Carbohydrate Curves... An Informative Breakdown on Carbs

I am not a Doctor, or a Health Practitioner, but I read a lot of health information, and some of my dearest friends are health coaches and nutritionists.

This information is from "marksdailyapple.com" - a site full of information on the Paleo Lifestyle.(I'm not a true believer in the Paleo or Caveman eating plan for various reasons, but that's another blog)

“Primal Blueprint Carbohydrate Curve.” These are not my words - I read it - and found it very informative, and wanted to share. There are many misleading recommendations by the USDA - and "labeling" is also one of my pet peeves. (For example - the "recommended daily %" on the labels? This is for a 2000 calorie per day diet - which is not ideal for many.)

I digress...
More about the carbs....

He sees carb intake as a "curve"... ranging from "allowable” to “desirable” to “unhealthy”.

Have a read, and take what you like from this. What I took from it? Yes, we need carbs - but not a whole whack of them...I am sure the majority of my "curves", came from "carbs", so, this chart will help inform my carb choices somewhat, going forward. (as always, talk to your own Doctor if you have concerns or questions...)

300 or more grams/day - Danger Zone! Easy to reach with the “normal” American diet (cereals, pasta, rice, bread, waffles, pancakes, muffins, soft drinks, packaged snacks, sweets, desserts). High risk of excess fat storage, inflammation, increased disease markers including Metabolic Syndrome or diabetes. Sharp reduction of grains and other processed carbs is critical unless you are on the “chronic cardio” treadmill (which has its own major drawbacks).

150-300 grams/day – Steady, Insidious Weight Gain Continued higher insulin-stimulating effect prevents efficient fat burning and contributes to widespread chronic disease conditions. This range – irresponsibly recommended by the USDA and other diet authorities – can lead to the statistical US average gain of 1.5 pounds of fat per year for forty years. (WOW - just sayin')

100-150 grams/day – Maintenance Range This range is based on body weight and activity level. When combined with exercise, allows for genetically optimal fat burning and muscle development. (when at goal)

50-100 grams/day – Sweet Spot for Effortless Weight Loss Minimizes insulin production and ramps up fat metabolism. By meeting average daily protein requirements (.7 – 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight formula), eating nutritious vegetables and fruits (easy to stay in 50-100 gram range, even with generous servings), and staying satisfied with delicious high fat foods (meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds), you can lose one to two pounds of body fat per week and then keep it off forever by eating in the maintenance range.

0-50 grams/day – Ketosis and Accelerated Fat Burning Acceptable for a day or two of Intermittent Fasting towards aggressive weight loss efforts, provided adequate protein, fat and supplements are consumed otherwise. May be ideal for many diabetics. Not necessarily recommended as a long-term practice for otherwise healthy people due to resultant deprivation of high nutrient value vegetables and fruits.

What are your thoughts on reducing carb intake, and this information in general?