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Read the headlines, watch a talk show or two or
take a stroll through a grocery store and you may be convinced that
carbohydrates are the source of all evil in the universe. The bestselling
low-carb advocates have successfully made their mark on the public
psyche assisted by an enthusiastic media and an ever-increasing number
of food manufacturers, marketers and restaurateurs all intent on
riding the raging low-carb wave for all its worth. Lots of folks
are giving it a try and, in fact, many are experiencing weight loss
as a result.
The premise behind the low-carb concept is that in
an attempt to heed the advice of health professionals calling for
a low-fat lifestyle,
we’ve unwittingly increased our consumption of low-fat foods
loaded with refined, processed carbohydrates (a.k.a. sugar). The
low-carb proponents suggest that too much of these processed and
simple carbohydrates result in spikes in insulin, a hormone that
stimulates hunger and fat storage. Their solution is to dramatically
restrict carbohydrate intake which ultimately sends the body into
fat-burning overdrive in a metabolic process known as ketosis.
Many health professionals suggest that the weight loss experienced
on a low-carb diet has more to do with a reduction in total calories,
rather than a reduction in carbohydrates. Much of the initial loss
is, in fact, water as the body burns up its limited stores of carbohydrate
which are generally “packed in water.”
The truth is that carbohydrates are not the enemy. On the contrary,
our bodies need carbohydrates. Carbs are the preferred fuel for
our brains and central nervous systems. They’re also a critical
energy source for our muscles during exercise. Athletes and other
consistent exercisers are likely to experience muscle fatigue on
a low-carb diet. For some, low-carb diets may also lead to feelings
of fatigue and depression.
What we should be focusing on is the quality of carbohydrates we
consumer rather than limiting the quantity.
Slow Carbs
Carbohydrates are typically classified as simple or complex. Most
health professionals recommend that the majority of carbohydrates
consumed be of the complex, not simple, variety.
Simple carbohydrates – the type we’re probably all guilty
of eating too much of – include refined flour, processed cereals,
sugars, sweets and some fruits. In their original form, these foods
are already chemically similar to a simple molecule of glucose. Therefore,
once consumed they rapidly turn into glucose and quickly enter the
blood stream.
Since the body considers glucose such a valuable commodity,
the various cells of the body make every effort to get hold of it.
When blood glucose levels rise, the body responds by squirting into
the blood increased amounts of the hormone insulin. Insulin travels
through the bloodstream acting as a glucose escort. Without an insulin
escort, the glucose molecule is too big and bulky to get into the
various cells of the body.
The problem with eating large amounts of simple carbohydrates is
that the resulting rapid increase in blood glucose typically leads
to an overproduction of insulin. The blood gets so full of busy escorts
racing around everywhere opening cell doors, that in a short time
blood glucose levels begin to drop. In other words, the blood glucose “high” is
quickly followed by a blood sugar “crash.” This drop
in blood sugar may explain why people often experience energy lulls
and/or sugar cravings shortly after eating a concentrated sweet such
as a candy bar.
Another drawback of elevated blood glucose and insulin levels is
the effect on our fat cells. When insulin and blood glucose levels
are elevated, fat storage increases and fat release decreases. Chronically
elevated insulin may induce the cells to adapt by becoming more stubborn
at holding on to their fat stores.
Complex carbohydrates are found in vegetables, dried beans, whole
grain cereals, breads, oats, barley, brown rice and nuts. Because
these foods are chemically more complex than simple carbohydrates,
they take longer to digest. Think of them as slow-carbs. The digestion
and subsequent increase in blood glucose with complex carbohydrates
is a much more gradual process. Slow-carbs are less likely to produce
the erratic changes in insulin and blood glucose levels that occur
following consumption of simple carbohydrates.
Unless they were enriched during processing, most simple carbohydrates
contain a minimal amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber. For this
reason, candy, cake, pastries, soda, jelly and cookies are often
labeled “empty calories,” that is, calories with little
or no nutritional value. Slow-carbs, on the other hand, are an important
source of essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. Ideally,
over 40% of your daily calories should come from foods high in slow-carbs
and less than 10% of your calories from simple sugars.
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