Are Carbohydrates Good or Bad for You?

Are carbohydrates good for you or bad? Why are people talking about low-carb diets? Should I stop eating carbs to lose weight?

I’m sure you have asked yourself these questions before. So what are the answers?

First of all, let’s go over some carbohydrate basics. Carbohydrates primarily come from fruits, vegetables, and grains. Plants make the most abundant form of carbs called glucose. Glucose is the main fuel source for physical exercise, our brains and cells. There are two types of carbs, simple and complex.

Simple carbs come in the form of sugar and honey. Simple carb foods would include empty calorie foods such as, cakes, cookies, soft drinks, or anything with added sugar. Make sure you read your food labels!

Negative side effects of a simple carb diet may cause…

• Tooth decay
• High blood lipid levels and LDL levels (bad cholesterol)
• Unhealthful changes in blood sugar

Complex carbs come in the form of grains, legumes, tubers (potatoes), and fiber foods such as, berries, oats, beans, brown rice, seeds, fruits and veggies.

Eating fibrous foods help fight intestinal problems such as, diverticulosis. Also, eating foods high in fiber and other complex carbs have been known to decrease the risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. So why are high fiber foods good for you?

Here is how it works in your body:

1.       Your liver synthesizes bile using cholesterol (fat)

2.       Bile is stored in the gallbladder.

3.       Bile is excreted into the intestines to aid in the digestion of fat

If you are on a high fiber diet:

4.       Fiber binds to bile and both are excreted in the feces.

5.       Less cholesterol (fat) is absorbed from the remaining bile.

6.       Blood levels of cholesterol are reduced. Less fat in the blood!

So, if you are consuming very little fiber, there will be more cholesterol in your blood. Therefore, consuming more fiber will result in weight loss and a healthier body! This is why consuming the right types of carbohydrates is important. Fiber rich foods also help people lose weight because it will help with the feeling of fullness.

The dietary recommendation for carbohydrates is 45-65% of total energy intake. This will be around 130 grams of carbs per day. This also means that at every meal your plate should contain ½ of fruit and veggies! Don’t forget to add in your whole grains as well. Your total fiber intake should be 25 grams per day for woman and 38 g per day for men.

Now are you still wondering if you should cut carbs from your diet? If you are still cutting out all carbs from your diet keep reading!

We learned that carbohydrates come in the form of glucose. Glucose is important for our body to function. When a person is living on a low-carb diet, their body will eventually make their own glucose for energy. This will involve breaking down protein and converting it to glucose. When your body is starving for glucose for a long period of time, your body will take amino acids from the blood and then from tissues like heart, liver, muscles, and kidneys. This will eventually cause damage to these organs. If you are not getting all the nutrients you need your body will feel it AND look it. Your skin may not look clear, you may start losing your hair, have less energy, feel irritable, etc.

Now do you want to live on a no-carb/low-carb diet?

The key to a healthy diet is balance. If you eat a lot of simple carbs then this would not be a good balance. The more calories that you consume the more weight you will gain. This applies to fat and protein as well. Eating a well-balance diet is the key. It's all about making the right choices. Take a look at these pictures. What do you think is a healthier choice? You decide…

*Please Note: The recommendations listed on this blog post are for a healthy person looking to eat a healthy diet. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, please consult your doctor first before changing your diet. This post is for informational purposes only. This information is not to treat, cure, or diagnose any medical condition.

Posted in: Carbohydrates, Empty Calories, Exercise, Fiber, Healthy Skin, Nutrition

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