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Are Carbohydrates a Friend Or a Foe For Weight Loss and Health?
In the past few years with the advent of numerous low carb diet plans, carbohydrates have taken a bad rap when it comes to dieting and weight loss. Are carbs really a culprit to obesity and ill health or is there more to the story?
Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy. While fat and protein can provide energy for your body, your digestive system must work harder to convert them to energy and in fact, your brain runs exclusively on carbs. Carbs are necessary for your health but you need to make sure that you are getting the best sources of carbs by focusing mostly on complex carbs and the healthiest of simple carbohydrates.
All carbohydrates provide energy for our bodies yet this energy source can be broken down into two categories, simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbs tend to hit your bloodstream quicker and burn out faster while complex carbs tend to be released slower and give a longer sustained energy. A good example of a simple carb would be white table sugar while a good example of a complex carb would be oatmeal.
You may consider that you just need to avoid simple carbs and try to only consume the complex carbs. However, there is much more to the story and you may not want to completely disregard simple carbs as of yet.
The fact of the matter is that there are many extremely nutritious and beneficial foods that are simple carbs. Not candy bars and pastries of course, but some of the healthiest foods on earth are composed of simple carbs. Most fruits and even some vegetables are considered to be simple carbs. Yet, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, peaches, nectarines, the goji berry and the acai berry and truly all fruits for that matter, are all exceptionally high in nutrients and antioxidants and they are a very healthy addition to a nutritious diet.
The healthiest way to consume simple carbs is to eat them in their most natural state. Whole fruit contains fiber and other nutrients that are not found in juices. Therefore it is healthier to consume the whole fruit if possible. That is not to say that many fruit juices, such as orange juice and the exceptionally nutritious juices made from the acai berry should be completely eliminated but rather that fruit juices should be consumed only in moderation and whole fruit is always the better choice.
Over consumption of simple carbs or simple sugars can lead to many health problems including overweight and obesity. They tend to create wild swings in your blood sugar levels, which can lead to an overabundance of insulin and weight gain.
Carbohydrates are a necessary macronutrient and it is not practical or healthy to eliminate them altogether. However, making better choices regarding the ones you consume is very important for your weight and your health. Try to eat more complex carbs and healthier, less processed simple carbs such as whole fruit.bronx doctors
Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy. While fat and protein can provide energy for your body, your digestive system must work harder to convert them to energy and in fact, your brain runs exclusively on carbs. Carbs are necessary for your health but you need to make sure that you are getting the best sources of carbs by focusing mostly on complex carbs and the healthiest of simple carbohydrates.
All carbohydrates provide energy for our bodies yet this energy source can be broken down into two categories, simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbs tend to hit your bloodstream quicker and burn out faster while complex carbs tend to be released slower and give a longer sustained energy. A good example of a simple carb would be white table sugar while a good example of a complex carb would be oatmeal.
You may consider that you just need to avoid simple carbs and try to only consume the complex carbs. However, there is much more to the story and you may not want to completely disregard simple carbs as of yet.
The fact of the matter is that there are many extremely nutritious and beneficial foods that are simple carbs. Not candy bars and pastries of course, but some of the healthiest foods on earth are composed of simple carbs. Most fruits and even some vegetables are considered to be simple carbs. Yet, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, peaches, nectarines, the goji berry and the acai berry and truly all fruits for that matter, are all exceptionally high in nutrients and antioxidants and they are a very healthy addition to a nutritious diet.
The healthiest way to consume simple carbs is to eat them in their most natural state. Whole fruit contains fiber and other nutrients that are not found in juices. Therefore it is healthier to consume the whole fruit if possible. That is not to say that many fruit juices, such as orange juice and the exceptionally nutritious juices made from the acai berry should be completely eliminated but rather that fruit juices should be consumed only in moderation and whole fruit is always the better choice.
Over consumption of simple carbs or simple sugars can lead to many health problems including overweight and obesity. They tend to create wild swings in your blood sugar levels, which can lead to an overabundance of insulin and weight gain.
Carbohydrates are a necessary macronutrient and it is not practical or healthy to eliminate them altogether. However, making better choices regarding the ones you consume is very important for your weight and your health. Try to eat more complex carbs and healthier, less processed simple carbs such as whole fruit.bronx doctors
