Are Carbohydrates the Bad Guys in Losing Weight?

Carbohydrates have a bad reputation."Carbs" are many times viewed as the fat guy, the really good tasting one but also the diet wrecker. When given a choice, many dieters will choose the"fats"before the"carbohydrates," feeling the carbohydrates are more detrimental in the long run to losing weight. But that is not true.

Carbohydrates are not the bad guys in losing weight. They do not sabotage

your weight loss. Your body loves them and prefers them to any other

source of energy.Carbohydrates are a crucial part of a balanced diet.

There are 2 types of carbohydrates:complex and simple. Both are broken down in digestion to glucose and are absorbed into cells and burned as a power source.This almost sounds like a furnace in a home. The "burning" provides the body energy. The amount of energy comes from the amount of the burn from the food or the amount of heat it produces when burned. The "heat" is called "calories." All carbohydrates provide four calories per gram whether they are simple or complex but that doesn't mean that all carbohydrates are created equally. There is a huge difference. And both play a major roll in over all digestion and health.

Simple Carbohydrates

Sugars are "simple" carbohydrates. They are nearly broken down to the

form your body needs for fuel before they enter your body. Glucose is the

simplest sugar. So the body converts sugar directly into usable energy.

It does this right away. Pure sugar foods, such as hard candies, jelly beans and soda will raise your blood sugar level and your energy level temporarily and very quickly ( the reason why some unstable diabetics feel more secure storing some close just in case their blood glucose level drops.) However, the levels drop below what they were before,creating a rebound effect causing a sugar high and then the sugar drop.

Sugar

Sugar is a substance that is often found in foods with little or no

nutritional value. As with people, sugar is sometimes viewed by the

company it keeps. Here are two false charges concerning sugar:

1.Sugar causes hyperactivity.

No scientific study has ever been able to prove a link between

sugar and hyperactive behavior.

2.Sugar causes diabetes.

Diabetes is a hereditary disorder that appears when you lack insulin (type 1) or you become insensitive to it later in life (type 2).Sugar does not cause this insensitivity. But being overweight can, and

people who eat sugary sweets often gain weight.

Complex Carbohydrates.

Starches

They are found in bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, starchy vegetables,

oatmeal, and dry beans and are the basis of a healthful diet.

Starches are better than the simple sugars for many reasons.

1.Absorbed more slowly which is good for blood sugar control.

2.Found in foods that contain many other nutrients. Unlike sugars, which

are either by themselves with empty calories or with

tons of fat, complex carbohydrates are found in grain products and

vegetables that provide many important vitamins and minerals.

3.A diet with complex carbohydrates has significant

disease-prevention qualities. By getting the bulk of your calories from

foods rich in complex carbohydrates, you decrease your risk of many

diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and

certain types of cancer.

What is Fiber?

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate found in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. A carb that the body can't even digest but prevents many

diseases. Fiber is the indigestible part of the carbohydrate. It passes right through and out as waste taking all the bad stuff with it. Without fiber, the other substances would sit and have more time to invade your intestines causing constipation, diverticular disease, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins. Lack of fiber is thought to be a cause of colon cancer. Fiber is sticky and this also lowers the risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Two types of fiber:

1.Insoluble fiber

It doesn't dissolve in water.It soaks up water, softens stool,increases

its bulk, puts pressure on the walls of the intestines and speeds the

movement of waste through your body.It can be found in wheat bran that's

in most bran cereals.

2. Soluble fiber

It dissolves in water and forms gummy gels that bind with stuff you

really don't want in your body. Stuff like bile acids.Oat bran contains a large amount of soluble fiber and when it binds with bile acids,it can lower your cholesterol level.Foods that are rich in soluble fiber are oatmeal,low-fat oat-bran muffin,kidney and other beans. Add them to your diet daily to make a difference.

Soluble fiber also helps keep blood sugar even. So much so that some

diabetics can control their blood sugar by increasing the soluble fiber

in their diet because the soluble fiber slows the absorption of

carbohydrates. And for weight loss,the bulk makes you feel fuller and

curbs the appetite.

Recommended amount of fiber is 20 to 35 grams per day. Increase your

fiber intake gradually over six to eight weeks. Increasing fiber too

quickly can cause gas, bloating, and intestinal discomfort.

Remember to drink enough water. Insoluble fiber will soak up water in

your intestines. Its like a sponge and will soak up all the available water it can find. An intestinal blockage is rare but serious so make sure you drink enough water daily to prevent this from happening.