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Carbohydrates: Not alway the enemy
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Carbohydrates come in many shapes and sizes and while some can be extremely beneficial, others can be quite detrimental. However, despite the negative reputation that carbs have received in recent years, they remain a vital part of a proper diet. Recommendations for carbohydrate intake can range from 40-60% of your daily calorie intake and like proteins, are 4 calories per gram. During digestion, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose which is distributed via the bloodstream to all areas of the body. The Glycemic Index is a scale that rates how quickly the glucose from any given carbohydrate, when ingested by itself, will complete digestion and reach the bloodstream. A carbohydrate with a high glycemic index, such as refined sugars, will be broken down quickly, resulting in rapid release of glucose into the blood. This in turn will result in an increased production of insulin to remove the excess blood glucose and package it away. For health and weight loss purposes, these blood sugar spikes should be avoided due to the fact that frequent blood sugar spikes over an extended period of time are proven to result in increased body fat as well as increased risk of diabetes. Rapid digestion and uptake of glucose can be slowed by consuming fats and proteins along with the high glycemic foods, however it is still more favorable to chose carbohydrates with a lower glycemic index such as whole or unprocessed grains and vegetables.
Avoiding carbohydrate intake all together is also not ideal as glucose is a vital source of energy for a variety of bodily functions. The brain, for example, can only run on glucose. Carbohydrates are also an important energy source for exercise. At rest or during low intensity cardiovascular exercise the body’s fuel mixture favors fat usage. However, as exercise intensity increases, fuel mixture shifts to greater glucose usage. The reason for this is that oxygen is needed in the metabolic reaction to release energy from fat while energy from glucose can be extracted without using oxygen. When exercise nears maximum intensity, the body’s energy needs exceed its capacity to take in oxygen and glucose takes over as the primary fuel source. Reaching this intensity in your workouts is important because the lactic acid byproduct of burning glucose as a primary fuel source signals important metabolic shifts in your body that will greatly increase your daily calorie expenditure. This process is what will ultimately lead to a stronger leaner body. It is true that through the process of ketosis your body can synthesize glucose from your fat stores to run vital systems such as the brain. However, drastically low carbohydrate diets will adversely affect your exercise performance and muscle recovery ultimately impacting your body’s metabolic response to exercise.
The key to a healthy carbohydrate intake is choosing the right ones. Carbohydrates are divided into 3 main categories based on their structure and how quickly the body breaks them down into glucose and absorbs them.
- Simple carbohydrates, commonly known as sugars, are small structure carbohydrates that are easily broken down into individual glucose molecules. They have a high glycemic index which means that they can easily destabilize your blood sugar levels and should be a limited in your daily dietary intake. While it is widely considered common knowledge that sugar consumption is not conducive to a weight loss program, many people don’t realize how many “healthy” foods are also high in sugar. For example, despite their nutritional value fruit juice and many varieties of fruits contain high amounts of sugar. When consumed alone, they can also cause undesirable blood sugar spikes. This is why it is important to consume these types of carbohydrates as part of a balanced meal containing healthy sources of fats and proteins. Refined or processed forms of sugar such as table sugar or high fructose corn syrup are harmful and should be avoided all together. These are the highest glycemic forms of sugar and have also been stripped of any fiber or nutrient content.
- Complex carbohydrates, or starches, are foods such as grains, rices, potatoes, etc. This type of carbohydrate has a much larger molecular structure consisting of many glucose molecules densely packed together. For this reason, the digestion of these carbohydrates takes longer than simple sugars and the release of glucose into the blood is slower. However, since there is a greater density of glucose molecules in a starch, a small amount goes a long way. The key to proper starch consumption is portion size. You don’t have to avoid it completely as long as you measure out the appropriate portion for each meal. Also, much like with sugars, you should avoid bleached or processed forms of starches because they are stripped of their fiber and much of their nutritional value. When choosing starches, look for things like whole grain, or brown rice/pasta. Even yams or sweet potatoes have a higher nutrient content then their white counterpart.
- Fiber is the last category of carbohydrate and while you receive little caloric value from it, it is a vital part of a healthy diet for that specific reason. Fiber is largely indigestible and therefore does not make it through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream however it does serve several important functions and it is recommended that the average adult take in 5-14g of fiber daily. Fiber is divided into two categories.
- Soluble fiber dissolves in water and helps to slow digestion of simple sugars as well as binding to fatty acids helping to reduce cholesterol uptake. Sources of soluble fiber include oats, nuts, beans, peas, flaxseed, apples, oranges, berries, bananas, and some vegetables.
- Insoluble fiber is the least digestible form of fiber and helps to increase the movement of material through the intestines as well as balance the ph of the digestive tract. Sources of insoluble fiber include fruit skins, whole wheat products, seeds, nuts, and dark leafy vegetables.
Related articles: Fats: The good, the bad, and the ugly, Protein: More than just muscle food, Building healthy meals
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