carbohydrates

Carbohydrates supply the body with the energy it needs to function. Interestingly there are two major metabolic processes in the body, both break down macro nutrients in a chain of chemical reactions to create molecules of ATP. ATP is the energy molecule that gives your body the energy to function.

The body will preference the carbohydrate metabolic process over the protein metabolic process, so carbohydrates are utilised first in the body’s quest for energy.

Some parts of the body like the brain and red blood cells use carbohydrates as their only energy source, so they are very important.

Simple Carbohydrates

There are two forms of carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates or simple sugars are comprised of fructose (fruit sugar), sucrose (table sugar), and lactose (milk sugar). These carbs, also called refined carbohydrates, are utilised rapidly and can cause spikes in blood sugar levels, putting more pressure on the pancreas to create insulin to control the level of blood sugar in our blood.

Heavy consumption of simple or refined sugars can lead to swings in blood sugar levels, ultimately leading to diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high triglyceride levels.

Refined sugar can be in the form of a refined starch like white flour, but is also found in brown sugar, molasses, fruit juice concentrates and high fructose corn syrup.

Other refined carbohydrates, including white flour breads, pastas, pastries, white rice, potato chips, many breakfast cereals, as well as most baked goods have been processed to remove the bran and germ from the grain. This process removes the fibre and also many of the minerals, vitamins and nutrients of the food.

Complex carboydrates

Complex or unrefined carbohydrates are also made up of sugar, but the sugar molecules are linked together to form longer and more complex chains. Complex carbs contain a lot of fibre. It takes us longer to digest complex carbs, as more reactions are required to break down these larger, more complex and dense nutrients into ATP energy molecules, and therefore the energy we get from complex carbohydrates is more enduring and keeps us fuelled for longer.

Vegetables contain complex carbohydrates, including fibre, so these plant foods should be eaten as opposed to refined carbohydrates such as soft drink, desserts, lollies, and sugar.

Fibre

Fibre is an important part of complex carbohydrates. It is not able to be digested by any of the digestive enzymes of the body and has a tendency to ‘pick up’ toxins and other nasties and carry them out of the body.

Gluten

An interesting complex carbohydrate that is very popular in contemporary western societies is whole grain or wheat bread. Wheat contains gluten, which is a very large protein found in grass. Gluten is a common allergen which can trigger our immune system and cause inflammation of the gut.

Wheat is typically grown in nutrient depleted soil and heavily infused with insecticides and pesticides, which makes it mostly toxic for our consumption.

Many people may be intolerant to gluten and not even realise it, and it is a common factor not only in celiac disease, but many autoimmune disorders and neurological and psychiatric conditions.

Eliminating gluten from your diet, can improve your overall health, including cravings for carbs and sugars, and help to stabilise mood and help you to lose weight.

Due to the fact that the immune response to gluten can remain present in the gut for up to six months, it can take a while to recognise an improvement in health, however, there are ways of testing if you are intolerant, which we will discuss in a few weeks from now.

There are some great alternatives to gluten products. Breads, pastas and other products which are gluten free have been developed, due to the fact that as many as 15 % of the population is intolerant to gluten.

Grains and Starches

The good news is that there are many grains that can be eaten as opposed to wheat, rye, spelt and barley grains.

Millet, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat, although harder to source, leave a slightly alkaline residue in the body, which is optimum. They are much better for you than wheat products. Brown rice is another great grain that is easy to prepare and good for complex carbohydrate utilisation.