Fiber. The control diet used in their study contained 55 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, in contrast to their "moderate-carb diet" which was 43 percent of calories from carbohydrates. The moderate-carb diet had more fat than their control diet 39 percent versus 27 percent of calories so that Protein intake could be the same percentage. The researchers matched the protein intake of both diets studied (18 percent of calories) because protein may influence both satiety ("fullness") and insulin secretion.

The authors assigned the moderate-carb diet to 16 adults and the standard diet to 14 adults for a month. Subjects received enough calories to maintain their weight at what it was before the study. During the study they were weighed each weekday, and if a participant gained or lost weight, the amount of food was modified individually so weight could stay the same. After the subjects adjusted to their diet for 4 weeks, they ate a test meal, a Breakfast that was specific to their diet.

When carbs are eaten and digested, they change into sugar. Before and after the meal, the researchers measured the subjects' levels of insulin and circulating glucose (nonfasting blood sugar) and asked them to rate their hunger or fullness. They evaluated insulin response to a meal and blood sugar levels, because lower insulin and stable blood sugar levels may contribute to increased feelings of fullness, Gower explained.

Their research showed that, even in the absence of weight loss, a modest reduction in dietary carbohydrates was sufficient to lower insulin and stabilize blood sugar after a meal. Ratings of fullness were higher in the group on the moderate-carb diet before eating breakfast and stayed higher for a longer time after the meal, compared with those eating the standard diet.

"Over the long run a sustained modest reduction in carbohydrate intake may help to reduce energy consumption and facilitate weight loss," Gower said.

Paula Chandler-Laney, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham presented the study results.

Source: Endocrine Society

Carbs get a bad rap because people associate carbs with processed foods such as cakes, cookies, chips, etc. Now that acid reflux is a thing of the past (evil band is gone - lol) I am loving being able to eat fresh fruits and veggies. The provide a lot of fiber and nutrients and fill you up.

When I was a kid, going out to dinner was a treat and McDonald's was a real treat. Of course "back then" supersize portions were unheard of. I took a paperbag lunch to school and sat down to a home prepared meal every night. Today, it's all reversed. Meals at home are becoming a rare treat and it's easier to stop and "pick dinner up" at a fast food place. Our love of convenience is killing us.

Carbs get a bad rap because people associate carbs with processed foods such as cakes, Cookies, chips, etc. Now that acid reflux is a thing of the past (evil band is gone - lol) I am loving being able to eat fresh fruits and veggies. The provide a lot of fiber and nutrients and fill you up.

When I was a kid, going out to dinner was a treat and McDonald's was a real treat. Of course "back then" supersize portions were unheard of. I took a paperbag lunch to school and sat down to a home prepared meal every night. Today, it's all reversed. Meals at home are becoming a rare treat and it's easier to stop and "pick dinner up" at a fast food place. Our love of convenience is killing us.

I agree that processed foods are not great and we eat too much of them. I also agree that people do not know good carbs from bad. There was a post a few weeks ago on the band board by a person writing that she wanted to increase her carb intake so she was eating saltines. Saltines? Where is the nutritional value in that? But, they were carbs and she thought she needed them.

No wonder most of the US population is either overweight or obese.

Now, with all that said I do believe the reason our country is fat is processed carbs. We didn't get fat from eating vegetables, we got fat from eating white carbs. There isn't a thing in white carbs that we need. We eat them because they taste good, nothing in the world to do with nutrition.

And she probably thought she needed them because of the people who insist we have to eat tons of them or keel over. :thumbup:

And she probably thought she needed them because of the people who insist we have to eat tons of them or keel over. :wink0:

True, crackers are brain food. If you don't get enough carbs your brain doesn't get food. LOL I think that one is my fav. ;o)