Carbs and You -The Real Truth
Nothing has created more controversy these days than carbohydrates. But what are they and how can we make them work for us?
First of all, carbs are not the enemy. They are necessary in many ways. Their main role is to supply the body with energy. They are converted into glucose, the major source of fuel for all the body's cells and the only source of energy for the brain and red blood cells (hence the light-headedness and crabbiness some people experience when they cut out carbs).
You need carbs to burn fat-if you restrict carbs too much, your body will burn up its precious muscle reserves, lowering your body's basal metabolic rate, which is your body's ability to burn fat at rest and play. And while the scale may show that you are losing weight, a check on your body mass index (BMI) will show you are actually increasing your body's amount of fat, and decreasing its amount of muscle (have you ever seen a 'fat skinny person, someone who is small, but loose and has poor muscle tone?).
When you overly restrict carbs, your body goes into starvation mode. You will lose weight but it is mostly water (carbs hold more water than any other cell in the body), and when you resume eating carbs, your body now treats 10 calories of carbs as 20 or 30 calories, holding onto these calories more than ever and even storing them as fat right away in case you try to 'starve' it again. This is the body's wisdom at work, something we overlook but which dictates our metabolism and chemical processes every moment. You can't fool mother nature!
So how do we treat carbs? With respect and knowledge. Aim for complex carbs from natural sources (veggies, fruit, nuts, grains, rice and beans) and cut out the simple carbs (pasta, bread, cookies, candies and other treats). Simple carbs cause the pancreas to shoot out a surge of insulin to try to combat the sugar rush. But when insulin gets into the system, it tires us out, it wears out the pancreas (i.e. as in diabetes. The pancreas is not meant to work this hard year after year!). As well, insulin has fat-storing qualities, so you're storing more fat along the way!
The simple rule is this-if it didn't come from mother nature, it's likely to be a simple carb. Although we've all heard that whole wheat pasta and breads can be wise choices, remember that they're man made and should be taken in small amounts. Whole, natural foods are best.
Eating carbs has a feel-good effect, so those with depression, SAD and unresolved emotional issues will crave them more. And remember, carb addiction is the same as any other addiction -we can become dependent on carbs to address something in our personal life not otherwise addressed. We need to look at the deeper cause of this addiction.