Hi guys, Paul here from Father Fitness. I uploaded a quote to my Instagram page this morning. It was something I’d seen last week and it made me laugh! It said “Give Up Carbs? Over My Bread Body!” It made me laugh and then it gave me foundations for my next guest post.
The “carbs are bad” quote from diets such as the Atkins and South Beach have left so many people confused about carbohydrates and what role they play in our health. As I’m a simple guy, I’ll try to explain my take on carbs below.
While most people will have heard of carbohydrates and will understand that they play an important role in your diet and health, not everyone truly understands the importance of carbohydrates. It’s important to know that loads of foods contain carbohydrates and the body breaks these carbs down into simple sugars and these act as the principal course of energy for a person. Therefore, carbohydrates are crucial in giving you the energy to get around and carry out your normal activities.
There are two main forms of carbs that are found in food, simple carbs and complex carbs.
Simple carbs are commonly referred to as simple sugars and they can be found in various foods. Simple carbs are found in refine sugars but they are also found in natural products such as fruit or milk. It is better to obtain your simple carbs from milk or fruit as opposed to sugar cubes or sugar based products like lollipops. There’s nothing wrong with a lollipop here or there though! The reason it is better to opt for simple carbs from natural products is the fact that sugar hasn’t been added to the food and this type of food contains nutrients, vitamins and fibre. A product made from refined sugars will not provide you with nutrients and it will add lots of sugar to your diet.
Complex carbs are sometimes known as starches and they are also found in a variety of different foods. You will find complex carbs in foods like rice, pasta and bread. If you eat products like white rice or white bread, you will be eating refined complex carbs, which have a lot of the fibre and nutrients removed. This is why eating food with unrefined carbs such as brown bread and brown rice will be of benefit. You get more fibre, more nutrients and you will feel fuller.
Your body converts carbs
The body then takes these carbs and converts them into simple sugars, which are then absorbed all the way into your bloodstream. When the level of sugar in your body rises, your pancreas releases insulin, which is a hormone. The main task of insulin is to transfer sugar into your cells, where it provides energy.
Now simple sugars move fast! This means you will be hungry again soon after but unrefined complex cards move slowly, which means you will be fuller and have more energy for a longer period of time. There is growing concern in the medical community that food which causes your blood sugar levels to rise, may cause health problems. Research is continuing but there is a concern that the carbs that lead to a spike in your blood sugar levels will have an impact on heart disease and diabetes.
When it comes to the carbs you consume, it is important to ensure you eat more complex carbs that simple carbs. This means a diet where you consume vegetables, whole grain bread and oatmeal will be of benefit. There is nothing wrong sweet treats on an occasional but they cannot become the staple element of your diet. It pains me to say it but it’s true!
If you’d like to follow me on Instagram or follow me on Twitter, I’d really appreciate it! Thanks to Adam for allowing this guest post, thanks for reading and I hope to connect with some of you in the future.
All the best,
Paul
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