I keep hearing a lot of talk about carbohydrates. Will you explain carbohydrates to me?
Over the last few years, all carbohydrates have gained notoriety. All carbohydrates are made up from sugars and are broken down into glucose, which the body uses to produce energy. However, not all carbohydrates are equal. There are good carbohydrates and bad ones. Good carbohydrates include complex carbohydrates, which are found in many whole grains, rice, beans, and root vegetables. Other foods that are sources of good carbohydrates are fresh fruits and vegetables. These complex carbohydrates are sugars that form a chain. It takes longer for the body to digest complex carbohydrates because it takes the digestive enzymes more work to break the chains of sugars. This slower absorption of the sugar provides the body with sustained energy. When the sugar in the complex carbohydrates is absorbed slowly, the body can use more of the sugar and will store less of the sugar.
Conversely, bad carbohydrates include simple carbohydrates, which are found in many processed foods. These bad carbohydrates are also called refined carbohydrates. These bad refined carbohydrates are basically food that has been milled or stripped of its original nutrients, including fiber, oils, vitamins and minerals. Refined carbohydrates are found in any baked good made from commercially milled wheat flour, most pre-packaged pasta, candies, snack foods and other processed foods. They are made up of smaller molecules of sugar that does not take the body long to break down. The carbohydrates are absorbed quickly by the body which increases the likelihood of them being converted to fat.
If the carbohydrate comes from a whole food, it contains a host of nutrients that are perfectly designed to function together and provide energy for the body to function. It will also contain fiber which helps slow the rate the sugar is absorbed into the cells. However, if the carbohydrate comes from a refine and processed food, there are very few nutrients for the body to utilize. Eating these refined carbohydrates causes the blood sugars and insulin levels to shoot upwards and then dramatically drop. When the carbohydrates are made with processed white flour, the carbohydrates will not satisfy the body’s nutritional requirements nor will they satisfy hunger. After eating refined carbohydrates, including breads made with processed wheat flour, the body, not recognizing the processed product as food, is still looking for nutrients and sends out signals of hunger. When the body is fed refined carbohydrates it stays in starvation mode because the body continues to signal hunger, as it constantly looks for the nutrients it needs and craves. Weight gain is likely in this scenario. The body is never satiated for long by eating refined carbohydrates. It is only by giving the body the unprocessed carbohydrates from whole foods that the body receives the nutrients it needs that the body will be satisfied and hunger will subside. As a consequence of eating carbohydrates from whole foods, both appetite and weight can be controlled.
