?Starch blockers
- Thread starter bethj
- Start date
Bobbi
Cathlete
I'm with Kathryn! If you eat properly, you don't need to block anything and it sounds very hokey to me.
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi
Actually the reason I was interested in trying it, is becuase I love whole wheat bread and other healthy high density carbs but I can barely eat any of them becuase I am so carb sensitve I put on weight quickly. I am 46 and my metabolism has changed drastically with the perimenopause. I was hoping these might block some of the calories so I could eat several pieces of bread of a day instead of just one. I guess no one here has tried them yet. I am always leery of supplements (don't take any currently) and was hoping someone had tried them.
Beth
Beth
Bobbi
Cathlete
And if they do work, they might be very effective for someone who's carb sensitive, Beth! Muscle and Fitness is reputable so I'd do a little more research and see if they'd help you to incorporate some more carbs! It has got to be tough to be sensitive to carbs! I don't know anything about starch blockers and I spoke off the top of my head. I'll bet you will find someone who has tried them among the folks on this website! Good luck!
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi
Well...I'm embarassed to say that after reading the article, I thought that it was a great idea! I rushed out to my local GNC and bought the one that my friend there recommended. Not a good idea! I got the "funkiest" feeling in my stomach - kind of like really full and then was very constipated the next day. It took a few days to feel better and this was after only one dose!!! $19.95 down the drain!
After my experience, I can't recommend them at all. I'd be interested to hear if I'm the only one who had this problem. I would like to add, though, that I normally eat a very healthy diet - so any time I eat "bad" foods I feel it. I guess I'm very sensitive which is a good thing - it keeps me on the straight and narrow!!!
After my experience, I can't recommend them at all. I'd be interested to hear if I'm the only one who had this problem. I would like to add, though, that I normally eat a very healthy diet - so any time I eat "bad" foods I feel it. I guess I'm very sensitive which is a good thing - it keeps me on the straight and narrow!!!
kathryn
Cathlete
>Actually the reason I was interested in trying it, is becuase
>I love whole wheat bread and other healthy high density carbs
>but I can barely eat any of them becuase I am so carb sensitve
>I put on weight quickly. I am 46 and my metabolism has changed
>drastically with the perimenopause. I was hoping these might
>block some of the calories so I could eat several pieces of
>bread of a day instead of just one. I guess no one here has
>tried them yet. I am always leery of supplements (don't take
>any currently) and was hoping someone had tried them.
>Beth
How about this: when you crave a high density carb, first have some veggies (a salad) or fruit (a large apple), then you probably won't feel the need for more than one piece of bread.
Also, some 'healthy" baked goods are very calorie dense: bagels have an enormous calorie count (unless you specifically find some that don't). And make sure that the "whole wheat" bread is actually "whole wheat" (first ingredient) and not "wheat" bread with "whole wheat" as maybe a secondary ingredient or no whole wheat at all.
>I love whole wheat bread and other healthy high density carbs
>but I can barely eat any of them becuase I am so carb sensitve
>I put on weight quickly. I am 46 and my metabolism has changed
>drastically with the perimenopause. I was hoping these might
>block some of the calories so I could eat several pieces of
>bread of a day instead of just one. I guess no one here has
>tried them yet. I am always leery of supplements (don't take
>any currently) and was hoping someone had tried them.
>Beth
How about this: when you crave a high density carb, first have some veggies (a salad) or fruit (a large apple), then you probably won't feel the need for more than one piece of bread.
Also, some 'healthy" baked goods are very calorie dense: bagels have an enormous calorie count (unless you specifically find some that don't). And make sure that the "whole wheat" bread is actually "whole wheat" (first ingredient) and not "wheat" bread with "whole wheat" as maybe a secondary ingredient or no whole wheat at all.
Beth, I was just going to post this question, and I was hoping to hear from others who have been using these. I too am extremely sensitive to complex carbs such as any type of breads, not only in relation to weight gain, but they also affect my blood sugar levels GREATLY and make me feel bloated, spacey, and just terrible in general. I read an article on the internet from some guy (can't remember who he was) that was an advocate of the low carb high protein diet (not the atkins, drastic type, but a diet including salads, veggies, etc which sounded somewhat balanced) who stressed that these work well when you want to have an occassional carb. He stressed that these will not work well if you are looking to use them every day. Their effectiveness seems to diminish as you increase your carbs and rely on the carb blocker. In a nutshell, he was saying that you can use them when you want a cheat day every so often, but not every day.
This sounds like a balanced opinion, but I would really like to hear from some of you who have tried these. I usually have a pretty healthy diet, but every so often I'd like to have a carb. I would agree with Kathryn though, I've had a salad before I've eaten a carb and this has helped greatly....I don't think it's only because the salad filled me up first. I think quite possibly that the enzymes in the salad help to digest the carb therefore also helping it's effect on my blood sugar levels. Does any of this sound reasonable...any dietician's out there?? There's gotta be someone who's tried these, how about Akirkland, you know quite a bit about managing your carb count as I know that you also get really bloated from carbs too????
Briee
This sounds like a balanced opinion, but I would really like to hear from some of you who have tried these. I usually have a pretty healthy diet, but every so often I'd like to have a carb. I would agree with Kathryn though, I've had a salad before I've eaten a carb and this has helped greatly....I don't think it's only because the salad filled me up first. I think quite possibly that the enzymes in the salad help to digest the carb therefore also helping it's effect on my blood sugar levels. Does any of this sound reasonable...any dietician's out there?? There's gotta be someone who's tried these, how about Akirkland, you know quite a bit about managing your carb count as I know that you also get really bloated from carbs too????
Briee
It sounds like you ladies are Insulin Resistant. If you get a chance, read Dr. Schwarzbein's, "The Schwarzbein Principle," and "The Schwarzbein Principle II, The Transition."
Both books are excellent sources of information on nutrition and how to equate your insulin response to food.
Both books are excellent sources of information on nutrition and how to equate your insulin response to food.
From Amazon:
Amazon.com
From her work with insulin-resistant patients with Type II diabetes, Dr. Schwarzbein concludes that low-fat diets cause heart attacks, eating fat makes you lose body fat, and it's important to eat high-cholesterol foods every day. Picture cardiologists and dieticians tearing their hair out and overweight people cheering as they dive into Eggs Benedict with sausage.
According to Schwarzbein, the high-carbohydrate, low-fat, moderate-protein diet that most dieticians and disease-prevention organizations recommend is the culprit that turns people into diabetics, makes them age faster and get degenerative diseases, and keeps them fat and unhealthy. She supports her theory with case studies of people who were sick and miserable on high-carbo, low-fat diets and who sprang to life when they "balanced" their diets with more fat and protein. Schwarzbein recommends avoiding "man-made carbohydrates"--processed carbs--in favor of those you could "pick, gather or milk." She instructs patients to eat "as much good fat as their body needs": eggs, avocados, flaxseed oil, butter, mayonnaise, and olive oil. Sorry, but fried foods and hydrogenated fats are "bad fats," or "damaged fats," as Schwarzbein calls them. You can eat as many eggs a day as you want on this plan, plus meat (even sausage--as long as it's nitrate-free--and pâté), saturated fat, cream, and nonstarchy vegetables. The book includes a four-week meal plan and about 15 recipes.
Amazon.com
From her work with insulin-resistant patients with Type II diabetes, Dr. Schwarzbein concludes that low-fat diets cause heart attacks, eating fat makes you lose body fat, and it's important to eat high-cholesterol foods every day. Picture cardiologists and dieticians tearing their hair out and overweight people cheering as they dive into Eggs Benedict with sausage.
According to Schwarzbein, the high-carbohydrate, low-fat, moderate-protein diet that most dieticians and disease-prevention organizations recommend is the culprit that turns people into diabetics, makes them age faster and get degenerative diseases, and keeps them fat and unhealthy. She supports her theory with case studies of people who were sick and miserable on high-carbo, low-fat diets and who sprang to life when they "balanced" their diets with more fat and protein. Schwarzbein recommends avoiding "man-made carbohydrates"--processed carbs--in favor of those you could "pick, gather or milk." She instructs patients to eat "as much good fat as their body needs": eggs, avocados, flaxseed oil, butter, mayonnaise, and olive oil. Sorry, but fried foods and hydrogenated fats are "bad fats," or "damaged fats," as Schwarzbein calls them. You can eat as many eggs a day as you want on this plan, plus meat (even sausage--as long as it's nitrate-free--and pâté), saturated fat, cream, and nonstarchy vegetables. The book includes a four-week meal plan and about 15 recipes.
And on book II, "The Transition,"
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Schwarzbein, founder of the Endocrinology Institute of Santa Barbara, first presented her plan for weight loss and overall well-being in The Schwarzbein Principle. This expanded follow-up is designed to help people manage stress, consume the right combination of nutrients, exercise properly, manage any necessary hormone replacement therapy and avoid toxic chemicals. By controlling these key concerns, Schwarzbein promises readers will feel better, younger and more alert and avoid degenerative diseases associated with aging. Though she cautions people not to expect quick-fix results, some will find it difficult to stick with the Schwarzbein regime when the desired physical changes don't become rapidly apparent (some readers, for instance, might gain weight before they lose it). Readers must identify their particular problems-insulin dependency, adrenaline addiction, etc.-and then modify their current diet accordingly. Meal suggestions will please some dieters-red meat and some sausage is permitted. (Condiments, protein bars and bagels are verboten, however.) Sometimes Schwarzbein's advice is quite specific-"Never eat a protein by itself. Too much protein raises adrenaline/cortisol levels and will cause you to burn out your adrenal glands over time"-and some of her warnings are a little disconcerting. "The more cardiovascular exercise you do, the faster you will age," she writes. Many readers will no doubt benefit from the Schwarzbein plan, but her promises of a radical transformation need to be tempered by more caution. And, since she offers specific advice about hormonal supplements, readers should have a complete physical and blood workup from their physicians before following all of the strategies.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Schwarzbein, founder of the Endocrinology Institute of Santa Barbara, first presented her plan for weight loss and overall well-being in The Schwarzbein Principle. This expanded follow-up is designed to help people manage stress, consume the right combination of nutrients, exercise properly, manage any necessary hormone replacement therapy and avoid toxic chemicals. By controlling these key concerns, Schwarzbein promises readers will feel better, younger and more alert and avoid degenerative diseases associated with aging. Though she cautions people not to expect quick-fix results, some will find it difficult to stick with the Schwarzbein regime when the desired physical changes don't become rapidly apparent (some readers, for instance, might gain weight before they lose it). Readers must identify their particular problems-insulin dependency, adrenaline addiction, etc.-and then modify their current diet accordingly. Meal suggestions will please some dieters-red meat and some sausage is permitted. (Condiments, protein bars and bagels are verboten, however.) Sometimes Schwarzbein's advice is quite specific-"Never eat a protein by itself. Too much protein raises adrenaline/cortisol levels and will cause you to burn out your adrenal glands over time"-and some of her warnings are a little disconcerting. "The more cardiovascular exercise you do, the faster you will age," she writes. Many readers will no doubt benefit from the Schwarzbein plan, but her promises of a radical transformation need to be tempered by more caution. And, since she offers specific advice about hormonal supplements, readers should have a complete physical and blood workup from their physicians before following all of the strategies.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Bobbi
Cathlete
Here's the results of a study on starch blockers I found at theNational Library of Public Medicine:
Starch blockers--their effect on calorie absorption from a high-starch meal.
Bo-Linn GW, Santa Ana CA, Morawski SG, Fordtran JS.
It has been known for more than 25 years that certain plant foods, such as kidney beans and wheat, contain a substance that inhibits the activity of salivary and pancreatic amylase. More recently, this antiamylase has been purified and marketed for use in weight control under the generic name "starch blockers." Although this approach to weight control is highly popular, it has never been shown whether starch-blocker tablets actually reduce the absorption of calories from starch. Using a one-day calorie-balance technique and a high-starch (100 g) meal (spaghetti, tomato sauce, and bread), we measured the excretion of fecal calories after normal subjects had taken either placebo or starch-blocker tablets. If the starch-blocker tablets had prevented the digestion of starch, fecal calorie excretion should have increased by 400 kcal. However, fecal calorie excretion was the same on the two test days (mean +/- S.E.M., 80 +/- 4 as compared with 78 +/- 2). We conclude that starch-blocker tablets do not inhibit the digestion and absorption of starch calories in human beings.
Publication Types:
* Clinical Trial
* Controlled Clinical Trial
PMID: 6182469 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi
Starch blockers--their effect on calorie absorption from a high-starch meal.
Bo-Linn GW, Santa Ana CA, Morawski SG, Fordtran JS.
It has been known for more than 25 years that certain plant foods, such as kidney beans and wheat, contain a substance that inhibits the activity of salivary and pancreatic amylase. More recently, this antiamylase has been purified and marketed for use in weight control under the generic name "starch blockers." Although this approach to weight control is highly popular, it has never been shown whether starch-blocker tablets actually reduce the absorption of calories from starch. Using a one-day calorie-balance technique and a high-starch (100 g) meal (spaghetti, tomato sauce, and bread), we measured the excretion of fecal calories after normal subjects had taken either placebo or starch-blocker tablets. If the starch-blocker tablets had prevented the digestion of starch, fecal calorie excretion should have increased by 400 kcal. However, fecal calorie excretion was the same on the two test days (mean +/- S.E.M., 80 +/- 4 as compared with 78 +/- 2). We conclude that starch-blocker tablets do not inhibit the digestion and absorption of starch calories in human beings.
Publication Types:
* Clinical Trial
* Controlled Clinical Trial
PMID: 6182469 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi
Thanks so much for taking the time to type that all out Mindi. I already ordered the books through interlibrary loan. Your overview is making me question the diet I have to admit - ie the more cardiovascular exercise you do the faster you will age - although I feel this to be true in my current state ;-) I could never agree with this. BUT, there is always something to be gleaned so I will check it all out. Thanks again
Briee
Briee
Bobbi
Cathlete
Mindi, THAT"S the smart way to put your money where your mouth is and who can't use more workout DVD's? You know the old addage, "If it sounds to good to be true it probably is too good to be true"!
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi