The surprising truth about carbohydrates (carbs)
If I collected a cent for every time I’ve seen or heard the word “carbohydrates” or "carbs"- or have a book on the subject, I’d become a wealthy man.
 |
| carbohydrates |
Of course, we’ve all heard the buzzwords: simple carb; complicated carb;
high carb; low carb; no carb.
But do we truly know what a carbohydrate is? And are carbohydrates
really as harmful and unhealthy as we’re told they are?
In this post, I’ll make my best attempt to reveal the riddle of the
carbohydrate - and why it’s acquired such a poor name.
After all, it’s the chemical both scientists and dietitians agree is the
major source of the body’s energy.
Carbohydrates structure and function
I’ll keep it brief: Carbohydrates include a carbon atom linked to water
molecules. This is significant since it’s the structure and size of a
carbohydrate that impacts the speed by which it’s transformed into glucose and
eventually into energy.
Before we take a look at the different “sizes” of carbs, let’s look at
why they are important to humans.
Aside from delivering the body’s energy, carbohydrates are also necessary
for the appropriate functioning of internal organs, as well as the proper operation
of the muscles and neurological system.
The most exciting quality of carbohydrates, in this writer’s
opinion, however, is their capacity to help in protein and fat metabolism. So as
it turns out when utilized appropriately, carbs are actually effective in
burning fat.
Types of carbohydrates with examples
Next, let’s have a look at the three fundamental carbohydrates present in
meals (Still dull but bear with me). They are simple sugars, carbohydrates, and
fiber.
Simple Sugars come in two kinds. The monosaccharide (meaning one sugar)
are readily digested and practically instantly utilized by the body due to
their “simple” structure (fruits, fruit juices, and honey).
The second, disaccharides, work in almost the same way and are one
molecule bigger. The disaccharides, however, tend to be more refined
sugars that are highly sweet to taste (white sugar, candy, etc).
The second fundamental category of carbohydrates is the starches or what
we would consider complex carbs (the polysaccharides): foods such as potatoes,
wheat, rice, and corn.
These carbohydrates are slow to
break down and need some time to be transformed into energy.
Finally, there are the fibers. Fibers don’t have a lot of energy value;
however, they do give some support to the body.
Because they don’t contribute much sugar to the system, they make it
further along the pipeline to aid with intestinal function and excretion.
Moreover, they lower cholesterol and inhibit fat absorption.
Why size of carbohydrates matters?
The principle behind low carbohydrate diets is, when the body consumes
too many carbs the surplus will become stored by the body as fat. This is true.
When the body ingests a carbohydrate, it strives to convert it to
glucose as fast as it can, so that it may be utilized by the body. If there is
some extra, no issue, it will get stored as glycogen in the restricted area of
the muscles.
The difficulty emerges, when the storage exceeded capacity: the leftover molecules are stored as fat in fat cells that may indefinitely increase.
Yet, what if there was a method to outwit this system by exploiting the
varying “sizes” of carbohydrate molecules to your advantage?
What if you could maintain the body-burning carbohydrates at a
consistent rate according to the speed of your metabolism and your exercise
level?
The glycemic index (GI) of carbohydrates
The glycemic index is a scale
that shows you (on a food-by-food basis) the rate at which a carbohydrate is
turned into glucose.
The scale is standardized by glucose itself (the glucose is rated at
100). The greater the number on the scale, the faster the conversion.
First used by diabetics to prevent flux in blood sugar, the glycemic
index (GI) has become a popular technique to gain all the advantages of carbs
without the concern of fat accumulation.
Here’s what the scale looks like:
Low GI = 55 or less
Medium GI = 56 - 69
High GI = 70 or more
How is the GI helpful?
If weight reduction or weight maintenance is your objective (isn’t it
everyone’s?), constructing a diet around lower GI foods can lessen peaks in
glucose levels. It’s as easy as that.
You may apply the GI scale to your eating pattern by searching for foods
of low GI and trying to consume a portion of those foods at each meal.
This will also aid you in avoiding consuming
both the “highs and lows” of the refined sugar rush.
Higher glycemic foods can be advantageous and are also called “recovery” foods. Medium and high GI meals should be ingested for up to two
hours after exercise to recover lost carbs and maintain consistent blood-sugar
levels.
Because metabolism differs from person to person, it would be well worth
your time and effort to pursue a personal study of the glycemic index.
Enjoy your carbohydrates by checking in on your favorite meals and deciding
when it’s best to consume them.
Where to get information about the GI of carbohydrates?
You may get dirt on the glycemic indices of all your favorite
carbohydrate items. Check out the searchable database here.
In closing, here are a few recommendations to help you put your
carbohydrates to good use:
*Aim to consume numerous modest meals during the day. Choose one portion
of carbohydrates for each, ideally low GI.
*When in doubt pick carbs that are naturally occurring such as vegetables
and fruits.
*Minimize refined sugars wherever feasible.
*When ingesting bread strive for wheat instead of white.
*Try to swap white potatoes with sweet and substitute brown rice for
white.
Terms of use
The contents of the "Healthy WT" website are for educational
reasons and are not intended to give personal medical advice.
You should seek the opinion of your physician or another skilled health practitioner with any inquiries you may have regarding a medical problem.
Never disregard expert medical advice or delay in getting it because of something
you have read on this website.