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Carbohydrates... are bad for you ! They are addictive! They cause diabetes !! They are the cause of weight gain! They cause hyperactivity in children! Are you confused about these comments,wondered if this is true? Let us first talk about what they are? What are Carbohydrates?Carbohydrates are macro nutrients. They are the largest supplier of calories in our diet. All carbohydrates get digested and give us glucose,which is the fuel our bodies run on. There are two types of carbohydrates. The simpler form of carbohydrates are referred to as "sugars".(monosaccharides {contain only one type of sugar} disaccarides {contain two sugars})The more complex forms are called "starches" or "dietary fibers"."Sugars":Sugars are found naturally in foods. Our body gets its energy mainly from glucose. Plant life contains other kinds of "sugars". Fructose is present in fruits, and in corn syrup. Corn syrup is used in making soft drinks,frozen desserts,and confectionary. 8%-10% of the total calories in an American diet come from fructose. Galactose and ribose are also simple sugar, not found by themselves, in foods. Ribose is vital for every cell in our body, and is manufactured in our bodies. Mannitol and Sorbitol are sugar alcohols found in many edible products.
"Double Sugars"These sugars contain a combination of one or more sugars. Maltose has two glucose molecules. Few foods contain maltose but starches that we eat through grains etc are digested first to maltose in our body. Lactose present in milk, and dairy products has glucose and galactose. Lactose intolerant individuals cannot handle the galactose causing bloating, diarrhea etc. Sucrose is the table sugar, and contains glucose and fructose(fruit sugar)Sugar cane, sugar beets, honey and maple syrup all contain sucrose.Health Implications of simple sugars:A lot of the controversies surrounding carbohydrates today is concerned with these simple sugars. They are quickly absorbed by the body. This causes a surge in insulin, to transport these sugars. This causes the sugar "highs".A high intake of simple sugars like candy,chocolate, soda pops, soft drinks, 100% juice with no fiber in it, jellos, and sweets have shown an individual child to be hyperactive. However scientific data does not support this. Similarly no scientific data exists to suggest that high intake of sugar per se causes diabets or weight gain (the calories from fat and protein are equally important). What about the complex carbohydrates, the starches or dietary fibers..?Glycemic IndexGlycemic Index helps us to know how fast a carbohydrate is absorbed into the blood stream. Some foods especially those with high fiber get absorbed slowly hence have a low glycemic index. Some carbohydrates like white sugar, white bread, white rice get easily absorbed and have a high glycemic index. You want to choose foods with low glycemic index, and use the high glycemic index foods with vegetables, to lower the glycemic index. example you eat white bread, make a vegetable sandwich! Here are some foods and their glycemic indices.Glycemic index of some foodsGrains rye 64 whitebread 69 whole wheat 72 Barley 22 brown rice 66 sweet corn 58 white rice 72Cereals All Bran 54 Cornflakes 83 Oatmeal 53 Puffed Rice 90 Shredded Wheat 70 Pasta macaroni 46 spaghetti 38 spaghetti-protein enriched 28Beans baked 43 chickpeas 36 kidney 33 red lentils 27 soy 14Milk Products ice cream 38 milk 34 yogurt 38Fruit banana 61 orange 43 orange juice 49 strawberries 32 Potatoes instant mashed 86 mashed 72 new 58 sweet 50 white 87 yams 54Snacks corn chips 72 oatmeal cookies 57 potato chips 56 Sugars fructose 22 honey 91 refined sugar 64 |