What’s In Food? Back to the basics

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates (carbs) occur in grains, such as wheat and rice; legumes, such as beans and lentils;
and in some root vegetables, such as potatoes, parsnips, and yams. These are often referred to as
“complex carbs.” All you need to know is that foods such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, certain
breakfast cereals (oatmeal, shredded wheat, unsweetened muesli), pasta, beans, and potatoes, are all
wholesome. They are good because they provide slow-release energy and a wide range of nutrients.
They are generally inexpensive and bulky, and traditional, healthy diets all over the world are based
largely on grains and legumes. These “good” carbs tend to have a low GI (glycemic index)rating. This
means they’re converted slowly from carbs into sugars without causing a sudden rush of insulin into
the bloodstream. Low GI foods protect against diabetes, obesity, colon cancer, and heart disease.
Confusingly, sugars are also carbohydrates, and these are not as good for you, especially if they supply
most of the energy in your diet.

Refined sugars, such as sucrose, glucose, dextrose, and maltose, are used in massive quantities in
processed foods, including savory products, such as baked beans and tomato soup. You can often find
three or four of them listed in the ingredients on food packages. These sugars do not need processing
by the body and are absorbed straight into the bloodstream, stimulating the pancreas to produce excess
insulin. These are high-GI foods, and excessive consumption may lead to weight gain and a condition
called insulin resistance, a forerunner of type 2 diabetes. This condition is known as “adult on-set
diabetes”, since it normally begins in middle age. However, with so many sugary foods being consumed
by our youth, type 2 diabetes has found its way to the youngsters as well. The sugars that your body
produces from low-GI carbs do not have this effect.

Here’s a small list of “good for you” carbohydrates.

Barley, Brown Rice, Oats, Wheat or Buckwheat: helps with circulation, digestion, stress, fatigue and
urinary.

Lentils: rich in protein, minerals and fiber (good source of B vitamins), low in fat.

Beans: help to reduce cholesterol and protect against heart disease, circulatory problems and colon
cancer. Beans are rich in plant hormones which protect against osteoporosis and breast and prostate
cancer. Try all varieties (pinto, kidney, garbanzo, butter, blackeyed, soybeans)

Millet: only grain that is a complete protein. It is also the only alkaline grain. It is rich in silicon, a
structural part of collagen. Silicon is vital for healthy skin, hair, teeth, eyes and nails.

Stay tuned for the next What’s in Food - Back to Basics blog on Fat.

Let your 4x Nutrition staff of Certified Sport Nutritionist help with any questions you may have. Stop in
and see us!

Til next time,
Missy