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BodybuildingPro.com  Nutrition Database Nutrition Dictionary: A Comprehensive Source of Nutritional Terms Carbohydrates Database Carbohydrate Articles Carbs 101
Carbohydrates 101
So what's the deal with carbohydrates? There are so many mixed
thoughts on carbohydrates and most of them are contradicting and
confusing!We get a ton of questions per week on carbs. "What are
good carbs?" "How many carbs should i eat?" "Can I eliminate carbs
from my diet?" etc...
Carbohydrates can be broken down into 2 major categories: simple
and complex.
Complex carbohydrates are composed of long chains of sugar
molecules and require more digestion than simple sugars. Complex
carbs provide a more consistent blood sugar level in your body.
This is essential to prevent food cravings and keep your weight in
a healthy range. Complex carbohydrates are the types of carbs we
want in our diets. Examples: beans, vegetables, fruit, whole grains
like oatmeal, brown rice, breads and pastas. Most complex carbs
also provide a good amount of fiber which makes you feel full,
keeps your digestive tract working properly and helps stabilize
blood sugar levels.
Simple carbohydrates. We all know what happens soon after we eat
sugar (like soda or candy) we get a sugar high. Lots of energy for
a short period of time then..... crash .... its all over and our
body "craves" more sugar. Hence the vicious cycle of sugar and fat
storage! Well here's what happens. The sugar you eat is quickly
digested, goes quickly into your blood (the "rush") and your body
quickly compensates by pulling the extra sugar out of your blood.
Guess where THAT goes? Right on... it's stored as fat! Some
examples of not so good carbs: sweets, soda, processed cereals and
snacks, candy etc.
Check out labels and you'll be surprised. Especially items like
cereal, crackers, condiments, yogurts, and soups. Many times if
something is fat free, they make up for flavor with the sugar.
BEWARE! Rule of thumb: if one serving has more than 10 grams of
sugar, it's fat waiting to be stored!
So what's the deal with bread and pasta? They are NOT a problem.
What IS a problem is the portion size. Restaurant servings are
usually 5 times what a "serving" should be. Look at a box of pasta.
Do you get 8 servings from it? I don't think so. How about when you
order a nice healthy turkey sandwich with mustard at the deli?
WRONG! The bread or roll kills that plan. Next time take half the
bread away. Have an open face or just eat the middle. Might sound
crazy but you won't look so crazy in your bathing suit!
On a final note. Eating 5-6 small meals per day is ideal for
weight loss. One serving of good carbs at each meal will ensure you
are aiming for optimal carb intake!
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