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If you've been in the dieting circle for a while, you know that the number one rule of weight loss has always been: cut carbohydrates. In the 90s, the Atkins diet was in vogue. We now have Keto. These two popular diets preach low-carb, the key to apparent weight loss. But are there any harmful side effects to changing fries for a small garden salad? And are carbohydrates really the expanding enemy of the size that we have been led to believe?
Wait, carbohydrates are not a food group?
"Carbohydrates are not a food group in themselves. They are a specific type of nutrient, as well as many others, in some food groups, "says registered dietician Tirsa B Holzhausen, spokeswoman for the Dietetics Association of South Africa.
There are also many types of carbohydrates. Think: glucose; fructose (fruit sugar); lactose (present in dairy products); sucrose (table sugar) and amylose or amylopectin (usually known as starch). Another little known but beneficial carbohydrate is fiber.
READ MORE: These healthy carbohydrates can help you lose weight
Carbohydrates perform five important functions in the body:
1. They are a source of energy
Glucose in foods containing carbohydrates is used by cells in the body (especially brain cells) to create energy molecules (called ATPs). These molecules act as fuel for activities in the body. The body can produce ATP from other sources, including fats (the reasoning behind the Keto diet), but glucose is its preferred fuel.
2. They provide energy to store
When a meal provides more glucose than the body needs immediately to produce energy, excess glucose is converted to glycogen (stored in the liver and muscles). When the glycogen stores are full, the remaining glucose is converted into fat molecules.
Glycogen is essential for healthy functioning as it can be quickly converted back into glucose when the body needs energy, usually during exercise or starvation (whether voluntary or not). But when we continuously eat more carbohydrates than the body needs, we end up with an excess of carbohydrates, which are converted into fat. Bottom line: the body needs carbohydrates for energy and storage, but too many leads to a fight against fat.
READ MORE: 16 carbohydrates to avoid if you try to prevent a sugar crash
3. They save muscle protein
When the blood supply is insufficient in glucose, the body produces glucose from glycogen, but when the glycogen stores are depleted, the body breaks down the proteins in the muscles to create the glucose needed. Over a long period of time, this can be dangerous and generally leads to loss of strength, insufficient immunity and a general decline in health.
4. They play an important role in digestive health
Although most starches are broken down into glucose (among other things) during digestion, the fibers are not. The fiber digestion process provides energy to the "good" gut bacteria, which allows them to function optimally for the digestion of other nutrients. Soluble fiber (found in fruits, vegetables and oats) causes water to enter the gut during digestion, creating a stool that is soft and easy to evacuate. Insoluble fiber (found in legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds) provides roughage in the intestine, stimulating movement and helping to keep it "steady".
READ MORE: How much carbohydrate should I eat if I try to lose weight?
5. It's important for heart health and glycemic control
Depending on the type of food containing carbohydrates, carbohydrates can be beneficial to the health of your heart or seriously reduce them. During digestion, the fibers bind to the bile acids of the intestine and pass through the body. this loss of bile acids encourages the body to make more, a process that uses blood cholesterol.
This cycle reduces cholesterol levels in the blood and, over a longer period, contributes to healthy blood pressure and healthy cholesterol levels, healthy blood vessels, heart muscle function and prevention of heart disease. Atherosclerosis and other heart conditions. Eating refined carbohydrates and high in sugar will have the opposite effect …
Fiber also slows the speed of food digestion, which means that all nutrients, including glucose, enter the bloodstream at a slower, more controlled rate and in smaller amounts at a time. This process avoids the spikes in blood sugar and the feeling of fatigue that follows hyperglycemia. It also provides better control of insulin level and more stable energy levels.
Side effects of carbohydrate reduction:
Most low carb diets focus on reducing refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta, as well as sugar and low-fat dairy products. If your body is used to eating this kind of food, it may experience 'withdrawal symptoms', including:
READ MORE: 15 complex carbohydrates to incorporate into your diet
How to include carbohydrates in your diet without losing weight?
According to Tirsa, including carbohydrates in your diet does not mean eating refined carbohydrates such as processed snacks or high-sugar foods like fruit juices. Healthy carbohydrates include:
- Whole grain starch: Brown rice, quinoa, barley and oats.
- Unrefined foods: Fresh fruit, milk, porridge, rice, potato, sweet potato, peas and beans, dried or canned and popcorn.
- Minimally prepared foods: Nowadays it is hard to avoid all processed foods, but take-away, ready-to-eat and hot dishes (pasta dishes, pizzas, smoothies, freshly squeezed juices, salads or sandwiches) have generally higher sugar content than you would do at home. They are also usually more processed and served in a larger proportion than your home version. By preparing your own meals, you can choose higher quality ingredients and more control over the amounts of each ingredient used.
So, make "carbohydrates" a small part of a bigger meal …
A large portion of carbs (a large bowl of pasta, a three-slice sandwich or a burger and chips) will provide far more carbohydrates than your body needs. To avoid eating too much or too little carbohydrate, prepare meals containing 25% starch (brown rice, quinoa, barley, sweet potato, porridge or bread); 25% protein (of animal or vegetable origin) and 50% of vegetables, which could also include a portion of fruit.
In practice, this could look like:
Breakfast: Oats with yoghurt and low sugar berries or scrambled egg with a slice of whole wheat toast and a salsa with avocado.
Lunch: Roasted sweet potato chicken salad with homemade vinaigrette or a mayonnaise chicken sandwich with a small salad and berries.
Supper: Grilled fish with brown rice and roasted vegetables or grilled steak with roasted potato wedges and stir-fried vegetables.
READ MORE: These 3 pasta substitutes save lives if you avoid carbohydrates
The bottom line
Carbohydrates are essential nutrients that can and should be part of a person's healthy and balanced diet. The question is not whether carbohydrates are good, but rather what types and how much are needed in your individual diet. Check with a professional dietician in your area to find out how to include carbohydrates in your diet to improve your waistline and your health in the long run.
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthsa.co.za
Image credit: iStock
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