.
 

Cokeboyz

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Yes. Sugars are absorbed and metabolized more quickly because they are simpler molecules than complex carbohydrates. Glucose is a potent and primary energy source for the body, but also a lipogenic stimulus, and chronic hyperglycemia is a large contributing factor to diabetes. Fructose is also known to contribute to insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis when consumed in excess.

Fiber is any carbohydrate the body cannot directly process, is probiotic, and provides bulk to intestinal flowthrough. All good things.

Complex carbohydrates require more time to be catabolized in the GI, resulting in slower steady release of glucose into your system, where it is then moderated by the liver. However, there are a huge variety of complex carbs and they each can have different effects on your system. Additionally, you're rarely ingesting the carbs in isolation, and other nutrients in the bread or pasta or whatever you're eating will affect how the carbs are processed.

In practical terms, just eat healthy. It gets real complex real quick otherwise.
So basically, the more fiber the better?
 
Rodja

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So basically, the more fiber the better?
Not necessarily. Fiber can interfere with mineral absorption.

But, like I said on the first page, stop worrying about these tiny things and focus on getting your base first.
 

Cokeboyz

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Not necessarily. Fiber can interfere with mineral absorption.

But, like I said on the first page, stop worrying about these tiny things and focus on getting your base first.
I just wanna know what kind of carbs I should eat so I don't get fat and so that my lifts don't suffer.
 
Rodja

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I just wanna know what kind of carbs I should eat so I don't get fat and so that my lifts don't suffer.
Your lifts will not suffer regardless of what types of carbs you eat. Whether or not your body responds favorably to a specific carb is something that YOU can only find out through personal experience.
 
toddgranit

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I just wanna know what kind of carbs I should eat so I don't get fat and so that my lifts don't suffer.
Your best bet is to eat clean whole unprocessed carbs, vegetables, fruit, potatoes, whole grain rice etc.
However remember diet is a lot of trial and error. What works well for some people won't work for others.
Some people do well on low carbs, others can't function well on low carbs.
Others do well on high carbs, while some people gain weight just looking at bread.
You are going to have to experiment to see what works for you.
Just remember bottom line caloric surplus equals weight gain, and caloric deficit equals weight lose.
Good luck.
Peace
 

Cokeboyz

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Then how come people say things like Brown rice is the same as white rice?
 
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Then how come people say things like Brown rice is the same as white rice?
Because brown rice is high in phytic acid, which blocks mineral absorption. I believe there are other reasons as well, but this is the one I'm familiar with.

Edit: I should mention that unless you're eating a TON of brown rice, it's not that big a deal.
 

Cokeboyz

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Okay so basically stay away from things like white flour and sugar altogether and only eat things like fruit and whole wheat bread?
 
JudoJosh

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White bread vs wheat bread - PMID: 18367284
 
Rodja

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Okay so basically stay away from things like white flour and sugar altogether and only eat things like fruit and whole wheat bread?
Stick with unprocessed foods (bread is processed).
 
Swanson52

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Yes. Sugars are absorbed and metabolized more quickly because they are simpler molecules than complex carbohydrates. Glucose is a potent and primary energy source for the body, but also a lipogenic stimulus, and chronic hyperglycemia is a large contributing factor to diabetes. Fructose is also known to contribute to insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis when consumed in excess.

Fiber is any carbohydrate the body cannot directly process, is probiotic, and provides bulk to intestinal flowthrough. All good things.

Complex carbohydrates require more time to be catabolized in the GI, resulting in slower steady release of glucose into your system, where it is then moderated by the liver. However, there are a huge variety of complex carbs and they each can have different effects on your system. Additionally, you're rarely ingesting the carbs in isolation, and other nutrients in the bread or pasta or whatever you're eating will affect how the carbs are processed.

In practical terms, just eat healthy. It gets real complex real quick otherwise.
If I wasn't on Tapatalk I'd rep this. Excellent post.
 

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Read doccmatics post. Another thing, if GI doesn't matter and a carb is a carb then what's the difference between getting carbs from soda or white rice and carbs from an apple or wheat bread?
fructose and glucose.
 
Jiigzz

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Okay so basically stay away from things like white flour and sugar altogether and only eat things like fruit and whole wheat bread?
Fruit has sugar ;) but id never suggest to anyone to avoid that. Fructose is low G.I. and Glucose is high GI. Glucose is really the only form the body can use directly so it doesnt require breaking down, whereas other forms of monosaccrides require conversion into glucose, slowing down the process some. When two or more monosaccarides are bound together (glucose+glucose or Glucose + fructose are some examples) these require further breaking down into there core components. However 2 glucose molecules bound together are still absorbed quickley (because its glucose...) whereas a glucose+fructose molecule takes longer because the fructose component slows it down.

Basically, the longer the chain, the slower the absorption process and therefore the less the effect on blood sugar; but this can vary dependant on the molecular structure of the sugars in question. Its not quite as straight forward as you would like to think.

As Rodja has said, don't over complicate it too much. Experiement with diffferent carb intakes etc. but dont make judgement calls after day 1, espcially if you are drastically changing your diet.
 
AaronJP1

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Fruit has sugar ;) but id never suggest to anyone to avoid that. Fructose is low G.I. and Glucose is high GI. Glucose is really the only form the body can use directly so it doesnt require breaking down, whereas other forms of monosaccrides require conversion into glucose, slowing down the process some. When two or more monosaccarides are bound together (glucose+glucose or Glucose + fructose are some examples) these require further breaking down into there core components. However 2 glucose molecules bound together are still absorbed quickley (because its glucose...) whereas a glucose+fructose molecule takes longer because the fructose component slows it down.

Basically, the longer the chain, the slower the absorption process and therefore the less the effect on blood sugar; but this can vary dependant on the molecular structure of the sugars in question. Its not quite as straight forward as you would like to think.

As Rodja has said, don't over complicate it too much. Experiement with diffferent carb intakes etc. but dont make judgement calls after day 1, espcially if you are drastically changing your diet.
I eat fruit.
 
Swanson52

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I eat PopTarts.
 

vassille

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The main difference between fructose and glucose is as follows:
Fructose is broken down in the liver
Glucose needs insulin to be broken down and used.
Eating a piece of fruit for example doesnt have much effect on insulin because fructose hits the liver, the glucose gets methabolized into cells by insulin and the process take some time with the help of the fiber.
When we eat glucose without any fiber insulin goes crazy high, process of methabolizing the glucose is faster increasing the adipose tissue storage. That's why for the most part eating bread makes you fat.
Now when you add fructose, along with glucose and no fiber that;s when a lot of evil takes place... aka pop tarts.lol
 
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The main difference between fructose and glucose is as follows:
Fructose is broken down in the liver
Glucose needs insulin to be broken down and used.
Eating a piece of fruit for example doesnt have much effect on insulin because fructose hits the liver, the glucose gets methabolized into cells by insulin and the process take some time with the help of the fiber.
When we eat glucose without any fiber insulin goes crazy high, process of methabolizing the glucose is faster increasing the adipose tissue storage. That's why for the most part eating bread makes you fat.
Now when you add fructose, along with glucose and no fiber that;s when a lot of evil takes place... aka pop tarts.lol
There are several glucose transporters that are non-insulin dependent and reside in the plasma membrane constitutively. The liver expresses a couple of them, as do many other tissues. So insulin is not always necessary for glucose metabolism, though it certainly does stimulate it.

And simply eating glucose doesn't necessarily spike your insulin 'crazy high', that's dose dependent like everything else. :)
 
AutoKal47

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And if insulin spike/release is your concern keep in mind that protein spike insulin too
But assuming you're healthy insulin response to food will pretty much balance itself no matter what
unless you go stupid with your diet
 

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And if insulin spike/release is your concern keep in mind that protein spike insulin too
But assuming you're healthy insulin response to food will pretty much balance itself no matter what
unless you go stupid with your diet
The insulin response to protein is much lower though
 

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