If I collected a dime for each time I’ve seen or heard the
word “carbohydrate” - or picked up a book on the subject,
for that matter - I’d be a wealthy woman.  And of course
we’ve all heard the buzzwords: simple carb; complex carb;
high carb; low carb; no carb.
  
But do we really know what a carbohydrate is?  And are carbs
really as bad and fattening as we’re told they are?  

In this article, I’ll make my best attempt to unveil the
mystery of the carbohydrate - and why it’s gotten such a
bad rap. After all, it’s the molecule both scientists and
nutritionists know is the main source of the body’s energy.   

BASIC CHEMISTRY:
First the boring stuff. The basic chemistry of a carbohydrate.
I’ll keep it brief: Carbohydrates contain a carbon atom attached
to water molecules. This is important because it’s the structure
and size of a carbohydrate which influences the speed by which
it’s converted into glucose (sugar) and then into energy. 

WHY ARE CARBS USEFUL?
Before we take a look at the different “sizes” of carbohydrates,
let’s look at why they are useful to us.  Aside from supplying
the body’s energy, carbs are also useful for the proper
functioning of internal organs, as well as proper function of
the muscles and nervous system.

The most exciting feature of a carbohydrate, in this writer’s
opinion, however, is it’s ability to aid in protein and fat
metabolism.So as it turns out, when used wisely, carbohydrates
are actually useful in burning fat. 
 
THE THREE PRINCIPAL CARBS FOUND IN FOODS:
Next let’s take a look at the three basic carbohydrates found
in foods (Still boring but stay with me).  They are: simple 
sugars, starches and fiber.

Simple Sugars come in two varieties. The monosaccharide (meaning
one sugar) are quickly digested and almost immediately utilized
by the body due to their “simple” structure (think fruits, fruit
juices and honey).
 
The second, disaccharides, act in almost the same way and are
one molecule larger. The disaccharides, however, tend to be more
of the refined sugars are very sweet to taste (think white sugar,
candy etc.)

The second basic type of carb is the starches or what we would
consider complex carbs (the polysaccharides): foods such as
potatoes, wheat, rice, corn. These carbs are slow to break down
and take some time to be converted into energy.
 
Finally, there’s the fibers (think bran).  Fibers don’t have a
lot of energetic value, however, they do lend some support to
the body. Because they don’t add much sugar to the system, they
make it further through the pipeline to help with intestinal
function and elimination.  Moreover,  they reduce cholesterol
and slow fat absorption.
 
WHY SIZE MATTERS
The theory behind low carbohydrate diets is, when the body
consumes too many carbohydrates the excess will become stored
by the body as fat.  This is true. 

When the body ingests a carbohydrate, it aims to convert it to
glucose as soon as it can, so that it can be utilized by the
body.  If there is some excess, no problem, it will get stored
as glycogen in the limited space of the muscles.  The trouble
arises, when the stores exceeded capacity: the remaining molecules
are stored as fat in fat cells that can infinitely expand (horrors!).

Yet, what if there was a way to outsmart this system by using
the different “sizes” of carbohydrate molecules to your
advantage? What if you could keep the body burning carbs at a
steady rate according to the speed of your metabolism and your
activity level?

Enter the glycemic index.  The glycemic index is a scale which
tells you (on a food-by-food basis) the rate at which a
carbohydrate is converted into glucose.  The scale is calibrated
by glucose itself (which is rated at 100). The  higher the
number the faster the conversion.

First used by diabetics to prevent flux in blood sugar, the
glycemic index (GI) has become a popular way to get all the
benefits of carbohydrates without the threat of fat storage.

Here’s what the scale looks like:
Low GI = 55 or less
Medium GI = 56 - 69
High GI = 70 or more
To see a chart with samples of some favorite foods visit:
http://thecompounder.com/GlycemicIndex.html
 
HOW IS THE GI HELPFUL?
If weight loss or weight maintenance is your goal (isn’t it
everyone’s?), creating a diet around lower GI foods will decrease
peaks in glucose levels. It’s as simple as that.

You can implement this eating pattern by scanning the low
glycemic foods and aiming to consume a serving at each meal
(Be sure to see the article on food combining in this issue).
This will also help you avoid both the “highs and lows” of the
refined sugar rush.

Higher glycemic foods can be useful, too, and are considered the
“recovery” foods.  Medium and high GI foods should be consumed
for up to two hours after exercise to recover lost carbohydrates
and maintain steady blood-sugar levels.

Because metabolism varies from person to person, it would be
well worth your time and effort to continue a personal study of
the glycemic index.  Enjoy your carbs by checking in on your
favorite foods and decide when it’s best to consume them. 

Where to get this information:
You can get the skinny on the glycemic indexes of all your
favorite carbohydrate foods. Check out the searchable data base
at: www.glycemicindex.com

In closing, here’s a few guidelines to help you put your carbs
to good use:

Aim to eat several small meals during the day.  Choose one 
serving of carbs for each, preferably low GI. 

When in doubt choose carbohydrates that are naturally occurring
such as vegetables and fruits.

Minimize refined sugars whenever possible.

When consuming breads aim for wheat instead of white.

Try to substitute white potatoes with sweet and substitute brown
rice for white.