There have been many low carb and no carb food fads over the years and they can offer temptingly quick results. Many people, however, have not found them to be sustainable and they can cause some unpleasant side effects. But the real question is; are they healthy? Many dieticians and doctors would argue that sufficient carbohydrate is essential for any active person and nutritionists often recommend that the largest percentage of food is taken in the form of carbohydrates. In this article we take a look at different carbohydrates and their values so you can decide for yourself.
Unrefined vs refined carbohydrates;
Carbohydrates can be broken down into refined or unrefined. The general rule is that unrefined carbohydrates are better for you as they contain the whole grain so they are high in fibre and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Foods that fall into the unrefined category will tend to have a lower GI value than their refined equivalent e.g. wholegrain bread has a lower GI than white bread.
Examples of wholegrain foods include wholemeal bread, porridge oats and wholegrain rice. However not all wholegrains are made equal and it is essential that you check the packing of wholegrain products carefully to check that they do actually contain whole wheat, oats etc. Refined carbohydrates include white bread and pasta, some cereals and white rice.
Simple and complex carbohydrates;
This refers to the chemical structure of the carbohydrate and therefore how quickly the body can break it down. People are often confused between unrefined and complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are often referred to as sugars and are digested quickly. Many contain refined sugars and very few vitamins and minerals making them less desirable for the body. Examples of simple carbohydrates include fruit juice, milk, sugar, yoghurt and honey. Most fruits are also simple carbohydrates but these are packed with essential vitamins and anti-oxidants and should be an integral part of every healthy diet.
Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest as they tend to contain more fibre. Usually they are packed with vitamins and minerals and are more desirable to include in your diet. Examples include vegetables, wholegrains and pulses. Although fibre is not digested it does provide a number of health benefits to the body including reducing the risk of colon cancer. Because fibre also binds with substances which would ultimately produce cholesterol it also reduces the level of cholesterol in the body and therefore reduces the risk if heart disease.
How much should you be eating?
Hopefully this article has helped you draw your own conclusions as to the value of carbohydrates in your diet and therefore how much you should be eating.
Many health practitioners encourage the inclusion carbohydrates as a substantial percentage of daily calorific intake and suggest including wholegrain carbohydrates at every meal. You should also be including at least five portions of fruit and vegetables in your diet which also make up part of your carbohydrate intake and help to increase your hydration levels which is also essential for optimum health.
Low GI diets are probably the latest 'celebrity' diet being adopted by the general public and these take a balanced view of carbohydrates, not banning them completely, but equally encouraging the careful consideration of the effects that any particular food has on the body. This may be one of the most sensible ways of adopting carbohydrates in your diet and you will soon be able to read more on our GI diet page.
The information given in this article is for information only and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice. You should always consult your medical practitioner if you are concerned in any way about your health.
This article is written by Cheryl Ashbrook who has a keen interest in nutrition and health. It is extracted from healthy lifestyle info [healthylifestyleinfo.com], a website designed to provide you with all the information you need to help you adopt a healthier lifestyle today. There is nutritional information as well as hints and tips about many different complementary health therapies and the latest information about diet and fitness.
Take a look at our nutrition advice section [healthylifestyleinfo.com/Nutrition-advice.html] for more information on the different aspects of nutrition.
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