What are Carbs?

What are Carbs?
Carbohydrates provide the human body with the requisite supply of energy it needs for survival. They are essential to a healthy diet, providing the brain and body with fuel. Available in a variety of forms, common carbohydrates are starches, sugars and fibers. Carbohydrates are organic molecules, comprised of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. It is during the metabolic process of breaking down carbohydrates that energy is released. There are two main types of carbohydrates, the simple sugars and the complex carbohydrates.

Simple Sugars
Both simple sugars and complex carbohydrates have units of sugars as their base. The similarities end there. The simple sugar carbohydrate contains only one (monosaccharide) or two units (disaccharide) of sugar and is broken down quickly. Sweet to the taste, the simple sugar carbohydrate includes such tasty treats as cookies, candy, pastries and soft drinks - best used in moderation. Simple carbohydrates are teeming with high sugar content and calories. The immediate result will be a spike in your blood sugar level, which can lead to health concerns with heavy, long-term use.

Two of the most common and widely recognized monosaccharides are glucose and fructose. Fructose is the main sugar source found in the majority of fruits and glucose is at the helm of our bodies’ primary sugar -- supplied for energy. An example of the two-sugar unit, sucrose is a disaccharide and is otherwise known as table sugar. Sucrose is one glucose unit bonded to one fructose unit.

Complex Carbohydrates
The complex carbohydrates are long chains of simple sugar units bonded together. It is easy to remember the difference between simple and complex by thinking of the simple sugar carbohydrate as the original form and the complex carbohydrate as lots of simple sugars that stick together. Further adhering to this aptly titled group, the complex carbohydrates are often also referred to as polysaccharides, where poly = more than one.

Another way of approaching complex carbohydrates is by coming to an understanding of the axiom that complex carbohydrates are “polymers” of the simple sugars (Polymer = repetition of structural units). Starting to notice a pattern?

Starch is a complex carbohydrate.
What do you immediately think of when you hear the word “starch?” Presumably, you think of the potato. Starch is a polymer of the monosaccharide glucose. With the current popular anti-carb mentality, it looks as if the role of carbohydrates –including starch --in the body, is being severely downplayed. Depriving your body of carbohydrates can have damaging effects on the body. When you stop to consider that starch is the chief polysaccharide in the storage of glucose supply by plants, where the starch is supplied in seeds and other proprietary organs, later harvested into such foods as corn, wheat, beans, potatoes and rice, you may marvel at the organic process and honor the force that is behind the carbohydrate. Starch in the human body is broken down by an important enzyme found in the saliva and intestines called amylase. Amylase does good work. It breaks the bonds between the multiple glucose units down to enable the sugar to be absorbed by the bloodstream. Once it makes it into the bloodstream, it is then that the glucose can be distributed to areas of the body requiring energy.

At times when there is extra, the body stores the remaining glucose as its own special polymer, glycogen. So then, glycogen, essentially, is the key polysaccharide (complex carbohydrate) used by the human for energy storage. The glycogen molecule is stored in the liver and muscle tissue – where it is always on the ready for situations in which your body calls for an instant shot of energy. And when you’re feeling weak and tired and susceptible to the anti-carb craze, just remember one thing: Glucose, the sugar that is manufactured by the body from the carbohydrates you eat, is the brain’s primary fuel.

Fiber
Fiber is the exception to the rule. Unlike simple and complex carbohydrates, fiber cannot be broken down into sugar molecules. Consequentially, it passes through the body undigested.

Other facts:

Starch and glycogen are both polymers of glucose
Starch is a long, straight chain of glucose units
Glycogen is a “branched” chain of glucose units

-- Carrie Gauthier

Babysteps to Health

Slow and steady wins the race. When you slowly take off the pounds and stick to an exercise program, you are more likely to keep those pounds from coming back. Look at every pound lost as a small victory in the road to health.
Don't set yourself up for failure; set goals that are attainable. Lofty goals are hard to meet and only leave you frustrated.
Make it easier on yourself--use half the cream and sugar in your coffee. Make small changes that add up to a big defecit but don't leave you feeling like your giving up everything you love.
Reward your success--the right way. We'd all like to celebrate that 5 pound milestone with a hunk of chocolate cake, but consider treating yourself in a different way. Why take five steps forward and then two back?
Keep it interesting. Variety is the spice of life; try new things and new foods. If you eat yourself into boredom, you won't be able to stick to a diet or workout routine.
Small changes for big results. Love eggs? Ditch the yolks. Chicken? Lose the skin and try baking or grilling instead of frying. It all adds up over time.
Keep track of activity. Keeping a log or journal of your workouts not only keeps you honest, it allows you to take a look back and see just how far you've come.
If you must eat sweets, eat dark chocolate because it has many health benefits
Stay away from the scale. When your clothes get looser and your measuments shrink should be proof enough that you are on the right track. Numbers on a scale are just overrated.

When is a Fad Diet a Bad Diet?

Time for a reality check: there is no magic bullet, instant cure, or easy way out. Losing weight is not easy, and many fad diets fall easily into the bad diet category. Be wary of any diet or weight-loss program that:

Promises rapid weight loss. Any weight loss of more than 2 pounds per week is too rapid, unsafe, and is unlikely to stay off.
Promises easy weight loss without exercise or that weight loss can be maintained without lifestyle changes.
Uses miracle or magical foods. No food can melt away fat or undo years of overeating and lack of exercise.
It's basis lies in consuming only one (or a limited number) of foods, encourages consuming certain foods in mass quantities, or calls for specific food combinations.
Relies on undocumented case histories. Testimonials and anecdotes mean nothing if there is no scientific data to back up claims.
Promotes unproven or inauthentic weightloss aids such as herbs, supplements, body wraps, pills, cellulite creams, etc.
Sound too good to be true. Most of the time it's because they are.

Splurge vs. Smart: Dining Out Without Breaking Your Diet

High-calorie, fat-laden, large portioned restaurant meals don't have to be a diet breaker. With some careful reading, you too can enjoy a night out without the guilt of a caloric splurge.

When dining American, be wary of words like buttery, fried, pan-fried, crispy, au gratin, creamed, sauteed, and hollandaise. Look for items that are described as steamed, broiled, grilled, roasted and poached to help cut back on calories and fat.

In the mood for a little Italiano? Sauces created from cream or cheese, such as Alfredo sauce, quickly pack in the fat. Go for sauces that are tomato based, and take half home with you--almost all pasta dishes weigh it at well over a serving or two.

Craving some late-night Chinese? Stay clear of batter-coated, breaded, or deep-fried foods and go for the stir-fry. Plain rice is better than fried, and go easy on the sauces; soy sauce and other Asian sauces tend to have high sodium content.