MANAGING YOUR CARBOHYDRATES

By Kevin Richardson 

One of most common dietary questions that arise with my clients, as a personal trainer is the idea of carbohydrate intake- just how much is enough– and should they eat them at all.  Firstly it is important to acknowledge that the average  person cannot diet strictly by severely restricting their carbs for a prolonged period of time- its just not going to happen. Proper weight loss must follow a sensible and realistic progression and incorporate resistance exercise that is both practical and possible.

CARBOHYDRATES & EVOLUTION

The truth is that when it comes to carbohydrates our bodies still have yet to come to terms with 21st century life. The human body is not made to handle a large influx of carbohydrates at one time.  Here’s why: Naturally occurring carbohydrates all are very high in fiber and consequently you really cannot consume too much of them at a time. However with the advent of food processing technology in the 19th century we were able to make foods ‘light and tasty’ by removing  significant amounts of the naturally occurring fiber. In doing so the glycemic index of the food goes up significantly and not only does that affect the way that it is processed metabolically it also makes it easy to consume large amounts at one time. Consider the eating habits of the average human before the advent of Krispy Kreme, McDonalds and other fast food outlets.-refined carbohydrates weren’t around yet and neither was prevalent obesity and the slew of dietary related diseases such as adult onset diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

CARBS AS A PRIMARY FUEL SOURCE

Carbohydrates are necessary for so many metabolic functions- it is broken down into glucose (a form of sugar) and is the primary fuel source of the cells in your body, including your muscles and your brain. Without adequate consumption you will feel fatigued and  experience a noticeable loss of energy. You will also have a difficult time concentrating since your brain will  literally be low on fuel and your body will be forced to burn off valuable muscle to fuel itself. Not a good thing at all. So we have established the importance of carbs as our body’s primary fuel source and thus negated the idea of taking too many of them out of our diet. Now we are going to look at where the problems can arise.

THE DANGERS OF REFINED CARBS

As I mentioned earlier refined carbohydrates are usually made from white flour products and have a high glycemic index. This means that they cause huge spikes in insulin levels. The body then tends to over compensate for this spike so you experience a sugar-high followed by a sugar low that creates a sense of urgent hunger causing you to gravitate toward similar foods that elicit the same response. (Sound familiar).  The pancreas then has to work overtime making insulin to store glucose and triglycerides and depending on your genetics; this can set the stage for adult onset diabetes. This up and down experience with blood sugar levels also gives rise a condition known as hypoglycemia. One of the unfortunate side effects of hypoglycemia is again that urgent and unbearable hunger and a need to eat much more calories than the body needs. The  result- you get fat. Eating too many carbohydrates, which is so easy with today’s low fiber refined carb sources, can indeed make you fat. When you ingest excess amounts of carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels increase triggering your pancreas to release insulin, like we said before. Insulin controls where blood sugar is stored. Some of it is used for energy, and some is stored in the muscles as glycogen (the stored form of sugar). Since your body can store only a certain amount as glycogen, the excess is stored as fat. Insulin also prevents existing fat from being used as energy.  Having continuously high insulin levels means  continually storing the carbohydrates as fat while keeping the fat you already have. These two aforementioned factors are the among the main reasons  two thirds of the population of the US is overweight!

THE TRANS– FAT LINK

Note also that most of the refined carbohydrates today are made with trans fatty acids. There is a great deal of research that has shown that trans fatty acids (usually listed as partially hydrogenated oils) can elevate your bad cholesterol levels and increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease. There are also some studies that suggest that it may damages blood vessels. Crafty manufacturers don’t list it but fortunately legislation is being passed to force them to do so. What carbohydrate sources contain trans fatty acids you ask? You may not like the answer- French Fries, donuts, potato chips and even crackers. You can find them by reading the ingredient listing, if you see partially hydrogenated oil listed put it down.

THE DANGERS OF SODA & JUICES

The other reason carbohydrates is given a bad rap is the other deadly sinful indulgence of the average American- soda and fruit juice. We all know (I hope) that soda is bad but so are ‘100% natural juices’. Again here you have a large amount of carbohydrate in the form of  corn syrup and table sugar with no fiber- so you can drink it forever whereas you could never eat the dozens of fruits used to make one bottle of fruit juice because of their fiber content. I should also mention the relationship between simple sugars and mucus formation. The biochemical name for mucus is mucopolysaccharide which means "mucus of many sugars." Mucus  is basically formed through the linking together of sugar molecules. If you have a condition, such as asthma in which mucus is part of the problem, you can do yourself a lot of good by minimizing your intake of simple sugars and refined foods.

SOME GOOD CARB STRATEGIES

 Here’s what you need to do to keep your carb intake form affecting your waistline::  

• Educate Yourself. Get a book or chart detailing the glycemic index of the foods that you eat along with their  macronutrient and fiber makeup.

• Eat only fruits and vegetables with a relatively low glycemic index of under 50- (all fruits are not created equal).

• Avoid processed and refined carbohydrates

• Check labels for high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sugar, and partially hydrogenated oils.– and stay away from them!

• Make sure that the carbohydrates that you eat are in as natural a state as possible .

• Eat only carb sources that are high in fiber -(since fiber is not digested if you eat a food with 15 grams of carbs and 8 grams of fiber you are only really getting 7 grams of carbs.)

• If you have to eat things like cold cereal pasta or a bread product make sure it has over 3 grams of fiber per serving and is low in simple sugars- (that eliminates a lot on the market but if you look hard enough you can them out there)

• Remember that milk contains a significant amount of sugar.– and stay away from it! You also don’t need it for its calcium. Milk is also a poor source of calcium in comparison to foods such as kelp and sardines. Trust me– you don’t need it!

• Don’t eat a lot of carbohydrates and a lot of fats at the same time. Fettucine Alfredo, donuts and French Fries are all exercises in weight gain.

• Consume an adequate supply of water at all times.

• Eat 5 to 6 small meals daily,  always eating before you get hungry! If you wait until you are starving you are going crave everything that is bad for you!

 Now everyone is different and as such each individual must determine exactly how much carbohydrates that you need. If you feel sleepy after a carb meal- you’ve eaten too much.  Remember this is not a natural process and feeling sluggish after a meal isn’t something to enjoy, it’s a hint that you are doing something wrong. Spread out your carbohydrate intake throughout the day, taking in most of it earlier in the day and eating less and less as the day winds down. Even though carbohydrates are an essential part of a balanced diet the idea is not to overdo it. Good luck!

Please note that information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not meant to replace medical advice. Consult your physician before any dietary modifications..