This blog page provides information about carbohydrates, their importance, the benefits they offer, and their role in the human body.
What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates, commonly referred to as “carbs,” are essential nutrients that our body requires for proper functioning. Our body needs carbohydrates to make glucose, which is our brain and body’s primary fuel. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy and are necessary for maintaining optimal growth. A carbohydrate is a chain of glucose molecules. These chains are broken down into glucose in the body, which is absorbed into the blood and used by all the body’s cells to generate energy. Body’s brain cells and red blood cells only use carbs for energy.
How are carbohydrates good for you?
Carbohydrates are an essential part of a balanced diet, but that doesn’t mean that you are free to load up on carbohydrate-rich food items like cookies and cakes to receive your daily required amount. This page will help you learn about the facts of carbohydrates.
We all consume carbohydrates daily to maintain our fitness and overall health. It is important to understand and know the difference between good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates because the choice you make in carbohydrates has a crucial impact on your mental and physical health. Your brain function and physical performance are heavily influenced by carbohydrate consumption. The type of carbohydrate intake has a direct impact on your overall health throughout your life.
The difference between good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates
Not all carbs are created equal, and understanding how to select healthy ones is quite simple. There are mainly two types of carbs, namely simple (good) and complex (bad) carbs. Knowing the difference can help you maintain a healthy diet by selecting the right carbohydrates and avoiding those that are not beneficial.
What is good carbohydrates?
Good carbohydrates that are rapidly digested come from the earth and not from a box. Eating a peeled orange versus processed juice, baked potatoes over a packet of chips or french fries, and corn from the husk of a corn instead of corn flakes would be a great example of choosing a good carb over a bad one. A carbohydrate-rich food, which is not processed or refined, is packed with essential nutrients that are beneficial for the body and are a better option for your waistline. Choosing wheat flour or whole-grain flour over white flour, and brown rice over white rice, are other simple carbohydrate selections.
Stay away from bad carbohydrates
Avoid bad or easily accessible (packaged) carbohydrate foods, as these can contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle if consumed on a regular basis. Our supermarket is overloaded with overly processed foods that contain unhealthy carbohydrates. You can recognise these products by the marketing labels that claim they are fat-free, low-calorie, sugar-free, low-fat, etc. It is high time that we all educate ourselves enough to recognise bad carbs and eliminate them as much as possible from our diet; try to eat a balanced diet. Simple carbohydrates will come in whole food form, rather than a packet, and include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Good carbohydrates – The real food enriched with nutrients
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- The nutrient value of simple carbohydrates is high; these have an enormous variety that provides essential health benefits.
- They do not contain refined sugars or refined grains.
- A good carbohydrate fooditem is low in sodium.
- These nutritious foodscontain low to moderate calories. You can eat a good amount to satisfy your hunger without going overboard on calories.
- Good carbs are fibre-rich foods that naturally help regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, support weight loss, reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream, and improve digestive system health.
- Low in saturated fat, good carbohydrates contain no cholesterol or trans fat.
Bad carbohydrates – Food low in energy
Complex or bad carbs are high in calories per serving. They have no nutrient value and contain zero to minimal fiber. Bad carbs are loaded with cholesterol, fat, and trans-fat. They contain highly refined sugars that are often associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Corn syrups, added sugars, high-fructose corn syrup, and white sugar are part of the bad carbohydrate diet. All these overweight-causing foods that lead to weight gain will only result in health complications. So, go for a complex carbohydrate-free diet to achieve a lean body and overall good health.
Summary:
Choosing a good carbohydrate over a bad one is a great addition to your meal. If you frequently opt for bad carbohydrates, it can lead to various health problems. Good carbs offer better health when they become part of your diet, and the bad carbs, apart from their taste, don’t add any nutritional value to your meal. If you are unsure or confused about the difference between good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates, consulting a nutritionist is recommended. She will guide you about the right diet option you should have.
Also Read: 7 Foods You Think Are Healthy But Are Not
