Carbo-whatsit?

It seems that the only time we hear something positive about carbohydrates is when elite athletes talk about ‘carbo-loading’ before a race. (See The Office, Season 4, Episode 2).

Carbohydrates have a bit of a bad rap; the first foods that come to mind are pasta and bread, closely followed by high blood sugar and weight gain. If you Google carbohydrate, almost all of the images will be of bread and pasta with…one banana thrown in for good measure.

To be moderately dramatic, the world of carbohydrates is riddled with lies and deception! (gasp) Not all carbohydrates are bad, in fact, we need them.

You are familiar with the three macronutrients – proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose in the body, which is the only source of fuel our brain uses and utilized by our muscles during activity. We need them!

So, here is a little information to help you navigate carb-land.

Carbohydrates can be broken down into two categories – simple and complex.

Simple carbohydrates are those that I mentioned before that first come to mind for people when we think of carbohydrates, they are white bread, sugar, and pasta. I don’t think I have to tell you that it’s best if you don’t eat those all day, everyday, but please don’t eat those all day, everyday.

Complex carbohydrates on the other hand aren’t like your Facebook status, they’re complicated in a good way. Here is some simple advice that I love; the more your food looks like the plant it came from, the healthier it is for you.

For instance:

• Refined flours – white rice, white flour, gets a sad face. These are stripped of fiber, healthy fats, and almost all of the vitamins and minerals from the original plant. It’s like going out into the world with just mittens on. Just mittens. Not helpful.
• Whole grain flours – these are much better, they will contain more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than the previous refined flours. Looks for items that say “100% whole grain”
• Whole grains – amazing and totally unrefined, like Cosmo Kramer. This includes brown rice, barley, quinoa, oats, and many more. They contain carbohydrates, protein, some healthy fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. What a good deal.
• Fruits and vegetables – yes, these contain carbs too. An apple for instance, is about 95% carbohydrate. (With fruit, you should consider eating it with a source of fiber to balance blood sugar. Please see the recommendations below for balancing.) [1]

1 Serving of Broccoli = 74% carbs, 11% fiber = 1% net carbs [2]

*Net carbs factor in fiber and other components that get digested but not broken down and used in the body. It is the total amount of carbs that are absorbed from a particular food.

Why bother?

First, let’s define glycemic index and glycemic load. Glycemic index measures how much a food might impact your blood sugar levels but it is only half the story. Glycemic load is more accurate measurement of how the food will impact your blood sugar in real life because it tells you not only how quickly the glucose can enter your blood, but also the glucose per serving.

For example, watermelon has a glycemic index of 80 (high, the scale is 0-100) but since one serving of watermelon has so little carbohydrate, it’s glycemic load is only 5.

High glycemic load – Imagine the biggest rollercoaster with the steepest drop, that is the ride you take with foods with a high glycemic index. Simple carbohydrates are efficiently broken down into glucose in our body because they are stripped of all the fiber that slows down digestion.

As a result, you will have:

• A large blood sugar spike post-meal
• A large release of insulin in an attempt to lower blood sugar quickly
• Early hunger – the insulin response usually leads to your blood sugar dropping too low, queuing hunger signals early (sometimes only 1 hour after your meal).

These are just the short-term effects. Long-term effects of a high-glycemic load diet can include insulin-resistance leading to Type II Diabetes, high blood pressure, decreased cognitive function, heart disease, and the list goes on.

Low glycemic load – This is more like one of the kiddie rides; slow, gradual, and not steep. The fiber in whole grains and complex carbohydrates slow down digestion which means the carbohydrates aren’t as readily converted to glucose. This is a slow, steady release of the sugars providing you:

• Minimal blood sugar spike post-meal
• Moderate insulin release
• Late hunger – you will stay satiated much longer than with simple carbohydrates. [3]

Ways to balance blood sugar

Reduced insulin sensitivity is the biggest threat to your health when we talk about carbohydrates. Balance is not just important for your long-term health but you will feel better overall. There are many other benefits, to name a few – better energy, better mood, better skin, and feeling full longer.

It’s really about slowing down digestion to promote gradual breakdown and release of glucose. Things that can help are protein, fat, and fiber.

• Go nuts! Nuts contain fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Eat nuts with your meal or a nut butter. As I mentioned before, an apple is about 95% carbohydrate so eating it alone, can lead to a blood sugar spike. Eat an apple with a little nut butter to slow down the digestion and help bring balance. [4]
• Fun fact – Cinnamon is beneficial for managing blood sugar and improving insulin sensitivity. Add a little to your coffee or tea in the morning, or sprinkle it on salads and dishes. Or my personal favorite, make a homemade mix of nuts, honey/maple syrup, and cinnamon! [5]

To sum it up, complex carbohydrates are your friend. It’s the simple carbohydrates that we need to watch. I mean, when has Yoda ever been wrong?

References