Carbs - should we be afraid of them?
The main problem with gaining body weight is the current diet. Often, people who want to lose weight decide to impose strict restrictions, for example, to completely abandon carbohydrates. Should we be afraid of carbohydrates? Is completely eliminating sugars from the diet the solution to the problem?
What do you want to know about carbohydrates?
The starting point, of course, is to point out the important difference between the forms of carbohydrates. The first group includes substances commonly called monosaccharides. As their name suggests, monosaccharides and disaccharides are distinguished by their simple structure. This means that monosaccharides are very quickly digested which, along with
their high bioavailability, means that they are quickly absorbed by the body. The result is the immediate release of a large amount of energy that lasts for a short time. Glucose, sucrose, fructose, and lactose are examples of simple sugars.
Complex carbohydrates are substances that contain three or more sugar molecules. In the case of complex carbohydrates, the body needs a longer time to digest them, which leads to a gradual release of the accumulated energy. However, the supposed increase in energy reserves lasts longer, which can be useful, for example, when cycling for several hours or running across the country. Representatives of this group of carbohydrates are glycogen, maltodextrin, starch or insoluble fiber.
The difference in the rate of energy release is related to two important issues. First, a rapid increase in energy causes a sharp rise in blood sugar. Second, a significant spike in sugar leads to an intense release of insulin. The result ? The insulin-stimulated release of pancreatic cells promotes the intensification of the formation and storage of triglycerides, which leads to the gradual accumulation of adipose tissue.
Is it worth the fear of carbohydrates?
Giving up carbs completely is definitely not the answer. The body uses both simple and complex forms of sugars as an energy source for the nervous system or as an essential component of muscle glycogen resynthesis, among other things. The endings generally do not bring good results to the metabolism. How to consume carbohydrates to avoid the risk of weight gain?
It is a good idea to analyze products according to the glycemic index (GI). The glycemic index indicates how quickly the sugar level rises and the risk of insulin release after eating a particular food. The higher the glycemic index value, the higher the risk of uncontrolled
variations in glucose levels. This knowledge is useful not only for diabetics, but also for those who want to maintain a slim body. It is not difficult to find information on the web on the list of low and medium GI products, which greatly facilitates the formation of a nutritional plan and eliminates the fear of consuming carbohydrates.