Download What are Carbohydrates? The Cardiac Clinic for a healthy heart

The Cardiac Clinic for a healthy heart
Phone 0508 CARDIAC (0508 227 342)
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What are Carbohydrates?
There are three main groups of nutrients – protein, fat
and carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are the most
important source of energy for your body.
Your digestive system changes carbohydrates into
glucose (sugar) and transports it into your bloodstream.
Your body uses this sugar to make energy in your cells,
tissues and organs. It stores any extra sugar in your liver
and muscles as glycogen which you can use at a later
time when it is needed.
Carbohydrates can be classified as either sugars or starches. The sugars give us instant
energy. They are sometimes called “simple” carbohydrates and they include sugars
found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products. They also
include sugars in confectionary and those added during food manufacture.
Starches are the “complex” carbohydrates and they include
whole grain breads and cereals, starchy vegetables and
legumes and many of the complex carbohydrates are good
sources of fibre. Fibre does not provide energy for our body
but it is important for digestion and eliminating waste. It joins
to fatty substances in our intestines and helps remove it from
our body which helps lower our cholesterol levels. Fibre also
helps to regulate the sugar in our blood and keep hunger in
check.
Why are Carbohydrates Good For You?
Research has shown that carbohydrates aren’t all good but they are also not all bad.
Some carbohydrates promote health while others, when eaten often and in large
quantities, actually increase the risk for diabetes and coronary heart disease. Research
estimates that 90% of type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented through a combination
of a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.
Low-digestible carbohydrates that contain fibre helps us with satiety (fullness/satisfaction),
digestion, glucose (sugar) absorption into the blood, fat burning as energy, nitrogen
excretion (from protein),and fermentation (breakdown of foods for their nutrients). In
addition, clinical research has suggested that the eating of some of these carbohydrates
may decrease the factors associated with metabolic syndrome (obesity, diabetes, high
blood pressure) and may prevent or treat other chronic diseases.
Which Carbohydrates Should You Choose?
Carbohydrate foods are rated by their
glycemic index (GI). Foods with a high
GI cause rapid spikes in blood sugar
whilst foods with a low GI are digested
more slowly, causing a lower and
gentler change in blood sugar. Foods
with a score of 70 or higher are defined
as having a high GI; those with a score
of 55 or below have a low GI.
Diets rich in high GI foods have been
linked to an increased risk for diabetes,
heart disease, and overweight, and some
cancers. Foods with a low GI have been shown to help control type 2 diabetes and
improve weight loss.
For a healthy diet limit the amount of high GI carbohydrates
and added sugar. Swap refined grains (white flour based
foods) with wholegrains. Use whole grain breads over white
types and look for bread that lists the first ingredient as “whole
wheat”, “whole rye”, or some other whole grain. Swap
potatoes for kumara or pumpkin, swap white rice for brown
and swap fresh white pasta for whole wheat pasta. Grains
that have been milled and refined remove the bran and the
germ, resulting in a nutrient poor grain.
Choose fruit instead of fruit juice as it has much more fiber and
a lot less sugar than a glass of juice. Avoid sports drinks, unless
you are exercising at a high intensity or for more than 90
minutes, otherwise use water when exercising.
Use the GI as a general guide only. In some cases it can be
misleading for example a Snickers bar has a GI of 41, therefore
low GI, but a Snickers bar is not a healthy choice.
Should You Consider a Low
Carbohydrate Diet to Loose Weight?
Many people have had short-term success in weight
loss by reducing the amount of carbohydrates in their
diets. This initial success has led many to believe that
carbs are the fattening enemy. NOT SO. Carbohydrates
are not the enemy; they are, in fact, our number one
source of energy, vitamins, minerals and fibre. It is the
overindulgence in high GI carbohydrates that can cause
weight gain.
Choose good carbs, not no carbs.