Tag Archives: healthy living

To Carb or Not to Carb? That is literally the question everyone and their mother seem to want to answer these days… So how do you decide if removing carbs from your diet is right for you? Stay tuned. Welcome to Health Bytes!

Carbohydrates are the bodies’ preferred source of energy. When a person consumes carbs our bodies break down or converts most carbs into the sugar glucose which is absorbed in the bloodstream. The two main forms of carbohydrates are sugars (such as fructose, glucose, and lactose) and starches, which are found in foods such as starchy vegetables, grains, rice, breads, and cereals. Simple carbs (refined sugars, white breads, pastries) are composed of smaller molecules and increase our blood sugar levels rapidly, while complex carbs like whole grains or brown rice are composed of larger molecules that increase the blood sugar levels gradually with more time.

So what’s the fuss about carbs? Well there are several things… First off you may know someone or have experienced a gluten intolerance yourself. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye, and often in oats.  Even if you don’t have gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity is quite common, and can cause more subtle changes in energy, brain fog, and indigestion. Some research has also suggested that gluten may be one of the main culprits for leaky gut, and autoimmune conditions.

In addition to gluten intolerance issue, you may have noticed that refined carbs (like white bread and pastries made from white flour are one of the first things people limit when trying to lose weight. This is because when we consume simple carbs or a diet high in refined sugar, this can lead to insulin resistance, hypoglycemia, diabetes, weight gain, and other blood sugar related issues. However if we consume foods lower on the index, our blood sugar levels are likely to remain stable over time, we feel fuller and have less hunger from consuming fiber-rich foods, and may be less likely to overeat. So paying  attention to the TYPE of carbohydrates you consume can go a long way for maintaining or losing weight.

Now when it comes to research, low carb diets have been shown to offer some real benefits. Studies have show that low carb diets are more likely to encourage and keep weightloss off in the long run when compared to low fat diets. Low-carb diets are most beneficial for lowering triglycerides and also delivered the biggest boost in protective HDL cholesterol. Research shows that a moderately low-carbohydrate diet can help the heart, as long as protein and fat selections come from healthy sources.  In one twenty year study, Women who ate low-carbohydrate diets that were high in vegetable sources of fat or protein had a 30 percent lower risk of heart disease and about a 20 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to women who ate high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets. But women who ate low-carbohydrate diets that were high in animal fats or proteins did not see any such benefits. Recent research has also made it clear that consuming a low carb diet that is high in animal protein, decreases longevity.

Now that you have the skinny on the carbs, you are in a better position to decide for yourself. Keep in mind that carbs are the bodies’ preferred energy source, so cutting them out altogether may not be the best long term solution, but perhaps reducing or replacing the kind of carbohydrates you consume can go along way to a healthier you. Reducing the amount of processed foods and increasing whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, and fish or lean meats is ideal.

I’m Esosa E. Clinical Nutritionist & Founder of rawgirltoxicworld.com, until next time, your wealth is in your health!