What are Carbs and Should I Be Counting Them?

 

 



Let's play word association.

Carbs.

If you're a marathon runner, you're probably thinking of the traditional pre-race piles of spaghetti and garlic bread.

If you're a compulsive dieter, you may be thinking Dr. Atkins/The Zone/South Beach or some other variation.

Maybe you're reminiscing about The Food Pyramid or My Plate from your high school health class.

So, what are carbs?  Essentially, the nutrients in food can be broken down into proteins, fats or carbohydrates.  What kinds of foods contain carbohydrates?  Fruit.  Vegetables.  Grains.  Dairy products.  Foods with added sugars.  Carbohydrates are converted by the body into glucose, which fuels the body.

We have a love/hate relationship with the molecular structure containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.  Skip the bread basket and hold the bun.

Because we Americans love a shootout between the Bad Guy and the Sheriff.  Carbs are no exception.  So are carbs good, bad, or like most of us, a bit of both?

The quality of carbs depends on the glycemic load or how quickly the body converts the food into glucose or blood sugar.  A diet rich filled with high-glycemic load foods (with an index of 70 and above) has been associated with diabetes, heart disease, overweight, ovulatory infertility and colorectal cancer. 

How can I tell which foods have a high glycemic load?

The glycemic load of foods is dependent on a number of factors.  Processed foods in which the endosperm is stripped such as white bread or white rice have a high glycemic load.  Fiber slows down the conversion to glucose.  Ripeness of fruits of vegetables contributes to the glycemic load.  Ripe fruit or vegetables have higher sugar content.  The fat content of food also slows down the blood sugar spike.

Check out www.glycemicindex.com for a list of the glycemic index of over 1,700 foods.

Is the glycemic load index the bible by which we should base our "daily bread?"

Yes.  And no.

Sure, spreading that steaming roll from the bread basket with a layer of butter or snacking on a Snickers with its added fat will slow down the conversion of blood sugar but there are better options.

Harvard Medical School's Dr. Walter Willet advises long-lasting weight loss and health can best be achieved by eschewing processed grains and high glycemic load foods for whole grain options. 

Mom was right.  Start the day with a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal or a cold cereal with whole grains listed as the first ingredient.

Drop the hot potato.  The white tuber, which is America's most popular "vegetable" causes blood sugar to skyrocket.  Instead, substitute with brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, or millet. 

Be a bean counter.  Add beans to soups and salads.

Choose wisely.  Replace pasta with whole grain variations.  Order brown rice with your Kung Pao. 

And to borrow from Michael Pollan, Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants.  Fill your plate with a variety of vegetables.  Leafy greens.  A rainbow of other colors. 

A health coach can help you learn to select healthier options and balance the role of food in your daily life.  Contact me at info@bethckramer.com for a complimentary consultation.