Why should you avoid refined carbs?

This topic contains 2 replies, has 2 voices, and was last updated by Timewarp 10 years, 9 months ago.

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Timewarp

1:08 pm
3 Feb 14
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According to The Fast Diet FAQ:

> What foods should I avoid on a fast day?
> It is best to avoid refined carbs on fast days ie anything white or rich in sugar. That means pasta, rice and potatoes, as well as the more obvious things like donuts!

What is the reason for not eating these? Will they lessen the effect of the diet due to the way energy is released from these foods, or is the reason to help remain satiated?

There is another question that suggests the latter

> What are the best foods for fast days?
> The Fast Diet book contains lots of recipes, the Fast Diet Recipe book has even more. The basic principle is to eat foods that are high in protein and fibre, as these are the most satiating. That means fish, meat, vegetables.

Does the type of calories eaten affect the diet, and is there any evidence for this?

sylvestra

1:30 pm
3 Feb 14
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@timewarp firstly refined carbs tend to be calorie dense so a very small amount has a lot of calories and this will take a big part of your 500 calorie allowance. My preference is to use the calories on veg and protein.

Refined carbs do not keep you satiated.I find that eating refined carbs actually makes me feel hungry and I want to eat more.
Refined carbs digest very quickly, which can lead to surges in your blood sugar level. After a blood sugar surge, your energy drops and you feel hunger.

If you want to fit them into your fast days then you can do so. Whether they reduce the effects of the diet will depend on the individual as we all react differently. This, I think, would also apply to the type of calories consumed.

There are loads of alternatives if you miss the potato/pasta/rice part of a meal – cauliflower ‘rice’; ‘courgetti’; and Slim Pasta/Noodles/Rice made from konjac flour, no carbs and very low in calories. But fasts are one day at a time and there’s always ‘jam tomorrow’.

The advice given about The Fast Diet can only be generalised and everyone customises it to suit themselves. You do it your way…to fit around your lifestyle. The Fast Diet should fit you not the other way round. That’s what makes it sustainable.

xx

Timewarp

1:43 pm
3 Feb 14
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Thanks. I wondered as recently the diet hasn’t been working for me, although it did at first. I have tried to remedy it by making sure I do not exceed the 600 calorie mark by having a ready meal (with the number of calories stated on the packet) as my only meal during the 24 hours. I was wondering whether the rice content was having any affect on the diet itself.

Hunger has never been a problem and I can easily make it through the day but I wondered if the food type had any other effect than possibly making you feel hunger.