subject: Eat Good Carbs and Lose Weight [print this page] Eat Good Carbs and Lose Weight Eat Good Carbs and Lose Weight
First of all, what is a carb?
Carbohydrates play an important role in living things. A carbohydrate is an organic compound composed of hydrogen and oxygen (like water). Therefore they are called carbohydrates. The abbreviation is CHO -- carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbohydrates are the most common source of energy in living organisms.
What are the "bad" carbs?
Refined carbs -- such as those found in processed foods, e.g., white bread, white pasta, crackers -- containing very little fiber are what I call "bad carbs." Refined carbs are digested quickly and their simple sugars rapidly get into the blooldstream causing blood sugar to spike. The more refined carbs you eat, the more your blood sugar swings wildly. Wild swings in blood sugar cause cravings for more food, more overeating, and weight gain. Most refined products are pale or white in color.
Blood sugar causes insulin to signal your body cells to take in glucose for energy. Excess glucose is stored in tissues as glycogen leading to weight gain.
O.K., What are the good carbs?
Good carbs contain fiber, bran and germ. The germ is the part of a seed that will germinate. The germ has lots of vitamins and minerals. Whole grains contain phytochemicals such as lignans, flavenoids and polyphenols. Whole grains such as whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice and oatmeal make you feel full and turn off the urge to overeat. They include vitamins and antioxidants that bad carbs don't. Fiber in your diet helps smooth out blood sugar levels and helps avoid extremes in hunger.
Choose good carbs -- Choose low glycemic carbs
The glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load concepts have been developed to charactize food behavior during digestion. They rank carbohydrate-rich foods based on their effect on blood glucose levels. The higher the GI for a specific food, the faster will carbs in that food will get into your bloodstream causing a spike in your blood sugar level. The higher your blood sugar level, the more insulin is released driving your sugar level downward making you feel hungry and prone to overeating.
Avoid wild swings in your blood sugar by choosing good carbs and low gycemic foods.
What proportion of your total daily calories should be carbs?
Carbs together with proteins and "good" fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) provide most of the energy you must have for healthy living. The Institute of Medicine recommends that American and Canadian adults get between 45-65 percent of dietary energy from carbohydrates. The ratio between your dietary intake of carbs, proteins and fats is known as your macronutrient ratio.
How much fiber should you eat?
The amount of fiber you need each day depends on your sex and your age:--
Women 50 years old and younger -- 25 grams of total fiber each day.
Women 51 years and older -- 21 grams
Men 50 years old and younger -- 38 grams
Men 51 years old and older -- 30 grams
Do you want to learn more about what carbohydrates do for your body?
Do you want to lose weight? Have you tried diets in the past that failed you? Are you discouraged because you haven't found success in your weight loss journey? Know that you CAN lose weight. You just need some help.
Welcome to Weight Loss Solutions -- your guide to weight loss success! Here you will find dieting tips, helpful articles such as What Do Carbohydrates Do, more info on choosing the right macronutrient ratio, reviews of weight loss products, and much more.
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