How do you respond to questions about low carb?

A place to get your questions answered from McDougall staff dietitian, Jeff Novick, MS, RDN.

Moderators: JeffN, carolve, Heather McDougall

How do you respond to questions about low carb?

Postby Doug_ » Sun Aug 06, 2017 5:59 am

My friend is a big fan of the belief of carbs being fattening, and asked me why I am a proponent of the opposite. My response was that carbs are not inherently bad, and what he thinks of as a carb is probably just a vessel for more fat that he could consume otherwise. That deep fried french fries are at least 40% calories from fat, donuts are similar, etc. That if he were eating truly, naturally low fat foods, they are typically relatively low in calories without their fatty counterparts.

Then I thought, HWJNR (how would Jeff Novick respond)? And I said that it really just comes down to the calorie density of the food; that low-carb foods are typically very calorie dense since there is little fiber or water to keep them feeling full and satisfied.

So my question is that if/when you ever discuss low/high carb diets, whether you ever even touch the idea of the poor energy conversion of carbs to fat storage. Or if you only talk about calorie density and leave it at that. In your mind, is the poorer conversion of carbs to storage a talking point you ever make use of? Does that in your mind even turn out to matter when it comes to the overall calories someone will eat? Pound for pound they'll technically store less fat, but do studies show this to happen in real life?
Doug_
 
Posts: 296
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:23 am

Re: How do you respond to questions about low carb?

Postby JeffN » Sun Aug 06, 2017 6:34 am

Doug_ wrote:My friend is a big fan of the belief of carbs being fattening, and asked me why I am a proponent of the opposite. My response was that carbs are not inherently bad, and what he thinks of as a carb is probably just a vessel for more fat that he could consume otherwise. That deep fried french fries are at least 40% calories from fat, donuts are similar, etc. That if he were eating truly, naturally low fat foods, they are typically relatively low in calories without their fatty counterparts.

Then I thought, HWJNR (how would Jeff Novick respond)? And I said that it really just comes down to the calorie density of the food; that low-carb foods are typically very calorie dense since there is little fiber or water to keep them feeling full and satisfied.

So my question is that if/when you ever discuss low/high carb diets, whether you ever even touch the idea of the poor energy conversion of carbs to fat storage. Or if you only talk about calorie density and leave it at that. In your mind, is the poorer conversion of carbs to storage a talking point you ever make use of? Does that in your mind even turn out to matter when it comes to the overall calories someone will eat? Pound for pound they'll technically store less fat, but do studies show this to happen in real life?


I never discuss my dietary or lifestyle (or theirs) with anyone, unless they come to me as a patient and then we can discuss theirs.

If they come to me, it is usually because everything else they have done, including their attempts at WFPB, have not worked. They are usually very receptive.

In Heath
Jeff
User avatar
JeffN
 
Posts: 9412
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:56 am


Return to Jeff Novick, RD

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests


cron

Welcome!

Sign up to receive our regular articles, recipes, and news about upcoming events.