Facts about Carbohydrates

CARBS – GOOD OR BAD?

Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches and fibres found in fruits, grains, vegetables, and milk products. Though often removed in trendy diets, carbohydrates — one of the basic food groups are important to a healthy diet. It’s important to state from the start that not all carbs are the same and not all of them are bad for you!

What matters most when it comes to carbs is the type, quality and quantity in our diet that is important.

 

TYPES OF CARBOHYDRATES

  • SUGAR – Found naturally in most foods such a fruit, honey, milk (lactose)
  • STARCH – Comprised of many sugar molecules bonded together. Very common in food that come from plants. Bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta all release their energy slowly throughout the day
  • FIBRE – Cover the diverse range of compounds found in the cell walls of foods that come from plants. Good sources include fruit and veg with skins on, wholegrain bread, whole-wheat pasta, and pulses (beans, lentils )

In a healthy balanced diet, carbs should be the body’s main source of energy and 1 gram of carbs provides 4kcal.

To provide this the carbohydrate molecules are broken down into glucose (a form of sugar) before getting absorbed into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream insulin helps the glucose enter your body’s cells which, in turn, provides the fuel your body needs.

HOWEVER! Excess glucose will be converted to glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles; any excesses of glycogen will be converted to fat. Long term this can lead to Obesity, High Blood Pressure, Type II Diabetes, and other such health issues!

The two main forms of carbohydrates are:

  • Simple Carbs – sugars (such as fructose, glucose, and lactose).
  • Complex Carbs – starches, which are found in foods such as starchy vegetables, grains, rice, breads, and

The body breaks down (or converts) most carbohydrates into the sugar glucose, which is absorbed into the bloodstream.

Foods that are high in fibre and starchy carbohydrates will release glucose slower than the carbohydrates found in sugary drinks and food.

It’s well reported that we do not eat nearly enough fibre in our daily food intake, just 18g on average. The government guidelines are that we should have at least 30g of fibre a day!

SHOULD I CUT OUT THE CARBS? – NO!

Our bodies can function well enough without sugar, but we cannot eliminate carbs from our diet.

Carbohydrates help to fuel your brain, kidneys, heart muscles and central nervous system. For instance, fibre is a carbohydrate that aids in digestion helps you feel full and keeps blood cholesterol levels in check. A carbohydrate- deficient diet may cause headaches fatigue weakness difficulty concentrating nausea constipation bad breath and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Carbohydrates are also the body’s main source of energy and the without them our body will to turn to fat and protein for energy instead. This means if you are trying to maintain muscle, increase muscle or speed up your metabolism, you don’t want to be burning up protein / muscle. Losing the carbs means you will also lose vital nutrients needed by the body, such as calcium, iron, and B vitamins.

As stated above, if there are no carbs in your diet your body will use protein or any non- carbohydrate substances into glucose. This in turn will raise your blood sugar and insulin levels!

 

BOTTOM LINE

IF YOU EAT MORE CALORIES (REGARDLESS OF THEIR SOURCE) YOU WILL GAIN WEIGHT.

According to the Government’s ‘Eatwell Guide’, just over a third of your diet should be comprised of starchy food (potatoes, pasta, rice etc. and another third should be fruit and veg which means that over half your daily calories should come from starchy foods, fruit, and veg.

 

COMMON QUESTIONS –

  • WILL CARBOHYDRATES MAKE ME FAT?

Whilst carbs, protein, and fat all provide your body with energy, your exercising muscles solely rely on carbs as their main source of fuel. However, there is a limit to how much glycogen can be stored in your muscles; therefore, they need to be topped up regularly to maintain energy levels. A low carb diet will lead to a lack of energy during exercise, fatigue will set in earlier and your recovery time will be delayed. Eating too much of anything will lead to an increase in weight.

  • CARBOHYDRATES & EXERCISE

Whilst carbs, protein, and fat all provide your body with energy, your exercising muscles solely rely on carbs as their main source of fuel. However, there is a limit to how much glycogen can be stored in your muscles; therefore, they need to be topped up regularly to maintain energy levels. A low carb diet will lead to a lack of energy during exercise, fatigue will set in earlier and your recovery time will be delayed.

  • WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO EAT CARBS?

When you should eat carbohydrates particularly for weight loss is the subject of much debate, but there’s little scientific evidence that one time is better than any other. It is recommended that you base all your meals around starchy carbohydrate foods, try and choose higher-fibre, wholegrain varieties when you can.

 

EATING CARBS IN MODERATION MAY HELP YOU LIVE LONGER

While a low-carb diet might be beneficial for weight loss, a 2018 study found overweight dieters who cut their carbohydrate intake lost an average of 13 pounds…   cutting carbs could also cut years from your life.

 

THE LATEST RESEARCH

Two new studies found connections between low-carb diets and premature death. In a study published in The Lancet, researchers followed 15,428 adults and found a connection between carbohydrate consumption and the risk of dying during the 25-year study period.

Moreover, research presented at the 2018 European Society of Cardiology conference reviewed the results of seven studies with 447,506 participants over 15 years and found an association between low-carb diets (defined as fewer than 26% of daily calories from carbohydrates) and an increased risk of premature death, including death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The reduced intake of fibre and fruits and increased intake of animal protein, cholesterol and saturated fat with these diets may play a role in increased mortality risks.

 

THE BIGGEST RISK

The participants who adopted low-carb diets and replaced carbs with animal proteins and fat were at the greatest risk of premature death. In other words, cutting out bread and pasta but eating beef and pork instead is a recipe for health issues.

That’s because it’s not just about adding unhealthy foods but cutting those that are full of nutrients. Joan Salge Blake,

RD, clinical associate professor of nutrition at Boston University and author of “Nutrition & You” believes the potential for weight loss leads a lot of dieters to cut carbs but warns, “You end up eliminating a lot of foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans and dairy products— all carbohydrates — that are part of a healthy diet.”

 

HOW MUCH AND WHAT TYPES OF CARBS SHOULD YOU AIM FOR?

You should get between 45–65% of your daily calories from carbohydrates, according to the U.K. Dietary Guidelines. In fact, in a 16-week study, increasing your healthy carbohydrate intake helped participants lower their body mass index, weight, fat mass and insulin resistance.

The Lancet research found the risks of premature death were minimized when filling up on healthy complex carbs from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Fad diets often lead people to fear carbohydrates. But the research continues to show healthy carbohydrates are the healthiest fuel for our bodies,”

Dr. Hana Kahleova, study author and director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine explained in a statement.

THE BOTTOM LINE

A low-carb diet might help you lose weight in the beginning but, over the long-term, there is no benefit and there might even be significant risks. Instead, try eating everything in moderation, including carbohydrates, and making sure to opt for complex over refined sources.

Ensuring that you are not eating in a calorie excess is key.

Detox Diet

Detoxification (detox) diets are more popular than ever. These diets aim to clean your blood and eliminate harmful toxins from your body. However, it is not entirely clear how they do this, what specific compounds they’re supposed to eliminate, and if they even work.

WHAT IS A DETOX?

Detox diets are generally short-term dietary interventions designed to eliminate toxins from your body. A typical detox diet involves a period of fasting, followed by a strict diet of fruit, vegetables, fruit juices, and water. Sometimes a detox also includes herbs, teas, supplements, and colon cleanses or enemas. This is claimed to:

  • Rest your organs by fasting
  • Stimulate your liver to get rid of toxins
  • Promote toxin elimination through faeces, urine, and sweat
  • Improve circulation
  • Provide your body with healthy nutrients

Detox therapies are often recommended because of potential exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment or in your diet.
These diets claim to also help with various health problems, including obesity, digestive issues, autoimmune diseases, inflammation, allergies, bloating, and chronic fatigue.

However, research on detox diets is lacking, and the handful of studies that exist are significantly flawed.

THE MOST COMMON WAYS TO DETOX

There are many ways to do a detox diet — ranging from total starvation fasts to simpler food modifications.
Most detox diets involve at least one of the following:

  • Fasting for 1–3 days
  • Drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, water, and tea
  • Drinking only specific liquids, such as salted water or lemon juice
  • Eliminating foods high in heavy metals, contaminants, and allergens
  • Taking supplements or herbs
  • Avoiding all allergenic foods, then slowly reintroducing them
  • Using laxatives, colon cleanses, or enemas
  • Exercising regularly
  • Completely eliminating alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, and refined sugar

Detox diets vary in intensity and duration.

WHICH TOXINS ARE ELIMINATED?

Detox diets rarely identify the specific toxins they aim to remove. The mechanisms by which they work are also unclear. In fact, there is little to no evidence that detox diets remove any toxins from your body.
What’s more, your body can cleanse itself through the liver, faeces, urine, and sweat. Your liver makes toxic substances harmless, then ensures that they’re released from your body.

However, there are a few chemicals that may not be as easily removed by these processes, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs), phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and heavy metals.

These tend to accumulate in fat tissue or blood and can take a very long time — even years — for your body to flush. These compounds generally are removed from or limited in commercial products today.
Overall, there is little evidence that detox diets help eliminate any of these compounds.

HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THESE DIETS?

Some people report feeling more focused and energetic during and after detox diets. However, this improved well-being may simply be due to eliminating processed foods, alcohol, and other unhealthy substances from your diet. You may also be getting vitamins and minerals that were lacking before. Some people also report feeling unwell during the detox period.

EFFECTS ON WEIGHT LOSS

Very few scientific studies have investigated how detox diets impact weight loss. While some people may lose a lot of weight quickly, this is often due to loss of fluid and carb stores rather than fat. This weight is usually regained quickly once you go off the cleanse.
One study in overweight Korean women examined the lemon detox diet, which limits you to a mixture of organic maple or palm syrups and lemon juice for seven days. This diet significantly reduced body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference, markers of inflammation, insulin resistance, and circulating leptin levels.

If a detox diet or any diet involves severe calorie restriction, it will most certainly cause weight loss and improvements in metabolic health — but it’s unlikely to help you keep weight off in the long term.

DETOX DIETS, SHORT-TERM FASTING, AND STRESS

Several varieties of detox diets may have effects like those of short-term or intermittent fasting.
Short-term fasting may improve various disease markers in some people, including improved leptin and insulin sensitivity.
However, these effects do not apply to everyone. Studies in women show that both a 48-hour fast and a 3-week period of reduced calorie intake may increase your stress hormone levels.

On top of that, crash diets can be a stressful experience, as they involve resisting temptations and feeling extreme hunger.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS

A few aspects of detox diets may have health benefits:

  • Avoiding dietary sources of heavy metals and POPs
  • Losing excessive fat
  • Exercising and sweating regularly
  • Eating whole, nutritious, healthy foods
  • Avoiding processed foods
  • Drinking water and green tea.
  • Limiting stress, relaxing, and getting good sleep.

But note, following these guidelines is generally linked to improved health — regardless of whether or not you’re on a detox diet.

SAFETY AND SIDE EFFECTS

Before doing any sort of detox, it is important to consider possible side effects.

SEVERE CALORIE RESTRICTION

Several detox diets recommend fasting or severe calorie restriction. Short-term fasting and limited calorie intake can result in fatigue, irritability, and bad breath.

Long-term fasting can result in energy, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies, as well as electrolyte imbalance and even death.

Furthermore, colon cleansing methods, which are sometimes recommended during detoxes, can cause dehydration, cramping, bloating, nausea, and vomiting.

OVERDOSING

Some detox diets may pose the risk of overdosing on supplements, laxatives, diuretics, and even water. There is a lack of regulation and monitoring in the detox industry, and many detox foods and supplements may not have any scientific basis.

In the worst cases, the ingredient labels of detox products may be inaccurate. This can increase your risk of overdosing, potentially resulting in serious — and even fatal — effects.

AT-RISK POPULATIONS

Certain people should not start any detox or calorie- restricting regimens without consulting a doctor first.
At-risk populations include children, adolescents, older adults, those who are malnourished, pregnant, or lactating women, and people who have blood sugar issues, such as diabetes or an eating disorder.

YOUR BODY’S BUILT-IN DETOX

Many of these extreme dietary shifts can do more harm than good. One example is the turmeric cleanse. While turmeric is good in small doses, larger doses can cause symptoms such as increased anxiety or sleeping difficulties.

The human body has many processes to eliminate so- called toxins from the body. These include sweating and urinating as the body’s own means of ridding itself of things it doesn’t need.

The best way to support the organs that detoxify the body, and their respected processes, experts say, is eating a healthy diet, getting an average of 30 minutes of exercise a day, getting plenty of rest at night, and drinking enough water to stay hydrated.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Your body is frequently exposed to toxic substances. However, most of the time, it can remove them without additional help.
While detox diets may seem tempting, their benefits likely have nothing to do with vanquishing toxins, but rather with eliminating various unhealthy foods.

A much smarter approach is to eat healthier and improve your lifestyle rather than go on a potentially dangerous detox cleanse.