Carbs: Not the Enemy

Carbohydrates are the body's ideal fuel for most bodily functions. They supply the body with the energy needed for the muscles, brain, and central nervous system to function properly. The brain actually relies exclusively on carbohydrates to function.

Carbs are found in fruits, veggies, beans, dairy, foods made from grain, and sugar.

There are 3 types of carbs: simple, complex and indigestible (or fiber)

Simple carbohydrates are made of 1 or 2 sugar units and are broken down quickly by the body. Certain simple carbohydrate foods, like sugary donuts, cookies, cereals and granola bars can cause surges in blood sugar that increase your appetite and your risk for fat storage.

You know how when you are stuck at your desk and are starving and the only thing you can get your hands on is a candy bar, so you eat it? And maybe it fills you up for a second, if that, and then you want more food? That’s because candy is made of simple carbs that digest quickly, so your blood sugar soars, making you hungry again almost immediately.

Simple carbs have their purpose. Sometimes people need sugar to enter their blood stream fast, like diabetics. For the vast majority, however, you want to get your carbohydrates in the complex form.

Complex carbs are made up of many sugar units and are found in both natural and refined form. They are structurally more complex, so they take longer to break down in the digestive system. Complex carbs enter the blood stream gradually and trigger only a moderate rise in insulin, or blood sugar levels, which stabilizes appetite and results in less of the carbohydrates being stored as fat. Unrefined, or "whole grain" carbs are found in brown rice, whole wheat pasta and bread, and bran cereals. They also contain vitamins, minerals and fiber, which promote health.

The third kind of carbohydrates are indigestible, also known as fiber. The body cannot break down fiber into small enough pieces to absorb, so it isn’t an energy source, but it offers many nutrients and keeps you very full and…ahem…regular.

Generally, the less the food is processed, the more complex the carbohydrate is and the more fiber it contains. White rice is processed rice where the shell is taken off, which is where all the nutrients are. All brown rice is, is rice with the shell left on, so it has a lot of minerals and a lot of fiber.

A lot of companies are jumping on the whole wheat, whole grain bandwagon to try and push their products. In order to make sure they are actually a whole grain product, the first word on the ingredient list must be "whole." Legally, a manufacturer can call something wheat, without it being whole wheat, and in most cases it can be just as processed as white. When checking the ingredient list, make sure the first word is whole.

Carbs are not bad. Even simple carbs are not bad, they just have a specific function. Your body needs carbs to run properly. Carbohydrates are not the enemy, they are essential to keep your body running properly and to keep your appetite even to aid in weight loss. Picking the proper kind of carbohydrate is what’s important.