Fruits and veggies

Quagmire911

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I have been trying to find specific info on fruits and veggies and there effects, but haven't really found what I am looking for. Obviously they are full of vitamins and minerals etc and should always be included in the diet...

I have heard in the past that veggies don't count towards overall calories in the day as most of their calories are burned in the digestion process. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on this as I would like to know the full story. I also know you can eat them after a carb cutoff, what specifically makes this the case? Do they actually provide any energy to the body?

Fruits as well. What is the deal here? Full of sugar but this isn't a problem. I have heard you should try to limit fruit intake to low GI but that is about as much as I know. Do fruits come under the category of being removed in a carb cutoff? If so why? Do their calories contribute to the overall calories eaten throughout the day? Do they cause an insulin spike and thus shouldn't be eaten with high fat meals? Just trying to get a bit more educated on the subject.

Any insight is appreciated,

Quagmire
 

Warboss Alex

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Quagmire911 said:
I have been trying to find specific info on fruits and veggies and there effects, but haven't really found what I am looking for. Obviously they are full of vitamins and minerals etc and should always be included in the diet...

I have heard in the past that veggies don't count towards overall calories in the day as most of their calories are burned in the digestion process. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on this as I would like to know the full story. I also know you can eat them after a carb cutoff, what specifically makes this the case? Do they actually provide any energy to the body?

1LB OF BROCCOLI HAS ABOUT 13G CARBS OR 50 CALORIES, MOST OF WHICH WILL BE BURNED OFF DIGESTING IT. IT IS NOT A 'ZERO' CALORIE FOOD BUT YOU'D HAVE TO EAT SO MUCH OF IT TO GET ANY SIGNIFICANT CALORIES IT'S JUST NOT WORTH COUNTING - HOW MANY PEOPLE EAT 1lB OF BROCCOLI AT A TIME?

Fruits as well. What is the deal here? Full of sugar but this isn't a problem. I have heard you should try to limit fruit intake to low GI but that is about as much as I know. Do fruits come under the category of being removed in a carb cutoff? If so why? Do their calories contribute to the overall calories eaten throughout the day? Do they cause an insulin spike and thus shouldn't be eaten with high fat meals? Just trying to get a bit more educated on the subject.

SOME FRUITS E.G. BERRIES ARE OKAY POST CARB CUTOFF AS THEY HAVE A MINIMAL EFFECT ON INSULIN AND HAVE A VERY LOW CARB COUNT - 100G STRAWBERRIES HAS 6G CARBS AND IS VERY LOW GI - IF THIS GIVES YOU PROBLEMS THEN YOU HAVE WORSE THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT THAN FRUIT CARBS.

FRUIT CALORIES DO COUNT YEAH AS THEY DIGEST FAIRLY EASILY, BUT AGAIN, A MEDIUM APPLE HAS ABOUT 50-60 CALORIES, UNLESS YOU'RE ON A STRICT, CARB-CONTROLLED DIET OR ARE A PREPPING COMPETITOR THIS ISN'T SOMETHING YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT UNLESS YOU'RE EATING LBS AT A TIME.

NOW IF YOU'RE SEVERELY OVERWEIGHT AND HAVE SEVERE INSULIN ISSUES THEN FRUIT SHOULD BE ELIMINATED AT FIRST AND THEN ADDED BACK IN GRADUALLY AS IT MAY EFFECT INSULIN LEVELS IF YOU'RE PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE

Any insight is appreciated,

Quagmire
In conclusion - don't sweat fruit and veggies unless you're cutting strictly or are on a carb-controlled diet e.g. the Anabolic Diet..
 

Throttle

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WBA, you don't eat broccoli by the pound?

Here's an insight sneaking around in WBA's comments but he doesn't say it explicitly: the concern with all carbs is (or should be) the effect on insulin levels, if you're concerned with bodyfat loss. Most low carb diets focus on the effects on blood glucose, leading them to focus on net carbs. BUT fat & fiber slow down your glucose response, but not your insulin response. This is something I'm just figuring out, and it's changed the way I approach veggies & fruits, esp. the latter. Unfortunately, it's relatively easy to look up the glycemic index and/or load of a food (since that's where the attention has been) and much harder to figure out your insulin response (since it varies per person).
 

Master Bates

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Fruits and veggies are good for one thing, and that's getting the farts.
 

spesmilitis

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Throttle said:
WBA, you don't eat broccoli by the pound?

Here's an insight sneaking around in WBA's comments but he doesn't say it explicitly: the concern with all carbs is (or should be) the effect on insulin levels, if you're concerned with bodyfat loss. Most low carb diets focus on the effects on blood glucose, leading them to focus on net carbs. BUT fat & fiber slow down your glucose response, but not your insulin response. This is something I'm just figuring out, and it's changed the way I approach veggies & fruits, esp. the latter. Unfortunately, it's relatively easy to look up the glycemic index and/or load of a food (since that's where the attention has been) and much harder to figure out your insulin response (since it varies per person).
Isn't insulin response a reaction to glucose spikes?

It seems almost every other week theirs some research out on new chemicals found in fruit and veggies that have powerful, cancer-fighting abilities. I have a feeling that the increase of cancer in our society is a reaction from a lack of fresh fruits and veggies from our diet.
 

Throttle

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spesmilitis said:
Isn't insulin response a reaction to glucose spikes?
yes and no. insulin is of course a response to glucose spikes, but the magnitude of the insulin response varies from individual to individual. this is what WBA means when he talks about some people being carb-sensitive. the flip side of that is being insulin resistant (they're the same thing)
 

emelec

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what would be different veggies i could eat throughout the day besides lettuce tomatoes and beans?
 

simon

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Broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, courgettes, cabbage, celery, celeriac, aubergine, peppers, cucumber, onions, certain root vegetables etc. etc. etc.
 

eminence

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fruits are good antioxidants, if your working out with a heavy protein diet make sure you eat lots of fruit, it helps get rid of the toxins in your liver. Strawberry's are awesome for this.

veggies are full of fiber, i prefer celery sticks(dipped in peanut butter), asparagus cooked with a good butter substitute, or broccoli dipped in a low fat ranch.
 

DarthJuan

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emelec said:
what would be different veggies i could eat throughout the day besides lettuce tomatoes and beans?
I like to grill asparagus with a teeny bit of olive oil, season with lil' bit of salt and pepper. Pairs perfectly with something like a grilled chicken breast.

Brocolli, celery, peppers, onions, peas/pea pods and carrots are good for asian style beef/chicken stir frys.

When I cook a steak, I don't add that nasty-ass, shoe-leather tasting steak sauce...I grill up some fresh tomatoes and onions, with a little dash of Italian Seasoning. Mmmmm.

I use to hate veggies. I like them now since I started bodybuilding.
I think it might be because I don't take multivitamins - kinda like how a pregnant woman will have food cravings for the food she needs.
 

Master Bates

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Organic grass-fed butter is going to be much better than any butter substitute you can find. It's actually kinda healthy in some ways.
 

Bible_Belt

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broccoli dipped in a low fat ranch.

I like high-fat Blue or Gorgonzola Cheese Dressing. I buy the bags of pre-cut stir-fry vegetables and just eat them raw dipped in dressing. I would like to find a dressing that I like that is flax instead of canola oil, but have not as of yet.
 

Throttle

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you'll have to make your own flax dressing, it's shelf life is too short for manufacturers to take a shot at turning it into salad dressing.
 
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