Do You Know As Much About Carbs As You Think You Do?

It is time to get the low-down on carbohydrates. Called 'carbs' for short, some people think this essential nutrient is anything but essential. Many fast-talking diet gurus say carbs are bad and it is not a good idea to ingest them at all. But these gurus are wrong. Carbohydrates are one of the three main nutrients everybody needsto survive and thrive. Without carbs, the body has no energy to think or act and will soon shut down. So it is essential to eat carbs, but it is also important to know what types of carbs are best to eat when and in what context. There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Each type of carb has different qualities that make it ideal to consume at different times and for different reasons.

Keep It Simple

Simple carbs are great for providing fast energy when it is needed right away. Think of the diabetic who is crashing. This person needs a quick sugar fix to help get back to safe body sugar levels. But simple carbs are not helpful only for people with diabetes. These types of carbs are also a good kick starter at the beginning of the day to provide energy for a morning workout or before high-activity periods at other times of the day. Simple carbs can be found in a variety of foods, such as table sugar, candy, and juice. But some of the best sources of simple carbs are fruit. Although some people choose to juice fruit to get the nutrients from it, this will not provide the fibre the body needs to aid in digestion. Juicing concentrates fruit sugars and makes it easy to drink more of these sugars than is healthy. For best results, choose to eat fruit that can be held in the hands whole, such as apples, kiwi, pears, nectarines, peaches, oranges, and mango, or as wedges from larger fruit, such as pineapple, melons, and papaya. Remember to eat proper serving sizes.

Complex Sugars Made Easy

Complex sugars are carbs that take longer for the body to break down. They are good to consume before endurance activities, such as a marathon or a particularly intense workout. In fact, for endurance races like Tough Mudder, it may be a good idea to do a bit of carb-loading the day before. One of the benefits of eating complex sugars is that they make people feel full longer, which means only a small amount needs to be eaten to feel satisfied a long time after eating. Complex sugars are present in many foods. Adding such foods as whole-grain bread and cereals, pasta, peas, beans, lentils, and peanuts to the diet can increase the amount of complex sugars consumed without increasing the overall calorie count. This can help people stick to a healthy diet.

Daily Carbohydrate Recommendations

Dietary specialists recommend that carbohydrates make up about half of a person's daily caloric intake. They also note that complex carbs are a better choice than simple carbs for a number of reasons. For weight loss, dietary specialists suggest eating carbs earlier in the day. This prevents the body from storing unused carbohydrates that are consumed later in the day as fat because of inactivity. As a rule, stay away from processed sugars, especially the high-fructose corn syrup that is used in packaged goods. In addition, stay away from food products that state that they are 'enriched'; these products have been heavily processed, which means that all of the natural benefits of the carbohydrates have been removed. By all means, eat bread. Just choose artisanal bread instead of processed white bread.

Counting Carbs

Some people need to count carbs to keep their blood sugar at a healthy level or to track the calories they consume in a day while dieting or training athletically. This is why there are so many different types of carb counters available online and available as apps. These tools are useful for diabetics who need to track their glucose levels and for people who simply want to track their carbs at home and while out with friends and family. Carbohydrate counters can be of great benefit because they do not only ensure people are eating enough carbs on a daily basis. They can also evaluate whether people are eating the right kind of carbs based on their level of activity.