Study: Eat "Good" Carbs for Health - Atkins alternative...

Study: Eat "Good" Carbs for Health
Rat research supports benefits of eating low-glycemic index foods
By Gabe Romain
Betterhumans Staff
8/27/2004 4:33 PM

Credit: National Cancer Institute
Not so simple: A new animal study undermines the idea that all
carbs are bad by showing how complex, low-glycemic index carbohydrates
benefit health

Note to Atkins dieters: Not all carbs are evil. A diet containing
carbohydrates that are low in sugar or release sugar slowly can lead to
weight loss, reduced body fat and lower risk factors for chronic illneses
such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, suggests a new study
on rats.

The findings, by researcher David Ludwig and colleagues of the
Children's Hospital Boston in Massachusetts, is a step towards large-scale
human trials of what are known as low-glycemic index (GI) diets.

"What the study shows is that glycemic index is an independent factor
that can have dramatic effects on the major chronic diseases plaguing
developed nations-obesity, diabetes, and heart disease," says Ludwig. "This
is the first study with hard endpoints that can definitively identify
glycemic index as the active dietary factor."

Good carb, bad carb

The glycemic index is a measurement of the rate at which
carbohydrate-containing foods raise blood sugar (glucose) levels. Foods with
a high GI, such as white bread, refined breakfast cereals and concentrated
sugars, tend to be digested rapidly by the body, increasing blood glucose
and insulin levels.

Low-GI foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts,
produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have been shown
to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes. Low
GI-foods can also regulate body weight by virtue of their ability to control
appetite and increase satiety.

Many studies have suggested, for example, that low-glycemic diets
result in significantly more weight or fat loss than high-glycemic diets.
Due to study design, however, the observed benefits could have come from
other aspects of the subjects' diets, such as fiber or overall caloric
intake. For this reason, says Ludwig, no major health agency or professional
association references glycemic index in their dietary guidelines.

Rodents at risk

For the current study, Ludwig and colleagues fed rats diets with
identical portions and identical nutrients, except for the type of starch-11
rats were given a high-GI starch diet and 10 were given a low-GI starch
diet.

At follow-up, the high-GI group had 71% more body fat and 8% less lean
body mass than the low-GI group, despite very similar body weights. The
high-GI group also had higher blood glucose and insulin levels and far more
abnormalities in the cells that make insulin, all changes that occur in
diabetes.

Moreover, the high-GI group had blood triglyceride levels nearly three
times that of the low-GI group. High blood triglyceride levels are a known
risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

In another experiment, 24 mice were randomly assigned to the low- or
high-GI diet. At week nine, the high-GI group had 93% more body fat than
mice on the low-GI diet.

Atkins alternative

The study shows that eating the right kind of carbohydrates can have
tremendous health benefits. Some popular diets, particularly the Atkins
diet, recommend restricting intake of all carbohydrates.

There is evidence that a low-carbohydrate diet may help people shed
weight more quickly than a low-fat diet, however, the long-term health
effects of eating little or no carbohydrates are not known.

"The Atkins diet tries to get rid of all carbohydrates, which we think
is excessively restrictive," says Ludwig. "You don't have to go to this
extreme if you pay attention to the glycemic index and choose low-GI carbs."

The research is reported in The Lancet.

--
Ken

"Reading is the basics for all learning."

Bushisms, 2000

"Ken Kubos" wrote in message
...
Study: Eat "Good" Carbs for Health
Rat research supports benefits of eating low-glycemic index foods
By Gabe Romain
Betterhumans Staff
8/27/2004 4:33 PM


The article misrepresents Atkins Low Carb. they obviously didn't consider
or read Atkins for Life. They seem to focus on popular misconceptions
rather than the actual plans.

Sid...

Ken Kubos wrote:

Study: Eat "Good" Carbs for Health
Rat research supports benefits of eating low-glycemic index foods
By Gabe Romain
Betterhumans Staff
8/27/2004 4:33 PM

Credit: National Cancer Institute
Not so simple: A new animal study undermines the idea that all
carbs are bad by showing how complex, low-glycemic index carbohydrates
benefit health

Note to Atkins dieters: Not all carbs are evil. A diet containing
carbohydrates that are low in sugar or release sugar slowly can lead to
weight loss, reduced body fat and lower risk factors for chronic illneses
such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, suggests a new study
on rats.

The findings, by researcher David Ludwig and colleagues of the
Children's Hospital Boston in Massachusetts, is a step towards large-scale
human trials of what are known as low-glycemic index (GI) diets.

"What the study shows is that glycemic index is an independent factor
that can have dramatic effects on the major chronic diseases plaguing
developed nations-obesity, diabetes, and heart disease," says Ludwig. "This
is the first study with hard endpoints that can definitively identify
glycemic index as the active dietary factor."

Good carb, bad carb

The glycemic index is a measurement of the rate at which
carbohydrate-containing foods raise blood sugar (glucose) levels. Foods with
a high GI, such as white bread, refined breakfast cereals and concentrated
sugars, tend to be digested rapidly by the body, increasing blood glucose
and insulin levels.

Low-GI foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts,
produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have been shown
to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes. Low
GI-foods can also regulate body weight by virtue of their ability to control
appetite and increase satiety.

Many studies have suggested, for example, that low-glycemic diets
result in significantly more weight or fat loss than high-glycemic diets.
Due to study design, however, the observed benefits could have come from
other aspects of the subjects' diets, such as fiber or overall caloric
intake. For this reason, says Ludwig, no major health agency or professional
association references glycemic index in their dietary guidelines.

Rodents at risk

For the current study, Ludwig and colleagues fed rats diets with
identical portions and identical nutrients, except for the type of starch-11
rats were given a high-GI starch diet and 10 were given a low-GI starch
diet.

At follow-up, the high-GI group had 71% more body fat and 8% less lean
body mass than the low-GI group, despite very similar body weights. The
high-GI group also had higher blood glucose and insulin levels and far more
abnormalities in the cells that make insulin, all changes that occur in
diabetes.

Moreover, the high-GI group had blood triglyceride levels nearly three
times that of the low-GI group. High blood triglyceride levels are a known
risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

In another experiment, 24 mice were randomly assigned to the low- or
high-GI diet. At week nine, the high-GI group had 93% more body fat than
mice on the low-GI diet.

Atkins alternative

The study shows that eating the right kind of carbohydrates can have
tremendous health benefits. Some popular diets, particularly the Atkins
diet, recommend restricting intake of all carbohydrates.



Really foolish .... the 1990's and 2000's Atkins books describe the
Glycemic index and cite foods high in glycemic index as the
carbohydrates to avoid.

Actually Atkins has a Glycemic loading index which combines the rate at
which blood sugar is increased along wtih the amount of drive to
increase the blood sugar.

So far, my reading hasn't uncovered a simple clear discussion of this
loading index...... but I assume Atkins wasn't really stupid.

Oh, now I see the viewpoint of some of these new "Researchers" or
"so-called researchers".

I found in metallurgy that you could find equally incompetent "so-called
researchers", so the diet field doesn't have a special monopoly.

Jim

Ken Kubos wrote:
....
Note to Atkins dieters: Not all carbs are evil. A diet containing
carbohydrates that are low in sugar or release sugar slowly can lead to
weight loss, reduced body fat and lower risk factors for chronic illneses
such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, suggests a new study
on rats.

When did Atkins say to stop eating vegetables??

gtoomey

"The Atkins diet tries to get rid of all carbohydrates, which we think
is excessively restrictive," says Ludwig. "You don't have to go to this
extreme if you pay attention to the glycemic index and choose low-GI carbs."

I think people who report about the Atkins diet should read the book first.
What a bunch of bull****.

Yvonne

Note to Atkins dieters: "blah, blah, blah", suggests a new study
on rats.

If I was a rat I would be really interested in this. Of course if i was a
rat I wouldn't be able to read so i guess I wouldn't own a computer.


Atkins alternative
If you want to eat more carbs, become a rat.

On a serious note - does this kind of testing actually benefit humans? Last
I checked humans and rats are different. So as not to insult our rat
population, I'm not saying humans are better, we're just different.
It's apples and oranges - can I use this saying on a low carb board?? or
should I say it's fish and chicken.

Eva
not a rat

"Ken Kubos" wrote in message
...
Study: Eat "Good" Carbs for Health
Rat research supports benefits of eating low-glycemic index foods
By Gabe Romain
Betterhumans Staff
8/27/2004 4:33 PM

These people are so ignorant! Atkins is all about eating good carbs and
avoiding the bad!

On Sat, 28 Aug 2004 11:34:02 +1000, Gregory Toomey
wrote:

Ken Kubos wrote:
...
Note to Atkins dieters: Not all carbs are evil. A diet containing
carbohydrates that are low in sugar or release sugar slowly can lead to
weight loss, reduced body fat and lower risk factors for chronic
illneses
such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, suggests a new
study
on rats.

When did Atkins say to stop eating vegetables??

gtoomey

Isn't Atkins strictly a steak and bacon diet? ;-)

--
Bob M
remove ".x" to reply

Bob M wrote:

Isn't Atkins strictly a steak and bacon diet? ;-)

;-0 No, you get unlimited quantities of eggs, pork rinds, butter and cream,
as well.
;-)

[cut]


Really foolish .... the 1990's and 2000's Atkins books describe the
Glycemic index and cite foods high in glycemic index as the
carbohydrates to avoid.

Actually Atkins has a Glycemic loading index which combines the rate at
which blood sugar is increased along wtih the amount of drive to
increase the blood sugar.

So far, my reading hasn't uncovered a simple clear discussion of this
loading index...... but I assume Atkins wasn't really stupid.

Oh, now I see the viewpoint of some of these new "Researchers" or
"so-called researchers".

I found in metallurgy that you could find equally incompetent "so-called
researchers", so the diet field doesn't have a special monopoly.

Jim


Glycemic load is much, much better than glycemic index. For instance, I
starting looking into eating low carb because of eating brown rice, pasta
cooked al dente, and grapefruit, each of which is low on the glycemic
index. Nonetheless, they caused my blood sugar to skyrocket.

Anyone know how they calculate glycemic load? I assume it would be
something like:

(glycemic index/100) * grams per serving of carbs,

where "100" is the glycemic index for glucose (not white bread, which some
scales use). Obviously, the nebulous "serving" comes into play here as
well. Perhaps it should be done on 100g of product?

--
Bob M
remove ".x" to reply