2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 00:50
Carbohydrates are the nutrients your body needs to function properly. They energize us. However, when consuming these elements with food, we do not always think about how this may affect our body. The fact is that there are simple and complex carbohydrates that can affect our body in different ways.
Why does a person need carbohydrates
These nutrients provide the human body with the energy it needs. Their deficiency can not only provoke a decrease in vitality, but also cause a general decline in strength and immunity, frequent depression, weakness, drowsiness and fatigue.
Carbohydrates are essential for normal brain activity. They are a building material for the production of other substances, including immunoglobulins. However, simple and complex dietary carbohydrates, which do not have time to be fully used by the body, lead to an increase in cholesterol and their subsequent conversion into fat accumulation.
Varieties of carbohydrates
All the essential nutrients we consume are absorbed differently in the human body. Similarly, carbohydrates are divided into fast (simple) and slow (complex) ones according to the method of splitting.
The first group includes monosaccharides and disaccharides. The basis of these substances are glucose and fructose. They have a lighter structure, so they are easily absorbed by the body.
Complex carbohydrates are polysaccharides. The breakdown of complex carbohydrates is slow, which is why they are sometimes called that. They consist mainly of starch, glycogen, fiber and cellulose. After eating food containing these compounds, a feeling of satiety persists for a long time.
Which carbohydrates are complex and which are simple
Complex carbohydrates are long molecular chains that do not have time to break down to glucose. The absorption of such compounds is not accompanied by an increase in blood sugar and does not cause hunger for 3-4 hours.
Foods containing complex dietary carbohydrates are primarily unprocessed cereals, most vegetables and breads made from wholemeal flour. Such products should be present in the daily menu of each person: in the morning - cereals, at lunch - a vegetable salad or a side dish of cereals, in the evening - stewed or baked vegetables. At the same time, one should not forget about the mandatory presence of protein components.
Simple carbohydrates are foods that are easily and quickly digested, and because theyMade up of glucose, the body's sugar levels rise. The process of splitting begins already in the mouth, under the action of saliva enzymes. Therefore, literally in 30-40 minutes you will again want to refresh yourself. Simple carbohydrates are found in sugary foods, honey, baked goods and confectionery products made from refined white flour, dairy products, fruits and some vegetables.
Fruit secret
Fruits and dried fruits can be devoted to a separate topic. As you know, they contain a huge amount of fructose. But after all, fructose is the basis of fast carbohydrates, so the logical question arises as to whether our body needs them. Undoubtedly! The fact is that mother nature combined simple and complex carbohydrates in these useful fruits.
In addition to fructose, they contain complex fiber and pectins, as well as vitamins and minerals, which you absolutely cannot refuse. Complex fiber does not allow simple carbohydrates to be completely absorbed. Therefore, it is enough to reduce the consumption of sweet fruits to 200 grams, and dried fruits to 50 grams per day, in order to maintain an optimal balance in the body and not gain excess weight.
Deceptive foods: potatoes and pasta
Potatoes and pasta still cause controversy among weight loss. It is known that potatoes are a huge amount of starch, and pasta is made from refined flour. However, the behavior of these products in the human body sometimes does not justify the specifics of the carbohydrates that make up their composition. And yet, whatAre the carbs in potatoes complex or simple? And why doesn't pasta always make you gain weight?
It turns out that the point is in the method of preparation and the type of presentation of these products. So, for example, baked or boiled potatoes in their skins will not do any harm, while fried or mashed potatoes can affect the appearance of extra centimeters in the waist area. The same goes for pasta. A combination with butter or a fatty cutlet will definitely not make them he althy, but adding dietary meat or low-fat cheeses to them will keep the figure normal.
What is the glycemic index
Glycemic index (GI) - the rate of breakdown of carbohydrates contained in any foods to the formation of glucose. These indicators are summarized in special tables of simple and complex carbohydrates, which are vital for people suffering from manifestations of diabetes. It is very important for them to keep a record of carbohydrates that provoke changes in hemoglobin levels.
However, today, when drawing up the right diet, these data are widely used by he althy people. It is known that products containing simple and complex carbohydrates have different breakdown rates. The lower the GI, the slower the food will be absorbed, which means that such food will be good for he alth and figure.
According to these tables, low GI is up to 39, medium is from 40 to 70, and anything above is considered high GI. Foods with a low glycemic index can be eaten without restriction. Food related tomedium GI group, should be consumed in moderation. Those foods in which the glycemic index is high, it is better to limit or eliminate completely.
GI in diets
The method based on the calculation of the glycemic index has a lot of advantages. People, based on these data and an understanding of what belongs to complex carbohydrates and what to simple ones, make up their diet according to the principle of proper nutrition. At the same time, the work of all body systems is adjusted, and the metabolic process is accelerated. The main difficulty in following such diets is the constant adherence to special tables.
However, even here, some contraindications for he alth are possible. Therefore, before switching to this optimal system, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
Simple and complex carbohydrates: a list of foods we need and don't need
Surely many have heard that in many diets for weight loss it is recommended to reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed. As already mentioned, fast carbohydrates harm the figure, that is, those substances that the body quickly processes, turning them into glucose, and then into body fat. They were brought together in special tables of simple and complex carbohydrates, so that everyone could choose a certain type of food for themselves. For ease of use, here is an example in the form of a list of products:
| Foods containing fast carbohydrates | Foods containing slow carbohydrates |
| Regular sugar | Whole grain cereals |
| Confectionery and pastries | Whole grain bread |
| Some fruits (bananas, grapes, melon, watermelon, persimmon) | Moderately sweet fruits (apples, peaches, kiwi, etc.) |
| Some sweet vegetables | Green vegetables |
| Jams, honey and any jam | Nuts |
| Sweet juices and sodas | Unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices |
| Ice cream | Low-fat cottage cheese, natural yogurt |
He althy Eating Principle
If the final step in accounting for carbohydrates is weight loss, as well as the prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, then you can use the universal method proposed by the French doctor Montignac. It consists of two stages: weight reduction to a certain value and subsequent consolidation of the result.
To achieve the desired effect, carbohydrate intake should be as low as possible. Therefore, at the first stage, it is recommended to eat what belongs to complex carbohydrates, i.e. foods with low GI values. This will help you lose weight.
The second stage of the Montignac diet is the process of weight stabilization. Here the diet can be a little wider. However, restrictions on high-carb foods remain.
He althy breakfast, lunch and dinner are the foundation of good he alth
According to the recommendations of the author of the French method, it is important to start your day right. Complex carbohydrates for breakfast are the main element of a he althy diet. The first breakfast should contain cereals, fruits, low-fat dairy products - all this eliminates the feeling of hunger for a long time and normalizes the digestive process. The second breakfast (light snack) should contain protein ingredients.
For lunch, you need to eat not too fatty meals, consisting of proteins and lipids. It can be: vegetable soups, fish and poultry meat, eggs. The diet should not contain sausages, canned food and semi-finished products. It is advisable to include nightshade vegetables, legumes and greens in the daily menu.
Dinner has to be light. It may consist of proteins and carbohydrates, but it must be eaten before 7 pm.
In the Montignac diet, there are whole schemes of varied nutrition with sparing changes in the diet. Here, a person does not experience severe restrictions and at the same time loses weight within 1-3 months. Many people remain supporters of this methodology for life and use a list of products (simple and complex carbohydrates) recommended by a world famous doctor to compile a daily menu.
Dietary tips
Diets based on the calculation of carbohydrates in the food consumed, there are many. They require constant reconciliation with the developed tables, and this is not always convenient. To simplify this process,not to get confused in indicators and not to give up your favorite dishes at the same time, you can use some tips from nutritionists:
- Almost all vegetable crops are very useful. They can be consumed in unlimited quantities, preferably raw or baked.
- Fruits, like vegetables, can be eaten unlimitedly. Bananas, persimmons, grapes, watermelons and melons will be an exception in this case.
- Potato is a product that requires special attention. The best option for its use is boiled in uniform and cold. Young baked potatoes also contain a minimum amount of carbohydrates and are very beneficial for the body.
- Pasta will not harm the body if made from durum wheat. You can use it without harm to the figure, but only in limited quantities.
- White polished rice is not recommended. It is better to replace it with brown and brown varieties.
- Bread used in the diet should only be whole grain, bran or wholemeal flour.
- Dietary meats, fish, low-fat dairy products should be present in the diet. However, protein foods should not be dominant.
You can't think of simple carbohydrates as an absolute evil. They significantly increase the level of glucose in the blood only with an increase in the recommended norms. A little sweet won't hurt if consumed in moderation. It is best to combine high glycemic foods with low glycemic ones, then the sugar level will increase slowly.
In conclusion
The difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is obvious. However, it is the fast ones that give real pleasure and pleasure, so it is very difficult to completely exclude them from your diet. Extra pounds will not be deposited in problem areas if the ratio is maintained in the daily menu: 90% complex carbohydrates + 10% simple. And remember that only fast carbohydrates with fat can be worse than fast carbohydrates, but this is a separate issue.
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