Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Carbs: The Truths & Myths and What It Means To YouNot all carbohydrates are unhealthy and some are necessary for life. Why we all need carbs found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Let’s take a closer look at what carbohydrates ‘really’ are and what is truth or fiction when it comes to you, your health and your weight loss. Some diets would have you believe that, when it comes to losing weight, all carbs are the enemy. But the fact is the body needs carbohydrates; its nature’s preferred source of energy. In fact optimal brain function is greatly affected if you leave carbs out of your diet. It can cause retardation in children if they are restricted to much in their carb intake. Let’s take a closer look at some very misunderstood ideas on this kind of food and your diet. So what carbs we should include in our diets and which ones we should avoid?
Carbohydrates often have got a bad reputation: They make us fat, they cause diabetes, and they stimulate our appetites. But these beliefs are not exactly accurate. When people think of carbs, they often conjure up images of cake, bread, or pasta. All of the gurus we have heard throughout our lives start to become little ‘jiminy crickets’ and we panic and just don’t eat any all together. So what should we do, if this is not the case? The truth is that carbohydrates are one of the three major nutrients found in our diet, along with protein and fat — and we need them to stay healthy.
Our bodies need carbohydrates for energy. Yet, unlike protein and fat, there is no daily recommended requirement. Every person is different in what they need, but there are some guidelines. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source — whether as a ready source (consumed as a carbohydrate) or a longer-term one (converted from protein and fat). However, we need carbohydrates for energy (it takes too long to convert protein to carbohydrates for quick energy).
Calories are fattening, not carbs. It’s true. In fact, each carbohydrate contains four calories per gram of food — the exact same calories as a gram of protein. Fat, on the other hand, has nine calories per gram. Even though carbohydrates have the same calories as protein, they have different metabolic effects on the body. Protein has a neurochemical effect on the brain to make you feel more satisfied, or fuller, when you eat. But over eating a protein can cause you to feel lethargic and brain-slow. Where too many carbs can cause the excessive energy issue in kids, the real problem lies in their sugar intake. So let’s look a little closer on how this affects our bodies.
When people lose weight, fat is converted to carbohydrates and used for energy, during the body’s normal metabolic cycles. (This is called the Krebs’s cycle.) It's supposed to work that way anway. People that starve themselves to lose weight cause their metabolism to backfire and think they really are going to starve to death and instead of releasing the fat and converting it to energy to burn, it begins to store even more! So don't ever use this as a way to lose weight. Normally, our bodies do not store carbohydrates because we quickly use them. More often, the body converts proteins and fats into carbohydrates, which are then stored as fat. So in English, what that means is, yes, you can gain weight by over eating carbs. BUT you can also lose the weight by utilizing them for necessary energy. It’s just a matter of healthy diet. You can gain weight over eating fruits and veggies too – over eating anything the body will store. So get busy, get active, and eat a variety of all foods. Carbs are going to become your new best friend in many ways.
That’s why if you strictly limit or cut carbohydrates to lose weight, you will feel sluggish and fatigued. People always wonder why when they cut out carbs, they usually feel worse, not better, this is why. Don’t buy into the Myth that anymore. To stay healthy, and feel energetic, here’s the nitty-gritty on the carbohydrates you need in your diet, and the ones you need to limit.
Good For You Carbs: Seek out foods containing complex carbohydrates and fiber, like those found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. There are two kinds of carbohydrates: starchy ones found in potatoes and whole grains, and non-starchy ones found in fruits and vegetables. The basic rule is to focus on fruits and vegetables as your main source of carbohydrates and limit the starchy ones. Keep in mind that you should eat five fruits and vegetables a day. Have a piece with each meal and as snacks. They are nice treats, lots of fiber, great energy, and packed full of healthy vitamins and enzymes that you need.Fiber helps keep you full, so you won’t need to ingest as many calories to feel satisfied. Try out new fruits, get adventurous and enjoy the colors and flavors of the season. You’ll love the experience, gain better health and lose weight if you start this regimen into a healthy diet and active lifestyle. Fiber also slows the rate that the stomach empties, so you feel fuller longer. Fiber is not a carbohydrate. It is found in whole grain foods, fruits, and vegetables. Fiber is not digested, or absorbed by the body, so it doesn’t have calories. It is great for the colon and for allowing your body to process foods longer to get more benefit from what you eat. Plus it helps to clean out the colon and help to fight off dis-ease that is creeping up on our American society rapidly.
Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, low in fat, and contain plenty of water. So they have a low-caloric density (fewer calories per ounce) than other foods, and they make you feel full. Starchy, whole-grain carbohydrates are also rich in fiber, so they make you feel full and help you reduce total food intake. Refined grains, like those found in white bread, won’t give you the same benefits. In fact, white flours have the same effect in the body as eating white sugar! And we all know what too much sugar will do. Take a look at the rising epidemic of diabetes, obesity – even in our kids, heart disease, and the list goes on. So enjoy rich whole grains – try a yummy sunflower bread. Visit a Great Harvest type bread store and find the simple pleasures of grain added to your diet this way. You will find losing weight is a much more enjoyable, attainable, and long lasting experience with healthy carbs.
There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is good for healthy hearts, while insoluble ones are good for digestion. Soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, forms a gel-like substance when mixed with body fluids, while insoluble fiber isn’t absorbed in the body and is eliminated through the digestive track, with all the benefits we just described.
Soluble fiber binds fatty acids (fat) and slows the rate at which food leaves your stomach, helping to keep your tummy happy and full! Don’t forget to have water through out the day as well. We often times mistake thirst for hunger and when we take a drink of good water, you no longer find yourself hungry. Just keep in touch with your body throughout the day, you will know. When there is food in your stomach, you minimize the physical signs of hunger and prolong your sense of contentment. The best sources of soluble fiber to limit calories: oats, oat bran, fruits, and vegetables. Fall in love with salads and the thousands of recipes that await you in tantalizing varieties. They can be inexpensive, easy, and delicious, and best of all rich in fiber and energy giving properties for you.
Insoluble fiber is a bulking agent that moves food through the intestine, absorbing water and promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation. Best sources to limit calories: whole wheat products, corn, bran, fruits, vegetables. If you have food allergies you may want to consult a health care specialist to acquaint you with bowel cleansing and rebuilding. Such as introducing pro-biotics back into your body regularly and detoxifying. Many people are just learning about these, but they have been around in the alternative health fields for thousands of years with great success. We are enjoying a huge surge in this type of care again so it should be easy to find and seek out near you.
Most people don’t get enough fiber in their diet and I'll bet you are one of them. Aim to eat 20 to 25 grams of fiber a day. If you eat five fruits or vegetables daily and a few servings of whole grain products, you have enough fiber. If you think you need a fiber supplement, check with your doctor first. The majorities of Americans have lived with the misconception that all carbs are bad and do NOT get enough. There are some so-called bad carbs, let’s look at those now.
Bad For You Carbs: Avoid processed carbohydrates. These include grains whose high-fiber shells have been stripped away. Think of white flour or white rice. The calories are the same, but without the fiber, you lose the metabolic satisfaction of eating a grain. Also stay away from carbs that are combined with white sugar (sucrose) and/or fat. White bread, doughnuts, cake, and pasta contain white flour. A small treat is fine and you should never tell yourself ‘no’ or you will fail any diet, but it should not be the norm or part of your daily diet.
Of course, you want to choose products made with whole grains. The benefit of fullness from heavy grain breads will be far more satisfying than fluffy balloon breads. Some think that the ‘light’ or ‘reduced-calorie’ breads are better for reducing your caloric intake, but it can actually backfire as you eat more and feel less full. Try it and see what works for you.
Avoid these carbs: You really want to make sure you avoid low-carb pasta and breads. These products are made with soy flour (protein flour), have a chewy consistency and don’t taste anything like their whole grain counterparts. You’re better off eating smaller amounts of a fiber-rich product, like whole wheat pasta or whole wheat bread. Also many breads and cakes made with protein flour have a lot of added fat — and more calories.
Don’t beat yourself up if you enjoy a treat once in awhile that is white flour and not-so-good for you. You have to live life and some of it comes from an occasional ‘sweet’ with friends or special occasions. Just think ‘whole grains’ when you choose the starchy carbohydrates. Think of a food pyramid where fruits and vegetables are on the bottom, so they’re your main source of carbohydrates. Truly there are so many ways to prepare them, get yourself some new recipe books or from you favorite easy to prepare magazine and enjoy!
Limit your eating of starchy carbohydrates. Note that corn and peas are starchy carbohydrates, so they have a higher caloric density (more calories per serving than the other vegetables). Such a tough one when the fresh farmers market sales their on-the-cob wonders I love so much, but (sigh) I do enjoy a good corn on the cob during the season. I have also found the wonderful beef steak tomatoes to be a succulent addition to my veggies and fruits routine and all the great fruits that you can enjoy seasonally.
And remember that milk contains carbohydrates: The lactose in milk is sugar, a carb. So for both health and weight control, try to eat carbs that are high in fiber and have a high water content. Stay away from drinking milk as much as possible. It really is not a bioavailable source of calcium and there are so much better ways to get the source you need.
Live healthy, love your carbs, and lose weight feeling full, happy, and satisfied!
Much Success To You!
