High carbs? Low carbs? No carbs? What's the deal with carbs, anyway? "Carbs", a nickname of sorts for carbohydrates, are a food group of sugars, starches, and cellulose.
The first two, sugars and starches, provide energy for the body; cellulose is the "stuff" that makes up most plants.
There are two types of carbohydrates: simple (technically called monosaccharides) and complex (polysaccharides).
1.
Simple carbs, as you might guess, are easy for the body to break down and digest.
They are used up quickly by the body for energy.
Common food sources for simple carbohydrates are white sugar, pastas, and white bread.
2.
Complex carbohydrates require the body to work harder for breakdown and digestion.
This is a good characteristic insofar as weight management is concerned because complex carbs give one a longer feeling of fullness than the simple carbohydrates provide.
Sources of complex carbs are vegetables, whole grains, and brown rice.
OK so far? Now, what happens to the carbohydrates once we've eaten them? They are sent to the liver where they are further processed and broken down into what is called simple sugar (glucose).
The glucose, in turn, stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin.
Insulin acts as a key, of sorts, to open the door of the individual cell and allow the glucose to enter so that it can be used for energy.
Now, back to simple and complex carbohydrates.
Let's say you are feeling "uber blah" and decide to eat a candy bar to perk yourself up.
The sugary candy bar is a simple carb...
processed quickly by the liver, rushes to the pancreas for the "keys" (insulin), and ram-rods quickly through the door of the cell.
Aah! Sweet energy...
for thirty minutes anyway.
But then, the sugar is gone, the energy plummets, and you are back to where you started (except for the 250-300 calories of which you are now the proud owner).
This is not to say that simple sugars are bad for you.
It's important to define your purpose and then choose wisely.
If you're hungry and low on energy, if you choose a piece of fruit, its simple sugar (fructose) will act the same way as the glucose in the candy bar.
The difference is this: the simple sugar in the candy bar is transported to your body in a vehicle (candy bar) that is likely to be full of fat, cholesterol, additives, and many other bad things.
The fructose, on the other hand, comes to you couched in a food item (fruit) that is loaded with vitamins and minerals.
You choose.
Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, take much longer for the liver to process and release glucose into the bloodstream.
This has the effect of gradually raising the energy level and gradually lowering it as well.
The yo-yo-ing energy effect of simple carbohydrates is replaced with more even and sustained energy.
Most people hate the very thought of "dieting" to lose weight.
We don't need to "diet" in the way that we've come to think of it.
Rather, we should "diet" by: - eating normal foods - reduced portion sizes, - cutting out added sugar (remember beverages), - and increasing physical exercise.
These simple steps will get you started in the most effective and healthful way.