Over the years, people have branded carbohydrates as nutritional villains for being the “culprit” of weight gain. For this reason, people watch their carbs intake—they either cut carbs or go low-carbs. But the question is, banishing carbohydrates the best plan of attack to slim down, tone up and feel your best?
For the benefit of the doubt, here is the truth about carbohydrates that won’t make you feel guilty about eating that piece of bread on your plate.
Carbohydrates is a macronutrient that plays a very vital role in your overall health and productivity. It is divided into two main types: simple and complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates or known as ‘sugars’ are naturally occurring in foods and easily digested. These are sugars found in fruits, vegetables and milk. Refined and processed sugars are the type of sugar that most adults and children eat too much. These are sugars added to food or drinks, such as biscuits, chocolates, baked goodies, breakfast cereals and soft drinks, that raise blood glucose levels fast.
On the other hand, complex carbohydrates take time to be digested such as starch and fiber. Starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta provide a slow and steady release of energy throughout the day. Fiber is found in the cell walls of foods that come from plants. Its food sources include fruits and vegetables, pulses and whole wheat pasta that promote good bowel health and help you stay full longer.
Any food can cause weight gain if you overeat—whether your diet is high in fat or carbohydrates. If you consume more calories than your body needs, you can gain an unhealthy amount of weight. Gram for a gram, carbohydrate contains fewer than half the calories of fat at 4 kilocalories per gram of carbohydrates.
Generally, carbohydrates cannot make you fat but the sugar and calories can. Frequent consumption of labeled “bad carbs” that are high in refined sugar, calories and low in fiber such as candy, crackers, chips and cookies, can contribute to weight gain if eaten in large quantities. So, it can be tempting to blame carbs for gaining weight. Also, according to Aaron Carroll, a professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, he suggests that the real villain when it comes to weight is the added and/or refined sugar. Per reviews on 50 studies published on diet and weight gain in the journal Food and Nutrition Research, it was found that on average, the more refined grains someone eats like white bread and white rice, the more weight they tended to gain in the study period.
Many people cut off the carbs just to lose weight. However, most people are not aware that low carb or no carb diet negatively affects thinking performance. This is when you overly-restrict carbohydrates to the point that you deplete your liver glycogen that helps “feed” your brain. These results in loss of coordination, inability to concentrate, light-headedness and weakness. If there is insufficient glucose in the blood, the body tends to break down fats which will produce ketones that can raise the level of acid in your blood, which can be unhealthy over time.
Further, low carb diets are lacking in important nutrients such as vitamin E, thiamin, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. When plant sources are cut back, fiber and phytochemicals that fight against diseases are also lost. Cutting back on carbohydrates can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar levels and can deplete one’s energy. Moreover, the amount of weight lost on a low carb diet is deceptive because most of the weight loss is due to the release of water as the body burns the cells’ reserves. Also, if the total calorie intake is low enough, part of the weight reduction is from loss of muscle mass.
If you want to lose weight and/or maintain your shape, expelling carbs is not the best idea. Instead pay attention to quality, not over quantity. Amanda Markie, MS, RDN, LD Outpatient Dietitian at UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center suggests that the secret behind carbohydrates is to identify and limit the amount of added sugar in your carbohydrate sources. Look for unrefined whole grains to substitute highly processed white bread and pastries. Whole, unprocessed fruits are better than juices. Avoid eating high glycemic index (GI) foods such as white breads, baked goodies, chocolates, soda and sweetened beverages. If a food has high GI, glucose is released rapidly, which spikes blood sugar levels.
The recommended dietary intake of carbohydrates for Filipinos is an average of 60% of your total daily calories. So, to help Filipinos easily quantify the food groups proportion per meal, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) developed the “Pinggang Pinoy” as a food guide. It serves as a visual guide in consuming the right amount of food in every meal for specific age groups. For your GO foods or carbohydrates, the Pinggang Pinoy shows that you must only take a 33% portion of your plate or about one cup of rice per meal.
Be smart in choosing your carbs. Remember, carbohydrates are a vital part of any diet, for your body uses these foods to make glucose for your overall health and productivity. Don’t fight carbs, just eat the right ones! (CMU BSND OJT Darlene A Aranas Vergara/NO I Arlie Joy O. Damiles)
