Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates - Good or Bad for You?

I don’t know about you but I love carbs. My two go to breakfasts are oats or avocado on toast. Either way I need the carbs and a coffee to get me ready for the day !

Over the years, carbohydrates have gotten a bad reputation. With diet claims saying your body will turn into a lovely slim fat burning machine if you ditch them to you wont feel bloated, the diet epidemic has made carbohydrates look like devil.

But is this really the case? And what happens when you do cut out carbs?

Oh and one of my favorites is “but I cant eat carbs cause I’m gluten free” wow.

Lets start with the basics.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are foods that get converted into glucose during digestion. Glucose is a main source of fuel for our body. It is especially important for the brain, which cannot easily use other fuel sources (such as fat or protein) for energy.

There are two kinds of carbohydrates: Simple and Complex Carbohydrates.

- Simple carbohydrates include sugars found in foods such as table sugar, honey, dairy products, fruit and fruit juice. (think of it as the white stuff on the table that people add to their coffee, not nice).

- Complex carbohydrates are starches, which include grain products, such as bread, crackers, pasta and rice. Some vegetables; corn, peas, white and sweet potatoes.

Are all carbohydrates the same?

All carbohydrates turn into glucose and raise our blood sugar. But some do it faster than others. Controlling blood glucose is important for weight management as well as diabetes control. Refined carbohydrates, such as white rice and white pasta, have had their fiber and nutrients removed. Whole grains, such as brown rice and whole-wheat pasta, have not. Therefore, the glucose from refined carbohydrates can get into the blood stream faster than the glucose from whole grains.

What happens if I don’t eat enough carbohydrates?

If you are not getting enough carbohydrates from your diet, then your body must use fat and protein for energy.

Fat digestion; Fat does not completely digest when it is used as an energy source. By-products called ketones are formed.

Protein digestion; Protein's main job is to be a building block, not an energy source. Using protein for energy can compromise the building of muscles and other cells.

What should I eat then?

Try to avoid the processed carbs and eat food in its whole form. Skip the fruit juice and go straight to the fruit. Choose whole grains, such as brown rice, oats, whole-wheat pasta and whole-wheat bread. And one of my favorite carbohydrates is potatoes. Potatoes are high in resistant starch, which is really good for your gut micro biome.

Carbohydrates are a major source of fuel and nutrients for our bodies. They should be part of a healthy diet, even when the goal is to lose weight. When you limit carbohydrates, you deprive your body of a main source of fuel and many essential nutrients that you need to stay healthy. Try and consume fruits and foods in their whole form to get the most nutrients out of your food.