CARBOHYDRATES Hello everyone welcome back with the third episode of the Nutrition basics series and today we will discuss Carbohydrates ( C...
CARBOHYDRATES
Hello everyone welcome back with the third episode of the Nutrition basics series and today we will discuss Carbohydrates ( Carbs)
also, known as the primary source of energy
what is a carbohydrate?
how does it work?
how much do we need?
Carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol are all sources of calories in the diet. These macronutrients can all be part of a healthy diet. Balancing the calories that we take in with those that we burn every day can help us maintain, gain, or lose weight. Learn some tips for fitting carbs into your diet.
before talking about carbs there is one term that you should understand that GI (Glycemic index)
now what is the glycemic index
so in simple Glycemic index means how fast or slow food will breakdown into glucose and enter our bloodstream
which means the higher the GI the faster that food will break into glucose and enter our bloodstream and the low GI the slower it will be
so on the basis of GI
Carbs are divided into two categories
1. Simple Carbs
2. Complex carbs
Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly and send immediate bursts of glucose (energy) into the bloodstream. That's why you may feel a rush of energy when you eat a dessert, only to be followed by a crash of fatigue when that sudden burst of energy is depleted. Simple sugars are found in refined sugars, like the white sugar you'd find in a sugar bowl. Added sugars (including refined sugars) provide calories, but lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber and can lead to weight gain.
Complex carbohydrates are digested more slowly and supply a lower more steady release of glucose into the bloodstream. As with simple sugars, some complex carbohydrate foods are better choices than others.
Why do I need carbohydrates?
When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into simple sugar (glucose), which is absorbed into the bloodstream. As the sugar level rises in your body, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin is needed to move sugar from the blood into the cells, where the sugar can be used as a source of energy.
When this process goes fast — as with simple sugars like sugar-sweetened beverages and high-calorie desserts — you're more likely to feel hungry again soon.
When it occurs more slowly, as with whole-grain food, you'll feel satisfied longer because it takes longer for your body to break down the complex carbohydrates in whole grains into simple sugars. These types of complex carbohydrates give you energy over a longer period of time.
The carbs in some foods (mostly those that contain a lot of simple sugars) cause the blood sugar level to rise more quickly than others. How fast or slow carbohydrates are turned into blood glucose is measured on the glycemic index. If you’re healthy, carbohydrates turn into glucose (blood sugar), which your body uses for energy. But if your blood glucose levels become too high or too low, it could be a sign that your body can have trouble producing the insulin that it needs to stay healthy which can eventually result in diabetes.
I hope this article will better help you to understand the concept of Carbohydrates
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