There are 3 primary macronutrients that humans consume for energy: protein, fat and carbohydrates.  In order to achieve your ideal body weight and remain energetic, you should be consuming 40% low glycemic index carbohydrates, 30% lean proteins and 30% essential fats.  

Carbohydrates can be such a confusing topic.  In the next 2 blogs, I will be simplifying this complex macronutrient by addressing the following 8 questions:

Part 1:
1. What are carbohydrates
2. What are the 2 types of carbohydrates?
3.  How does the body use carbohydrates?
4.  How does the body regulate blood glucose levels?

Part 2:
5.  What is the glycemic index?
6.  What type of carbohydrate should I consume before and after my strength training workout?
7.  Why do carbohydrates have such a bad reputation?  
8. Question for the Oxygen readers: Have you ever adopted a low-carbohydrate diet to lose weight?  What happened to you during and after you ceased the low-carbohydrate diet?  Please respond in the comments section below.

1. What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are a source of ENERGY for your body, yielding 4 calories per gram.  Your body converts ingested carbohydrates into GLUCOSE (blood sugar), which is then used for ENERGY for your cells, tissues and organs.   Did you know that the brain relies exclusively on glucose from carbohydrates for energy?  Without carbohydrates, your health would suffer.  Examples of carbohydrates include cereal, bread, pasta, vegetables, fruit, rice, candy, and soft drinks.

2.  What are the 2 types of carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are classified as SIMPLE or COMPLEX, depending on their chemical structure.  

Simple carbohydrates:
=sugars
-classified as:
i) monosaccharides (mono = 1)  eg. Glucose, fructose, lactose.
ii) disaccharides (di = 2):  eg. two monosaccharides linked together.
-note: your body can only absorb monosaccharides into the bloodstream.
-include sugars found NATURALLY in fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
-include sugars ADDED during refining and processing of foods.  eg. Candy, soft drinks, table sugar, corn syrup, fruit juice, cake, white bread, pasta made with white flour, all baked goods made with white flour, most packaged cereals.
-break down easily and tend to send your blood sugar levels quickly out of control.  This means they:
-provide quick energy (sugar rush) because they break down easily, but are followed by a sugar crash (lethargy, mood swings and increased hunger)
-result in uncontrollable sugar cravings.
-according to the World Health Organization, sugars and other simple carbohydrates are a leading factor in the worldwide obesity epidemic
-are associated with a higher incidence of tooth decay, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even cancer.
-for a healthy diet, limit the amount of added sugar you eat.

Complex carbohydrates:
=polysaccharides (poly = many) and are found in starch and fiber.  This complex molecular structure is more difficult for the body to break down, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels.
-the body must break them down into monosaccharides
-include whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, starchy vegetables, oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, and beans.
-provide timed-released and sustained energy.        
-make you feel satisfied or full after a meal.
-are high in fiber and improve your digestion.
-complex carbohydrates are, for the most part, released into the blood stream more slowly than simple carbohydrates.
-Generally speaking, you should eat complex carbohydrates and avoid simple carbohydrates.

Factoid: Did you know that FRUIT is actually a SIMPLE carbohydrate?  Fruit, however, is an abundant source of fiber, which slows its digestion and release into the blood stream, which is why it is often classified as a complex carbohydrate.  This means you should be eating fruit in moderate amounts!  Be cautious of dried fruit, as it can add unwanted body fat in a very short time!  Why?  The dehydrating process concentrates the calories.  A cup of fresh blueberries contains 84 calories, whereas a cup of dried blueberries contains a whopping 600 calories!  Fresh fruit is the best option because it satisfies hunger longer (with less calories) due to the higher water content.  Furthermore, dried fruit tends to stick to the grooves in your molars, causing tooth decay.

Factoid: Sugar is sugar!  The human body can break down different types of carbohydrates but ultimately produces the same thing in your bloodstream: glucose.  Does this mean you should avoid fruits because of their natural sugar content?   No! Fruit contains only modest amounts of sugar, but also contains fiber (which slows the release of sugar into the bloodstream), vitamin C, potassium, cancer-fighting antioxidents and other vital nutrients.  Remember that weight gain is matter of “calories in” versus “calories out”, so if you consume more calories than you burn through activity, you will store fat.  If you eat too much fruit, you will gain weight, just as you will gain weight if you eat too much of ANY food.  Do not misconstrue: this does not mean you are doing yourself any favours by eating small portions of disease-promoting junk food.   Nor should you adopt the impractical attitude that you can “out-train” an unlimited diet. If you want to lose excess body fat and have a healthy body then you will need to eat portion-controlled healthy meals every 2-3 hours and exercise. Continue reading, and I will teach you precisely why certain carbohydrates will help and hinder your weight loss goals.

3.  How does the body use carbohydrates?

After your body ingests and digests carbohydrates, the absorbed glucose will do one of the following:
1.  It can burn the glucose immediately (providing immediate energy to your body)
2.  If the glucose is not needed for immediate energy, the liver or muscles will convert it into glygocen. Glycogen can later be converted to glucose when the body once again needs energy.
-muscle glycogen provides energy to muscles.
-liver glycogen provides energy to any part of the body.
3. Any “left-over” glucose remaining after steps 1 & 2 have occurred will be converted to FAT by the liver and stored in unsightly adipose tissue around the body.

This means if you consistently consume more than your body can burn off through exercise and daily activity, then you will deposit fat and gain weight.

4.  How does the body regulate blood glucose (blood sugar) levels?

If your blood sugar level increases, then the pancreas releases the hormone INSULIN into the blood.   
-Insulin signals fat, liver and muscle cells to absorb the glucose.
-This lowers your blood glucose back to a stable level.
-Occurs immediately after you eat

If your blood sugar level decreases, then the pancreas releases GLUCAGON.
-Glucagon signals the liver to break down its stored glycogen, which releases glucose into the blood.
-This raises your blood glucose back to a stable level
-This happens between meals.

If you want to minimize fat storage, then keep your blood sugar levels as stable as possible by eating meals consisting of a complex carbohydrate combined with a quality protein source every 2-3 hours.     This dietary technique slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream, which prevents your insulin levels from spiking wildly out of control.  Remember: If you are consuming too many sugars and simple carbohydrates, then your blood sugar levels will become high, which will trigger the release of insulin to normalize these high blood sugar levels.  Too much circulating insulin; however, will cause the body to store fat.  Ideally, you want to be using your body’s stored fat for energy rather than relying on a “quick potato chip or candy fix” for energy.   So if you want to lose fat, then stop consuming simple sugars!

Stay tuned for Part 2 in next week’s blog…