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.