Carbohydrates are nutrients that your body breaks down to create
sugar. Like other nutrients, carbohydrates also provide vitamins and
minerals. But what does this have to do with losing weight?
Why Does The Body Need Sugar?
The
cells in our body use sugar to make energy and your brain runs off of
it exclusively for fuel. So, just like gas for your car, carbohydrates
keeping the motor running. And while it is also true your body can run
off fat and protein for a while, it will eventually need to switch back
to carbohydrates, otherwise it will start eating its own muscle for fuel
- not a good idea when dieting since it lowers your overall rate at
which your body burns calories.
Two Kinds of Fuel
There are
two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are
easily absorbed and provide quick energy to the body. Have you ever
reached for a candy bar when you were feeling tired? That's you feeding
your body simple carbohydrates to get the boost you needed. More
examples of simple carbohydrates are honey, breakfast cereals, breads
and biscuits made with white flour, fruit juice, and most crackers.
Complex
carbohydrates aren't as quickly digested as your body since they
usually contain fiber and as a result, don't cause the spikes in blood
sugar. They also carry a lot more nutrients than simple sugars. Some
examples of complex carbohydrates include whole grains, fruits,
vegetables, and legumes.
There has been a lot of talk about
carbohydrates and how they hinder weight loss. To a certain extent that
is true - if you eat too many carbs, then your body will end up storing
them as fat. In addition, when you continue to go overboard on carbs,
you become sluggish, overweight and retain water. But here's the thing:
you body needs carbohydrates to fuel your brain, to create red blood
cells (a key component of blood) and to repair wounds. So how much is
too much?
Recent scientific studies show that daily carbohydrate
intake between 100 grams and 150 grams per day is right where you want
to be; enough carbs to run your body in a healthy, efficient manner but
not get in the way of weight loss. Of course, if you are exercising
strenuously on a daily basis, are recovering from illness or surgery, or
have other health issues like diabetes, your optimum carbohydrate
intake level may be different - and in some case, dramatically
different. It's best to check with your doctor to be sure.
Shane Stewart is a full time fitness instructor living in
Maryland USA. He writes articles for many online publications on the
subject of health, diet supplements, weight loss and fitness.
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