Some things don't add up

(Steve) said:

If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why are
there so many overweight people in the US where so many people are on
low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
people yet they eat a high carb diet?

Only a tiny fraction of people in the US are on a low carb diet -
maybe 20 or 30 million (yes, that's the entire population of Canada,
but that's another story...). In China and most other 3rd world
countries they don't have the same availability of high calorie sugar
sweetened foods (in fact, I've even heard English people complain that
our common white bread in the US tastes "too sweet" - corn syrup in
everything, ya know?). They also don't have huge amounts of fat
available and use it sparingly in cooking (stir fry, hello???). They
also don't snack and graze all day - even in Europe, snacking between
meals is uncommon. Do you understand now? K.

"Kalish" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(Steve) said:

If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why are
there so many overweight people in the US where so many people are on
low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
people yet they eat a high carb diet?

Only a tiny fraction of people in the US are on a low carb diet -
maybe 20 or 30 million (yes, that's the entire population of Canada,
but that's another story...). In China and most other 3rd world
countries they don't have the same availability of high calorie sugar
sweetened foods (in fact, I've even heard English people complain that
our common white bread in the US tastes "too sweet" - corn syrup in
everything, ya know?). They also don't have huge amounts of fat
available and use it sparingly in cooking (stir fry, hello???). They
also don't snack and graze all day - even in Europe, snacking between
meals is uncommon. Do you understand now? K.

They also get a lot more exercise then people in the Western world do
just because the way they live demands it.

Steve wrote:
| If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why are
| there so many overweight people in the US where so many people are on
| low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
| people yet they eat a high carb diet?

America, of socurs, became fat during the decades of the government's
official policy that fats were evil and carbohydrates were good. Ever since
the advent of the USDA food pyramid with multiple daily servings of grains
and fruit as the basis, the incidence of obesity and heart disease has
risen dramatically. Hopefully with the recent studies proving the benefits
of low-carb eating, more and more people will change their thinking and we
will be able to reverse that deadly trend.

In China food is much more scarce than in the U.S.; people simply eat less.
It is a cultural difference.

It is not carbs alone, or fat alone, that is unhealthy; it is the
combination of the two. People who stick to Weight Watchers, for instance,
can be successful at losing weight and reducing their risk of heart disease
as well as someone who sticks to the Atkins plan. The big difference is that
on a low-carb way of eating, one does not experience hunger, where on a
low-fat diet one experiences a series of insulin spikes and low, causing
regular hunger and food cravings.
--
Peter
Before/Current Pix:
http://users.thelink.net/marengo/weightlosspix/weightlosspix.html

"marengo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The big difference is that
on a low-carb way of eating, one does not experience hunger

I experience hunger when my stomach growls. ;-)

(Steve) said:

If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why are
there so many overweight people in the US where so many people are on
low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
people yet they eat a high carb diet?

Perennial troll with perennial idiotic question.
Lee Rodgers
Lowcarb Retreat http://www.lowcarb.org
CHAT http://www.lowcarb.org/parachat.html
Low-Carb Connoisseur http://www.low-carb.com

"Lee Rodgers" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(Steve) said:

If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why are
there so many overweight people in the US where so many people are on
low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
people yet they eat a high carb diet?

Quoted message said:

Perennial troll with perennial idiotic question.
Lee Rodgers

What is it in *that* question that makes him a troll?

"Steve" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why are
there so many overweight people in the US where so many people are on
low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
people yet they eat a high carb diet?

Go back and read what you wrote. Not much logic there Steve.

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories

Carbs don't make you fat so much as they make you hungry again sooner so you
eat more which makes you fat.

In news:[email hidden],
Steve <[email hidden]> stated
| If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why are
| there so many overweight people in the US where so many people are on
| low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
| people yet they eat a high carb diet?

Hi,

RedRose \(Jaime\) said:

"Lee Rodgers" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On 11 Sep 2004 12:12:41 -0700, [email hidden] (Steve)

Quoted message said:

If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why
are
there so many overweight people in the US where so many people
are on
low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
people yet they eat a high carb diet?

Quoted message said:

Perennial troll with perennial idiotic question.
Lee Rodgers

What is it in *that* question that makes him a troll?

It's not so much the question. That might be asked innocently by
someone who is a bit naive. It's the questioner. He's a well known
vegan with a history of trolling this group.

Take care,
Carmen

(Steve) said:

If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why
are there so many overweight people in the US where so many people
are
on low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
people yet they eat a high carb diet?

Duh.
Didn't your mother ever tell you to eat everything on your plate
"because there are starving children in China"?

Carmen

FOB said:

Carbs don't make you fat so much as they make you hungry again sooner so you
eat more which makes you fat.

While carbs do indeed make you hungry, they also raise your insulin
levels, which is the hormone responsible for storing body fat.

..:. Craig

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It's not so much the question. That might be asked innocently by
someone who is a bit naive.

Yes. I thought that myself.

Quoted message said:

It's the questioner. He's a well known
vegan with a history of trolling this group.

Ah. That clears it up. Thanks. 8-)

Let's back up, and put it as simply as we can.

The human body burns carbs for fuel. When it gets more carbs than it needs,
it converts those excess carbs into fat.

When it gets less carbs than it needs, it turns to the fat stores.

Just a few days ago I met a woman what was a personal fitness trainer. She
had developed a bone disease, and the medication and stuff put 35 pounds on
her. She lost it all through Atkins and is low-carbing today. We exchanged
vegetable recipes.

The ONLY REASON for including carb foods in a diet for people looking to
lose weight is for vitamins. And most of us, if we are smart, take vitamin
supplements anyway.

Low-carbing is healthy, smart, a good way to accomplish weight-control, and
an excellent way to combat the ravages of the effects of diabetes.

It amazes me that the same people who came up with the "food pyramid"
encouraging a substantial amout of grains in the human diet also see that
the best way to fatten cattle is to feed them grain.

Are we missing something, here?

"Jim Bard" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

It amazes me that the same people who came up with the
"food pyramid"
encouraging a substantial amout of grains in the human
diet also see that
the best way to fatten cattle is to feed them grain.
Are we missing something, here?

The back story for "To serve Man" perhaps?
http://members.cox.net/kaiotea/serveman.htm

--
Bob
Kanyak's Doghouse
http://www.kanyak.com

Hi Jim,

(Steve) said:

If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why
are there so many overweight people in the US where so many people
are
on low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
people yet they eat a high carb diet?

Carmen wrote:
Duh.
Didn't your mother ever tell you to eat everything on your plate
"because there are starving children in China"?

Jim Bard said:

Let's back up, and put it as simply as we can.

The human body burns carbs for fuel. When it gets more carbs than
it needs, it converts those excess carbs into fat.

When it gets less carbs than it needs, it turns to the fat stores.

Just a few days ago I met a woman what was a personal fitness
trainer. She
had developed a bone disease, and the medication and stuff put 35
pounds on her. She lost it all through Atkins and is low-carbing
today. We
exchanged vegetable recipes.

The ONLY REASON for including carb foods in a diet for people
looking to lose weight is for vitamins. And most of us, if we are
smart, take
vitamin supplements anyway.

Low-carbing is healthy, smart, a good way to accomplish
weight-control, and
an excellent way to combat the ravages of the effects of diabetes.

It amazes me that the same people who came up with the "food
pyramid" encouraging a substantial amout of grains in the human diet
also see
that the best way to fatten cattle is to feed them grain.

Are we missing something, here?

I think I might be Jim. Your post is a reply to me, and I was being a
smart aleck to Steve, who was trolling.
I'm lost. I also have my first cold (or strep throat possibly) since
November of '02 so I'm about as sharp as a marshmallow right now. ;-)

Was this just a general statement or was it directed towards Steve or
what?

Take care,
Carmen

Hi,

RedRose \(Jaime\) said:

Quoted message said:

It's the questioner. He's a well known
vegan with a history of trolling this group.

Ah. That clears it up. Thanks. 8-)

Sometimes you can't tell the players without a program. ;-)

Take care,
Carmen

Jim Bard said:

Let's back up, and put it as simply as we can.

The human body burns carbs for fuel. When it gets more carbs than it
needs, it converts those excess carbs into fat.

When it gets less carbs than it needs, it turns to the fat stores.

Wouldn't the above be even closer to an accurate simplification of the
incredibly complex human meabolism if you replaced the word "carbs" with the
word "calories?"

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Low-carbing is healthy, smart, a good way to accomplish
weight-control, and an excellent way to combat the ravages of the
effects of diabetes.

I agree with this, because you said "a good way to accompish weight
control." It is not *the only* way. In my opinion, and exlcuding
particular cases like extreme glucose intolerance or diabetes, I believe
that any way of eating that allows the eater to comfortably and sustainably
reduce calorie intake below calorie expenditure will accomplish weight
control.

Quoted message said:

It amazes me that the same people who came up with the "food pyramid"
encouraging a substantial amout of grains in the human diet also see
that the best way to fatten cattle is to feed them grain.

That's an oversimplification. Grains are cheap, so it is easy to feed them
to animals in very large quantities. Remember, cattle are enormous, and
need to eat an enormous amount of food even if not getting overfat. I'm not
even sure the term "fatten cattle" really means "making the cattle overfat."
Someone who knows more about the cattle industry than I do can clarify -
isn't the best cattle for market one with a good balance of succulent fat
and lots of lean meat? I don't think anyone would want to buy flabby,
overfat meat.

Quoted message said:

Are we missing something, here?

Not necessarily, but I do think you have oversimplified in a couple of
instances.

--
carla
http://geekofalltrades.typepad.com/geek

"marengo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Steve wrote:
| If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why are
| there so many overweight people in the US where so many people are on
| low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
| people yet they eat a high carb diet?

America, of socurs, became fat during the decades of the government's
official policy that fats were evil and carbohydrates were good. Ever since
the advent of the USDA food pyramid with multiple daily servings of grains
and fruit as the basis, the incidence of obesity and heart disease has
risen dramatically. Hopefully with the recent studies proving the benefits
of low-carb eating, more and more people will change their thinking and we
will be able to reverse that deadly trend.

In China food is much more scarce than in the U.S.; people simply eat less.
It is a cultural difference.

It is not carbs alone, or fat alone, that is unhealthy; it is the
combination of the two. People who stick to Weight Watchers, for instance,
can be successful at losing weight and reducing their risk of heart disease
as well as someone who sticks to the Atkins plan. The big difference is that
on a low-carb way of eating, one does not experience hunger, where on a
low-fat diet one experiences a series of insulin spikes and low, causing
regular hunger and food cravings.

The food pyramid did have a big effect on our weight problem. But, I
believe the addition of high fructose corn syrup to our food supply
had a bigger effect. When you read labels, it's in everything--foods
that aren't even sweet. i picked up a package of fresly prepared sushi
recently. yep! It had high fructose corn syrup in sushi? There it
was right on the package. I wonder how many pounds of that stuff we
inadvertantly eat every year.

(Theresa) said:

"marengo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Steve wrote:
| If carbs make people fat and low carb diets are the cure then why are
| there so many overweight people in the US where so many people are on
| low carb diets, yet in countries like China there are so few fat
| people yet they eat a high carb diet?

America, of socurs, became fat during the decades of the government's
official policy that fats were evil and carbohydrates were good. Ever since
the advent of the USDA food pyramid with multiple daily servings of grains
and fruit as the basis, the incidence of obesity and heart disease has
risen dramatically. Hopefully with the recent studies proving the benefits
of low-carb eating, more and more people will change their thinking and we
will be able to reverse that deadly trend.

In China food is much more scarce than in the U.S.; people simply eat less.
It is a cultural difference.

It is not carbs alone, or fat alone, that is unhealthy; it is the
combination of the two. People who stick to Weight Watchers, for instance,
can be successful at losing weight and reducing their risk of heart disease
as well as someone who sticks to the Atkins plan. The big difference is that
on a low-carb way of eating, one does not experience hunger, where on a
low-fat diet one experiences a series of insulin spikes and low, causing
regular hunger and food cravings.

The food pyramid did have a big effect on our weight problem. But, I
believe the addition of high fructose corn syrup to our food supply
had a bigger effect. When you read labels, it's in everything--foods
that aren't even sweet. i picked up a package of fresly prepared sushi
recently. yep! It had high fructose corn syrup in sushi? There it
was right on the package. I wonder how many pounds of that stuff we
inadvertantly eat every year.

There are three ways to lose weight:

1 Limit carb intake
2 Limit fat intake
3 Limit total intake

Pick the one that you can manage. They all have positives and
negatives. They all work

Dr. John
[email hidden]