08/10/2020
GOOD CARBS🥝🍎🍌 VS BAD CARBS🍞🍟🍩
Carbohydrates are an essential part of a healthy diet, but not all of them are created equal. So how do you tell the difference between “good carbs” and “bad carbs?" The answer is both simple — and complex.
Our bodies rely on carbohydrates for many important functions including energy production, hormone regulation, and as a source of nutrients.
Complex carbs are digested more slowly than simple carbs and most sources do not raise blood sugars as quickly as simple carbs. The healthiest complex carbohydrates are the least processed or refined.
Fiber in fruits and vegetables changes the way the body processes their sugars and slows down their digestion, making them a bit more like complex carbohydrates.
Complex carbohydrates are considered "good" because of the longer series of sugars from which they are made, and this takes the body longer to break down. That means you will get lower amounts of sugars released at a more consistent rate — instead of peaks and valleys — to keep you going throughout the day.
5 Benefits of Eating Healthy Carbs.
Healthy carb sources include all fruits, all vegetables – including squash, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, beans, and whole grains. It’s incredible how much our mood and energy can improve just by shifting what we put into our bodies on a daily basis!
1️⃣ Energy 🏃♀️
Glucose, which comes directly from the carbs we eat, is the primary source of fuel for our cells. Carbohydrates are required for many critical cellular reactions to take place. When our bodies are deprived of carbs, protein and fats can be converted into ketones and used as fuel instead. This is known as ketosis. But this is an emergency mechanism and is not meant to be long term as it comes with negative consequences.
2️⃣ Brain health 🧠
Glucose is virtually the sole fuel for the human brain. Research supports the recommendation of a minimum intake of 105-125 grams of carbs a day just for the brain to function correctly. If you restrict carbs, your brain will be lacking fuel and your ability to learn, focus, and remember certain things can be negatively affected.
3️⃣ Nutrient-Dense 🥦🥑🍎
Carbs – especially those colorful beans, fruits, and vegetables – are the most abundant food source of important micronutrients. Vitamins C and E, antioxidants, phytochemicals, magnesium and potassium, trace minerals, B-vitamins, and of course energy ( or glucose) are abundant in unprocessed carbs. If you limit or avoid carbs, you are reducing your intake of all these vitamins and minerals which can affect your ability to prevent infection and illness.
4️⃣ Exercise and Recovery 🏋️♀️
Thanks to the anti-inflammatory antioxidants, phytochemicals, and water found in carbs, they are great for helping our body recover from a workout. And the energy provided by carbs sustains us through our workouts in the first place.
5️⃣ Great for weight loss 👙
The water and fiber in unprocessed carbs work together to create bulk in our stomach. This helps us to feel satiated on fewer calories. Per pound of food, whole carbs contain 100-600 calories meaning they have a low caloric density. Compare that to processed junk food and refined fats that have 800-4,000 calories per pound and you can see why filing your plate with more whole carbs is a good idea.
