Information About Diet and Carbs
Q. Does Eating Carbs Cause Weight Gain?
The answer is: No. Carbs do NOT make us
overweight.
Carbohydrates are an important part of
any healthy diet. Eaten regularly, carbs do NOT lead to weight gain, unless
(like any food group) they are eaten to excess. After all, eating too
much of anything and not burning it off through physical activity
will lead to weight gain. That said, weight for weight, carbs provide
fewer calories than fat or alcohol. It's also what you add to the
carbohydrates that bump up the calories. For example, the margarine or
butter we put on the bread and the cream or cheese sauces we add to pasta.
So if you need to lose weight, cut down on these added fats, NOT the carbs.
For a concise explanation of how ALL
surplus calories (from fats, protein AND carbs) are converted to body
fat and stored as adipose tissue, see How
We Gain Body Fat?
Why Have Carbohydrates Become Such A Controversial
Food?
To understand why carbs have attracted
so much dietary criticism - much of it inaccurate and misleading - you
need to understand a bit about the diet and food industry. The following
explanation is a simplified account of the carb controversy.
Heart Disease And Low Fat Diets
In the 60s and 70s, cardiologists established a clear link between animal
fats (in fatty meat, butter, cheese etc.) and coronary heart disease (hardening
of the arteries or atherosclerosis). So low-fat diets became very
popular. Unfortunately, in its attempt to cater for this preferred reduced-fat
type of eating, the food industry started producing a huge range of
low-fiber white flour food products (eg. muffins, donuts, bagels,
cookies), tons of carb snackfoods (eg. multi-flavored popcorn,
nachos etc.) and various high-carb add-ons and toppings. Note that
ALL these foods are largely "refined" carbs - that is,
carbs with most of the natural fiber removed. Thus, the low-fat approach
led to a significant increase in the consumption of refined carbohydrate.
The Obesity Epidemic
During the 80s and 90s, obesity in North America grew almost out of control
and many dietitians began to question whether the high-carb low-fat
diet was contributing to this upsurge in overweight. Then clinical
studies linked high consumption of refined carbs with metabolic problems
(eg. blood-sugar problems, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes), digestive
disorders (diverticulitis and IBS) and heart disease. Dr Atkins
then produced his extreme low-carb diet and claimed that carbohydrate
was a major cause of obesity and overweight. This oversimplification
- he refused to accept that unrefined whole grain carbs were a significant
health food which had no negative effect on weight - caused a crazy fashion
for carb-free foods. Not surprisingly, given the fact that most of the
world outside North America has been eating carbohydrate for centuries
without gaining weight, Dr Atkins dietary approach did not lead to
a fall in obesity. Another carb-restricted diet, the South Beach
Diet, followed Atkins, all carb-restricted diets are now viewed as
outdated as a means of reducing weight among the population at large.
The GI Diet - How To Eat Good Carbs
Nowadays, most dietitians, nutritionists and obesity experts agree that
good carbohydrate (eg. generally those types with a moderate or
low GI value on the glycemic index) is essential for long term weight
control and healthy nutrition. But it is still true that over-consumption
of refined carbs (eg. generally white flour carbs with a high GI value)
poses a serious risk of metabolic disorders including insulin insensitivity,
type 2 diabetes as well as metabolic syndrome - all of which are closely
associated with obesity. The point to remember is that NOT ALL CARBOHYDRATE
IS BAD - only those foods which contain heavily refined/processed
carbs. The GI diet does not discriminate on the basis of carb quantity.
Instead it recommends we focus on carb-quality and eat lower-GI
carbs.
Official Dietary Guidelines for Carbs
According to US Government Diet Guidelines,
the World Health Organization and the World Cancer Research Fund, we should
consume about 50-55 percent of our calories from carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are essential to give us
energy. They come in two forms:
The following foods are all good sources
of starches, but choose wholegrain, whole wheat, wholemeal, brown or high
fiber varieties whenever possible.These 'whole' type of carbs still contain
the whole grain, including the bran and the germ, so they're higher in
fiber and will keep you feeling fuller for longer - great if you're trying
to lose weight and hate feeling hungry. Examples include wholegrain rice,
wholemeal bread, porridge oats, and wholewheat pasta. See also How
We Digest Food.
- Bread
- Breakfast cereals
- Oats
- Pasta
- Noodles
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Beans
- Lentils
Carbohydrates and Fiber
Carbohydrate-rich foods like whole wheat
bread, pasta and rice, pulses and some fruits are particularly rich in
fiber, which helps to prevent constipation. The fiber in fruit, vegetables
and pulses, can also help reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Carbohydrates in Fruit and Vegetables
Many (not all) carbs in fruit and vegetables
are classed as sugars, but these are unrefined sugars and are quite
different from the non-nutritious carb sugars found in manufactured, processed
food. Fresh fruit and vegetables contain vital phyto-chemicals and other
micro-nutrients that help protect us against serious diseases like heart
disease and cancer. Aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables
a day.
Carbohydrates to Avoid in Your Diet -
The Bad Guys!
Unhealthy carbohydrates are the refined
sugar carbs, found in foods like: cookies, sweets, cakes, carbonated
soft drinks, ice-cream and syrups. The most refined of all sugars is table
or icing sugar. Healthwise, we don't need to eat any of these refined
carbohydrate foods.
How to Choose Better Carbohydrates in
Your Diet
To beat hunger pangs, lose weight and stay
healthy, try these healthy carb tips:
- Substitute bran flakes for frosted
flakes
- Substitute whole wheat bread for regular
white bread
- Substitute rice cakes for cereal/granola
bar
- Substitute wholegrain/whole wheat baguette
for French bread
- Substitute wholewheat pasta for regular
pasta
- Substitute brown rice for regular white
rice
- Add wheatgerm and oats to your cereal
- Add chopped fruit to your cereal, salads
and stews
- Serve beans, lentils and extra vegetables
with your main meal
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Want to Lose Weight on a Low Carb Diet?
If so, our healthy Low
Carb Diet is just ONE of the great diet plans in the AC
Weight Loss Program
Carbohydrates and Glycemic Index (GI)
Everything you need to know about healthy
carbohydrate, how much to eat and how the Glycemic Index helps to maintain
good health and weight.
How
the Body Uses Its Energy Sources
Guide to Carbohydrates
How Carbs Are Digested
How Carbohydrate Affects Blood
Sugar
How Carbohydrate Affects Insulin
Health Risks of Excessive
Insulin
Low Carb Eating Plans
More Details About GI
How GI is Measured
What Determines GI Value of Carb-Rich
Foods
Guide to Glycemic Load
GI Values of Meals
How to Reduce GI Value of Meals
How Much Carbohydrate Do We
Need in Our Diet
Guide to Carbohydrate in Our Diet
Which is Best: Low Carb or Low GI
Diet
Health Benefits of Low GI Diets
For other useful
articles, see also:
Carbohydrates
In Food
Carbohydrate
Content of Popular Foods
Click below to see how many carbs are in
popular foods and drinks.
Carbs
in Alcohol - Beans
1 - Beans 2 - Bread
- Breads - Cakes
- Cereal - Cheese
- Chicken
Carbs in Chocolate - Cream
- Danish - Dressings
- Fast Food - Fish
- Flour - Carbs
in Fruit 1
Fruit 2 - Fruit
3 - Fruit 4 - Fruit
Juice - Ice Cream
- Jelly - Meat
- Milk - Carbs
in Muffins - Noodles
Nuts - Pasta
- Pastry - Carbs
in Peanut Butter - Pizza
- Popcorn - Carbs
in Potatoes - Quiche
Rice - Soft
Drinks - Soy Foods
- Sugar - Sweets
- Carbs in Vegetables 1
- Vegetables 2
Vegetables 3 - Yogurt
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