When most of us think of carbohydrates we think of evil chocolate cake and not a simple apple. We even perceive carbs as the villain to weight gain and forget that it is the most life-sustaining and important nutritional component to proper functioning. In the last couple of weeks I have come across many confused individuals and therefore I want to make this carb business easy once and for all!
Lesson 1: Simple and complex carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates: are also called simple sugars. Simple sugars are found in refined sugars such as candy and alcohols. They are usually way less nutritious and usually give you a pike in energy that will last you a couple of minutes (e.g: a child given a chocolate bar before bed will be hyper from a “sugar-high”). If you want a rise in energy quickly, choose simple sugars such as fruit and milk because they contain vitamins, fiber, and calcium.
On the other hand complex carbohydrates (aka starch): include grain products, such as bread, crackers, pasta, and rice. As with simple sugars, some complex carbohydrate foods are better choices than others. Refined grains, such as white flour and white rice, have been processed, which removes nutrients and fiber. This is the reason it is important to eat unrefined grains that are rich in fiber to support your digestive system. Fiber helps you feel full, so you are less likely to overeat these foods. That explains why a bowl of oatmeal fills you up better than sugary candy that has the same amount of calories as the oatmeal.
Lesson 2: How the body uses carbohydrates
When you eat carbohydrates, the body breaks them down into simple sugars. These sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream. As the sugar level rises in your body, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin is needed to move sugar from the blood into the cells, where the sugar can be used as a source of energy. When this process goes fast - as with simple sugars - you’re more likely to feel hungry again soon. When it occurs more slowly, as with a whole-grain food, you’ll be satisfied longer.
Lesson 3: What are the best carbohydrates?
So. We have already established that complex carbohydrates are better for you. And to make it real easy, here is a list of do’s and don’ts :
Instead of eating :
- Biscuits, pastries and cakes
- Pizzas
- Sugary processed cereals
- White bread
- White flour
- White pasta
Go for :
- Bananas
- Barley
- Beans
- Brown rice
- Chickpeas and lentils
- Untoasted nuts
- Oats
- Yams
- Root vegetables
- Corn
- Wholemeal pasta, bread
Lesson 4: How much do I need?
Current advice is that we should get half our energy needs from carbohydrates. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, the average adult’s daily diet meets this target with women getting 47.7 per cent of their daily energy from carbs and men 48.5 per cent. The trick to not gaining extra pounds is to just eat the right carbs. If you totally avoid carbs altogether then you might yo-yo diet because the body will crave it naturally.
