New Year, New Diet...

[trailmix 77]

so some vegetables covert to sugar and some don't? Reba, maybe you can explain this one to me.

faster.. sorry should have inserted convert to sugar faster blech.

Carrots are a 'medium' on the GI index, looks like you only opt for those that are low Reba?

[Emancipation 2]

so some vegetables covert to sugar and some don't? Reba, maybe you can explain this one to me.

faster.. sorry should have inserted convert to sugar faster blech.

Carrots are a 'medium' on the GI index, looks like you only opt for those that are low Reba?

I think baby carrots are higher than regular big carrots if I remember correctly perhaps?

[trailmix 77]

Apparently there is a GI index debunk on the 'carrot myth' kind of like the iron in spinach thing I guess?

Food for Thought

Debunking the carrot myth

Raw or cooked, carrots are good for you and they won’t send your blood glucose on a roller coaster ride. End of story. Why? Well, not only are they a low GI food (41), they have very few carbs. In fact, to get a hefty portion of carbs from carrots you’d have to crunch through at least 5 cups or 750 g (about 1½ lb) at a sitting – a pretty awesome achievement even for carrot lovers.

How did the high GI carrot myth happen. Well, they were first tested way back in the early days (1981) – only five people were included in the study, the variation among them was huge, the reference food was tested only once and the result was a high GI. And it was that early high GI result for healthy foods like carrots (along with watermelon) that became the stick to beat the whole GI concept with for years – and to this day for the anti-GI stalwarts. more

Edited January 9, 2009 by trailmix

[TheATeam 0]

I once heard that any red or orange colored veggie was higher on the GI list because they had more naturally occuring sugar in them.

Mandy- Carrots aren't bad for you at all. It's just that they can cause an increase in your blood sugar level. The same can be said of tomatoes. Diabetics, for instance, should really be watching for foods like that. I think that all of us should be watching for foods like that. Not to say that you shouldn't eat carrots at all, but that you should try to pair them with a protein source so that the rise in your blood sugar (which causes the "carbohydrate crash" later) isn't so significant.

Does that make sense? That being said, different foods seem to affect people differently. I know I'm pretty sensitive to having highs and lows in my blood sugars so I'm careful what carbs I eat. I don't want to be pre-diabetic ever again in my life!

I know on the Atkins diet that carrots definitely aren't allowed in induction. Are they allowed later on Reba?

Edited January 9, 2009 by TheATeam

[thetreble 19]

I guess what is so crazy about all this info is in trying to eat healthier, carrotts seem like a better option over a chocolate bar..you know? I realize green vegetables are probably better for you, but I had no idea vegetables like tomatoes can run your blood sugar up. I guess I don't know a lot about this stuff or my body.

woe is me... haha

[trailmix 77]

I guess what is so crazy about all this info is in trying to eat healthier, carrotts seem like a better option over a chocolate bar..you know? I realize green vegetables are probably better for you, but I had no idea vegetables like tomatoes can run your blood sugar up. I guess I don't know a lot about this stuff or my body.

woe is me... haha

You are right. If you choose a carrot over a chocolate bar, you are making a better choice.

[JillA 2]

I started using sparkpeople.com today and WOW it's AWESOME!

It's so user friendly and quick! I had been using mydailyplate.com previously, but it just doesn't compare!!

It's made me realize that I'm on the right track with my eating, but I'm totally not eating enough protein! Anyways, I can honestly say that it took me 5-10 minutes to enter my food for the day and it was well worth it.

I joined it too, love it! I like how you can enter what you ate and it calculates the cals and fat grams, really cool.

[Krikit 1,164]

So...carrotts are bad for you?

I'm confused.

I love carrotts. I eat them almost every day. I didn't realize there were vegetables that could harm you?

baby carrots are especially evil

[JillA 2]

So...carrotts are bad for you?

I'm confused.

I love carrotts. I eat them almost every day. I didn't realize there were vegetables that could harm you?

baby carrots are especially evil

I love baby carrots, so much easier than peeling and cutting big ones.... I just take a handful with some low fat ranch dressing yum!

[thetreble 19]

See that is what I would do..but now I'm not so sure any more.

[Krikit 1,164]

I don't like baby carrots. They're washed in a chemical solution so they taste funny and have a weird texture. I just buy organic carrots, cut them into sticks, then keep them in the fridge in some water. They also have a lot more flavour this way.

[Emancipation 2]

I don't like baby carrots. They're washed in a chemical solution so they taste funny and have a weird texture. I just buy organic carrots, cut them into sticks, then keep them in the fridge in some water. They also have a lot more flavour this way.

is THAT what they do to those poor defenseless baby carrots?

HOLY.. I wonder why sometimes they are almost "fuzzy" blech.

[Krikit 1,164]

I don't like baby carrots. They're washed in a chemical solution so they taste funny and have a weird texture. I just buy organic carrots, cut them into sticks, then keep them in the fridge in some water. They also have a lot more flavour this way.

is THAT what they do to those poor defenseless baby carrots?

HOLY.. I wonder why sometimes they are almost "fuzzy" blech.

Yes, it's a preservative. blech

[Travis & Kim 0]

I started using sparkpeople.com today and WOW it's AWESOME!

It's so user friendly and quick! I had been using mydailyplate.com previously, but it just doesn't compare!!

It's made me realize that I'm on the right track with my eating, but I'm totally not eating enough protein! Anyways, I can honestly say that it took me 5-10 minutes to enter my food for the day and it was well worth it.

I joined it too, love it! I like how you can enter what you ate and it calculates the cals and fat grams, really cool.

i joined as well - today is the first day I am "really" using it

I really like it!!!

So...carrotts are bad for you?

I'm confused.

I love carrotts. I eat them almost every day. I didn't realize there were vegetables that could harm you?

baby carrots are especially evil

I love baby carrots, so much easier than peeling and cutting big ones.... I just take a handful with some low fat ranch dressing yum!

I packed baby carrots in my lunch today - i will save them by eating them

[trailmix 77]

Amanda - I say with 100% certainty that if you choose a carrot over a chocolate bar for a snack, you are chosing a better snack.

The way I see it, the GI is part of a bigger picture. The sugar level in foods is not the be all and end all of nutrition. PLUS! it depends how much of a purist you want to be.

Probably, ideally, depending on your goals and beliefs, you should really be foraging in the woodlands for nuts during the day to supplement your legumes and organic vegetables.

However, since you probably had lunch at McDonalds (I don't mean you specifically ) - chosing a carrot over a chocolate bar is a good thing