“Many health advisers
and experts” today advise people to avoid carbohydrates which has led to a
widespread belief that carbs are evil and the real culprits behind present day
obesity. High protein diets have become fashionable and ‘carbohydrates’ has
become a bad word. This is absurd as on many occasions carbohydrate restriction
can badly affect your health.
Carbohydrates are the
most important sources of energy for our body. Our normal body functions like
heartbeat, breathing, digestion, brain functioning and other physical
activities including exercise needs energy and carbs provide that. The most
important sources of carbs include grains, fruits, vegetables potato, legumes,
sugar, honey, milk and meat. Since the agricultural age grains have been the
central element of human diet and source of carbohydrate. Wheat, rice, corn,
sorghum, millet, oats, buckwheat and kash were staple foods for people around
the world. Most of the people eating a grain based carbohydrate diet were lean
with strong bodies.
Then came the industrial
revolution. Along with all the revolutionary changes it brought to the society
it also affected people’s food habits by detaching them from agriculture. Food
industry was established and people started eating too much of processed
grains, chemicalized artificial junk food, sugar, caffeine and alcohol skipping
natural whole grains. It also gave rise to the cravings for sugar in
chocolates, candy bars, ice creams, cakes and cookies. Here started the
problem. The average person does not know the difference between healthy and
unhealthy carbohydrate. People are not eating the right type of carbohydrate
that nature intended. To understand this we need to know the distinction
between simple and complex carbs.
All types of carbs
contain sugar. When sugar is digested it becomes glucose. Glucose is the fuel
for all body cells. Depending on the chemical structure of sugar, carbs can be
simple or complex.
Simple carbs- Carbs
with one or two molecules of sugar that are quickly converted to glucose after
ingestion and causes a rapid rise in blood sugar level- a sugar rush. Body sees
this rush as an emergency and quickly burns it up to meet the energy required.
This leads to a crash in blood sugar and again leads to cravings. A sugar
craving is simply the body asking for energy.
Sugar, Processed
grains, white flour based products (like White bread), fruits, vegetables,
honey, sugar cane and milk are the major sources of simple carbs.
Now the question arises ‘ If fruits and vegetables
contain simple carbs aren’t they bad for health? Well, not exactly. Even though
they contain simple sugars, the high fibre in them slows down digestion and
helps in the sustained release of sugar. Simple carbohydrate in denatured,
deformed and processed foods is the real reason behind obesity, producing
excess amount of sugar at one time for which the body has no other way but to
store as fat. ( Imagine using Kerosene oil instead of coconut oil in an oil
lamp) .Joshua Rosenthal, Founder of Institute of Integrative Nutrition, says “
the anti-carb movement should really be an anti-simple-carb movement “
Complex carbs- Short Chain (3-10
molecules) and long chain sugar molecules containing carbs bound with fibre.
Breaking down of complex carbs is slow and takes hours to release the sugar
into the bloodstream and hence provides long lasting energy without the
rush-crash cycle.
Best sources- Whole
Grains, potato,legumes etc
This is why you
experience a total change of energy, mood and hunger when you have a whole
grain breakfast with some vegetables instead of white bread or processed food.
A whole grain kernel
has three parts- bran, germ, and endosperm. They are rich sources of both
soluble and insoluble fibre, protein , B- vitamins, Minerals like magnesium and
pottassium , essential fats, anti-oxidants, phytochemical, flavonoids,
phytosterols, and lignin. The bran and germ parts are removed during processing,
converting it into a refined white flour.
Health Benefits of
Whole Grains
- Weight management- Low calorie density, high satiation
- Heart Health- Lowers total cholesterol, LDL, Triglycerides and blood pressure. Reduces heart diseases and stroke by 25-30%
- Diabetes prevention and management- Lowers blood sugar, insulin and increases insulin sensitivity.
- Cancer prevention- Promotes healthy gut bacteria, fiber blends and removes potential carcinogens.
The recommended daily
intake of whole grains is three servings. So next time you go to a grocery
store, be sure to ask for unprocessed, whole grains.
However whole grains
does come with a cautionary note. The presence of Phytic acid in the outer
layer of the bran can cause indigestion and can combine with minerals to cause
mineral deficiency. This can be easily overcome by pre-soaking the grains
overnight in warm water. Another area of concern is the presence of protein
found in wheat , barley and oats called gluten, which acts like a glue and is
difficult to get digested and can be allergic. Many don't correlate the reason
for bloating, constipation , gas , allergies , chronic indigestion brain
fogging and even celiac diseases and candidiasis for the presence of this amino
acid. Change to gluten free whole grains ( Brown rice is the best option)
To get the best out of
grains
- Use organic, unrefined whole grains
- Store in air tight containers
- Practice pre-soaking in warm water for 3-8 hours
- Use a pinch of sea salt before cooking. This adds flavour and nutritional value.
- Adding a splash of olive oil or coconut oil to prevent sticking of grains
- The leftover cooked water can be a nutrient rich drink
You can selectively
include more sources of complex in your diet. Sugar cravings can be
alleviated by providing the body with natural sweet foods like carrot, squash,
sweet potato, fruits etc. Get accustomed to eating more of whole grains,
vegetables and other nutrient dense foods.
Dr Dean Ornish, author
of best selling book, ‘Eat More, Weigh Less’ recommends a high carbohydrate
(70%) , low fat (10%) diet with 20 % protein, largely composed of
grains and vegetables to reverse heart diseases and to keep the arteries clean
and clear. So Carbs are good but choose the right carb
