There was a time when everyone was told
to eat plenty of bread, rice and potatoes and to worry more about fat
than sugar. But now studies have grown and we're in an outbreak of
obesity and diabetes, most of the nutrition experts are saying you can
have too much of a good thing, and we need to be more cautious about the
type and quantity of carbohydrates we eat.
C for Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates (carbs) are one of the four nutrients in food that provide energy to stimulate the body. Carbs can be classified into two main groups: sugars and starches. Starches are made up of lots of sugar molecules stuck together, and so when digested, both starches and sugars produce sugar in the body. Sugar produced by eating carbs is sent around the body in the blood and can be measured by a Blood sugar level.
Carbs are the body's principal fuel, and give us energy to work our heart, lungs, kidneys, brain and muscles. Carbs are particularly important to fuel the brain, helping us to think clearly and to balance our mood, as well as to power muscles during exercise.
Type of carbs: the glycemic index (GI)
You can't talk about carbs without mentioning the glycemic index (GI). The GI is a way of comparing different carbs by ranking their effect on blood sugar levels. High GI carbs cause a rapid rise and decline in blood sugars, whereas low GI carbs have a more gradual and longer lasting effect. Moderate GI carbs are somewhere in the middle. There are proven benefits of low GI foods for people with diabetes (who struggle to keep their blood sugar and insulin levels down at a normal level), however including more low GI foods has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing diabetes as well. A low GI diet might also help with weight control as low GI foods tend to be more satisfying, and also appears to reduce the risk of heart disease. Being more selective about carbs and favouring those with a low GI has now become part of healthy advice for everyone.
What is Glycemic Load (GL)?
GL is not used as often as GI, but you may come across it. While the GI is a comparative rating, the GL tells you how much sugar is released into the blood after eating a given quantity of food: GI is about carb quality, while GL is a combination of carb quality and quantity. The GL of a food is the GI (%) multiplied by the amount of carbs (in grams) in a single serving. A low GL is good and a high GL is less desirable. A diet with a low GL appears to be protective against weight gain and lifestyle-related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
Good Carbs vs Bad Carbs
Generally speaking good carbs are those that are low GI, high fiber or wholegrain. Sugary foods such as soft drinks have often been called 'empty calorie' foods because they don't offer much else besides pure energy, whereas sugar-containing foods, such as fruit and milk, and starchy foods like bread and pasta - especially wholegrain types - offer other nutrients as well such as protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. For a healthy diet, choose the good carbs with more nutritional value.
Choosing low GI carbs
Lowering the GI of your diet is as simple as swapping a high GI food for a lower GI alternative and it can taste just as good.
Higher GI food
Jasmine rice
White bread
Boiled potato
Rice cracker
Lower GI alternative
Sweet potato
Basmati rice
Multi-grain bread
Dried apricots
Rye crispbread
Classification of GI
LOW - 55 or less
MEDIUM - 56-69
HIGH - 70 or more
C for Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates (carbs) are one of the four nutrients in food that provide energy to stimulate the body. Carbs can be classified into two main groups: sugars and starches. Starches are made up of lots of sugar molecules stuck together, and so when digested, both starches and sugars produce sugar in the body. Sugar produced by eating carbs is sent around the body in the blood and can be measured by a Blood sugar level.
Carbs are the body's principal fuel, and give us energy to work our heart, lungs, kidneys, brain and muscles. Carbs are particularly important to fuel the brain, helping us to think clearly and to balance our mood, as well as to power muscles during exercise.
Type of carbs: the glycemic index (GI)
You can't talk about carbs without mentioning the glycemic index (GI). The GI is a way of comparing different carbs by ranking their effect on blood sugar levels. High GI carbs cause a rapid rise and decline in blood sugars, whereas low GI carbs have a more gradual and longer lasting effect. Moderate GI carbs are somewhere in the middle. There are proven benefits of low GI foods for people with diabetes (who struggle to keep their blood sugar and insulin levels down at a normal level), however including more low GI foods has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing diabetes as well. A low GI diet might also help with weight control as low GI foods tend to be more satisfying, and also appears to reduce the risk of heart disease. Being more selective about carbs and favouring those with a low GI has now become part of healthy advice for everyone.
What is Glycemic Load (GL)?
GL is not used as often as GI, but you may come across it. While the GI is a comparative rating, the GL tells you how much sugar is released into the blood after eating a given quantity of food: GI is about carb quality, while GL is a combination of carb quality and quantity. The GL of a food is the GI (%) multiplied by the amount of carbs (in grams) in a single serving. A low GL is good and a high GL is less desirable. A diet with a low GL appears to be protective against weight gain and lifestyle-related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
Good Carbs vs Bad Carbs
Generally speaking good carbs are those that are low GI, high fiber or wholegrain. Sugary foods such as soft drinks have often been called 'empty calorie' foods because they don't offer much else besides pure energy, whereas sugar-containing foods, such as fruit and milk, and starchy foods like bread and pasta - especially wholegrain types - offer other nutrients as well such as protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. For a healthy diet, choose the good carbs with more nutritional value.
Choosing low GI carbs
Lowering the GI of your diet is as simple as swapping a high GI food for a lower GI alternative and it can taste just as good.
Higher GI food
Jasmine rice
White bread
Boiled potato
Rice cracker
Lower GI alternative
Sweet potato
Basmati rice
Multi-grain bread
Dried apricots
Rye crispbread
Classification of GI
LOW - 55 or less
MEDIUM - 56-69
HIGH - 70 or more
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