Carbohydrates: Really Harmful to Health?
Carbohydrates are sugars, starches and fiber from fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy foods. However, carbohydrates have been shown to be a harmful ingredient in recent fashion diets. It is said that carbs are the root cause of excess weight gain. But it is also one of the most important part of a healthy diet.
Our bodies need a lot of three types of elements to function properly. The ingredients are fats, proteins and carbohydrates respectively. Together they are called macro-nutrients. Our bodies cannot produce macronutrients on their own, so they have to enter the body through food. Carbohydrates are just as important to the body as any other macro-nutrient. They are called carbohydrates because, at the chemical level, they are a combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Dietitian Sean Porter points to the debate over carbohydrates and our fears about carbohydrates.
“There is a lot of room for discussion about carbohydrates. Everyone should know, not all carbs are bad. The type, quality and quantity of carbs we are taking are an important part of the discussion about whether carbs are good or bad. ”
The work of carbohydrates
Carbohydrates act as fuel for the central nervous system. In addition, it provides energy for all the muscles in the body that are regularly engaged in some of the other activities. Moreover, carbohydrates prevent the use of protein as an energy source and initiate fat metabolism. It breaks down the fats in the stomach and converts them into fatty acids and glycerin, which can easily energize the body cells.
On the other hand, carbohydrates also play a significant role in maintaining the functioning of our brain. Carbohydrates provide a quick energy source, especially for maintaining mood, memory and brain function. Even the approximate amount of carbohydrate-based nutrition needed each day depends on how much nutrition our brain demands to function properly.
Carbohydrates to lose weight
Carbohydrates are often cited as the cause of weight gain. But the right type of carbohydrate helps maintain a healthy weight. As we have seen above, fiber gives us the feeling of a full stomach. As a result, we eat less. High-carb foods are high in fiber.
Carbohydrate requirements
Glucose is produced from carbohydrates, which fuel the body when needed. But when the amount of glucose in the body is insufficient, the central nervous system suffers damage. The result is physical and mental weakness, including dizziness.
On the other hand, some studies have shown that fiber helps reduce bad cholesterol in the blood. Bile acid, which is made from cholesterol, is usually needed to complete the digestive process. As digestion increases, our liver begins to raise cholesterol from the blood to produce bile acids, resulting in low-density lipoprotein (LDL); That is, the amount of bad cholesterol decreases.
Even carbohydrate deficiencies can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and anger. Scientists believe that this is because carbohydrates are linked to the production of serotonin in the brain. Carbohydrates have also been shown to play a role in memory enhancement. In 2009, a team of researchers from Tufts University asked some overweight adult women to eat a completely carb-free diet for a week. One week later, the research team examined their cognitive skills, attention, and distance-related memory and concluded that adequate carbohydrate deficiency adversely affects memory.
Good or bad carbohydrates depend on the number of carbs we consume. Eating a low-carb diet may protect against obesity overweight for a short time, but the need for carbohydrates for long-term health is undeniable. Just as carbohydrate deficiency can cause many problems for the body, we can also take health risks if we are not aware of the nutritional value of the carbohydrate-based ingredients in our regular diet.