Are Carbs Evil? The Shocking Truth!
Carbohydrates get a bad rap these days. Just look at the popularity of low carb diets like the Ketogenic diets, Atkins diet, and Paleo diet. The truth is that carbs are not evil, they’re far from it.Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred fuel source. The problem is that if you give your body more fuel than it needs, by overeating, that fuel will be quickly be stored in the form of fat. This is where choosing the right kinds of carbohydrates at the right times is key. By making the right choices, you can maximize both your performance in the gym and actually use carbs to help you burn fat!
There are two basic types of carbohydrates: sugars and starches. They are all made up of the same basic molecular compounds (glucose and other 5 and six carbon sugars). The difference is in how many of these simple sugars are strung together. Anything more than two single sugar molecules and the carbohydrate starts to taste less sweet and are classified as starches.
Examples of sugars are sucrose (white table sugar), fructose (the sugar found in fruits), and lactose (milk sugar). Examples of starches are anything made from flour or grain (oatmeal, breads, pasta) or starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes). After all is said and done, these will be digested down to their simple sugar components. So 40 grams of table sugar and 40 grams of carbohydrates from pasta each have the same amount of calories. The difference is in how fast they hit your blood stream once you’ve eaten them and what kind of blood hormonal (mainly insulin) response your body has to them.
The reason insulin is so important is because it is one of the major signals telling your body that you have enough fuel, are full, and that it should begin fat storage. So you can see the goal is to control insulin levels in your blood, and to carefully manipulate your carbs throughout the day to achieve a steady blood sugar and insulin level.
There is one time when you want insulin levels to be high to drive glucose into your cells. After a workout your muscles need to replenish their fuel stores (long chains of sugars called glycogen – your body’s temporary 24 hour fuel reserve). Basically, your body is in diesel engine mode after lifting weights. It will take what it can get and put it to use without much downside of storing fat. That’s again so long as you don’t completely gorge yourself.
Examples of sugars are sucrose (white table sugar), fructose (the sugar found in fruits), and lactose (milk sugar). Examples of starches are anything made from flour or grain (oatmeal, breads, pasta) or starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes). After all is said and done, these will be digested down to their simple sugar components. So 40 grams of table sugar and 40 grams of carbohydrates from pasta each have the same amount of calories. The difference is in how fast they hit your blood stream once you’ve eaten them and what kind of blood hormonal (mainly insulin) response your body has to them.
The reason insulin is so important is because it is one of the major signals telling your body that you have enough fuel, are full, and that it should begin fat storage. So you can see the goal is to control insulin levels in your blood, and to carefully manipulate your carbs throughout the day to achieve a steady blood sugar and insulin level.
There is one time when you want insulin levels to be high to drive glucose into your cells. After a workout your muscles need to replenish their fuel stores (long chains of sugars called glycogen – your body’s temporary 24 hour fuel reserve). Basically, your body is in diesel engine mode after lifting weights. It will take what it can get and put it to use without much downside of storing fat. That’s again so long as you don’t completely gorge yourself.
This brings us to the topic of glycemic index and glycemic load. This is a direct measure of how quickly the carbohydrates you eat show up in your blood as sugar. This in turn relates to the degree of insulin spike you’ll have. The goal is to maintain a relatively steady blood sugar and insulin level. This will insure that you feel full and energized. And, it will help avoid the ups and downs that come along with a turbulent blood sugar level.
So the solution is to choose foods that have a low glycemic index.
It all sounds complex, but if you learn the basic it will become second nature. You’ll be able to enjoy carbs, even sweets on a daily basis, while seeing great energy levels, adding lean muscle mass, and most importantly torching fat. Click here to learn more.
So the solution is to choose foods that have a low glycemic index.
It all sounds complex, but if you learn the basic it will become second nature. You’ll be able to enjoy carbs, even sweets on a daily basis, while seeing great energy levels, adding lean muscle mass, and most importantly torching fat. Click here to learn more.
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