All the time we hear about "carbo - loading", "low carb diets", etc...
Isn't it time we get the facts?
What is your goal? Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to gain
weight? Do you want to gain muscle weight, but lose fat weight?
First of all, let's realize that we do need carbohydrates.
We get our calories (energy) from carbohydrates. It is generally
accepted that most people should get from 45% to 60% of their calories
from carbohydrates.
Your three main building blocks are proteins, fat and carbohydrates.
Carbs are found in most all foods, except proteins and fats.
The basics that we need to know and understand, is that
carbohydrates are divided into two categories. These are simple carbohydrates and
complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are found in processed foods, such as sugar, pasta,
white flour, fruits and dairy products.
In this category, we can separate it even further.
Simple carbohydrates need not necessarily be bad for you, as in the
sugar you get from fruit, vegetables and milk products are good for
energy.
Processed sugars like those found in table sugar, candies and carbonated
beverages, are often referred to as empty calories. During processing
they are stripped from all vitamins and nutrients, and will lead to
weight gain.
So needless to say, to enable you to control your weight, rather avoid
processed foods, and get your simple carb intake from foods such as
fruit, vegetables and milk products (such as eg. low fat yoghurt).
These are natural sources of simple carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates can be absorbed fast, which would cause higher
levels of blood sugar. This lets the body secrete insulin,
which causes the level of blood sugar to drop. This is what leads to those
short bursts of energy, just to drop back to even lower energy levels
than before. (This happens if you only take in simple carbohydrates)
To avoid those short bursts of energy, you need to balance your carb
intake with complex carbohydrates. These can be found in your least
processed foods.
This will be foods such as whole wheat products, whole grain cereals,
baked potatoes and brown rice.
Unlike the process with simple carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates are
absorbed slower. Thus there is no need for insulin secretion. Your
blood sugar can be maintained at a higher level, and you sustain
higher levels of energy over longer periods of time.
When energy is released at a fast rate in the body, the body will only
use what it needs. The rest will be stored as fat.
When your blood sugar levels are constant, and energy is released at a
slower rate, your body is constantly in "fat burning" mode, because
there is no need to store any excess.
If you have ever been on a “low carb” diet, now you know why you always
had that tired, sluggish and weak feeling. You do need your carbohydrates.
You just need to understand its function, and then use it wisely!
I hope this article could be of some assistance in your quest to find
out "what do carbohydrates do?"
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