Search Results for: carb

December 18, 2020 By Yogita Agarwal 4 Comments

The Effect Of Complex Carbs On High Cholesterol

The ill effects of high cholesterol is not alien knowledge to us. We all know how it impacts our health and wellbeing. Before we delve into the role complex carbs play with regards to high cholesterol, let’s understand what cholesterol is. It is a waxy substance which our body needs to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones. But, too much cholesterol is a problem. There is good cholesterol and there is bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol is HDL, which is heart friendly fat and bad cholesterol is LDL, Triglycerides which should be within limit. If it increases, it can cause cardiac issues.

Cholesterol comes from two sources in our body:

From the food we eat like meat, poultry, dairy products, etc.
Our liver makes and releases it in our body

The Correlation of Complex Carbs and Cholesterol

Carbohydrates is a group of chemical substances made up of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. They include starches, sugars, glycogen, dextrins and celluloses. There are 2 types of Carbohydrates: Simple carbs and Complex Carbs. Both affect our cholesterol levels differently.

Simple Carbs: are refined, processed and have less fiber in it. They have a high glycemic index and affect blood sugar. Increased blood sugar will raise insulin levels which may increase cholesterol. Simple carbs are found in sugar, soda, white rice, white bread, pasta, pizza, noodles,cakes, cookies, snacks such as chips, nachos, etc.
Complex Carbs: are high in fiber, Vitamins, and Minerals. The body will take time to break down and release energy/glucose. As complex carbs are high in fiber, it helps reduce bad cholesterol and triglycerides, helps in healthy heart function, and improves bowel movements. Oatmeal, oat bran, kidney beans, and brussels sprouts are good carbs; they have more soluble fiber, which helps to reduce the amount of cholesterol that gets absorbed into the bloodstream. We should include at least 5 to 10 gms of soluble fiber per day to see beneficial effects. Good sources of complex carbs include whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

You should include complex carbs in their natural form. For example:

Have whole fruit instead of fruit juice, soft drinks.
Go with whole grain instead of processed flours or refined flours.
Limit foods that are high in processed, refined food, simple sugar, which provides calories but has fewer nutrients in it.
Have more veggies and fruits which have more fiber and packed vitamins and minerals.
Focus on whole grains, cereals, legumes, pulses, sprouts, beans, lentils, and dried peas, etc.

Complex carbs help us reduce bad cholesterol. Always choose it over simple carbs. We hope this article helps you make healthy food choices. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce

November 27, 2020 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Some Good Carbohydrates For Diabetics

Diabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are raised. It’s a common disorder that is affecting a majority of people around the globe. Although it’s a complicated disorder, it does not mean that it cannot be reversed. Choosing healthy foods and drinks, in essence, managing nutrition, is the key to manage diabetes.

Carbohydrates are among the foods that we start avoiding in case we see high sugar levels. We start considering carbs as an enemy, which is definitely not the case. Ideally, when we eat carbohydrates, the body converts it into glucose which further increases the sugar levels. It is due to this that we consider avoiding carbohydrates. They are an integral part of a healthy diet and before we begin to avoid them, we need to understand them.

There are 2 types of Carbohydrates

Simple carbs: which are easily broken down in the body, they lead to a sudden increase in the sugar levels.
Complex carbs: which are absorbed slowly in the body and due to this, there isn’t a sudden increase in the sugar levels.

So complete elimination of carbohydrates is not recommended, rather we can shift to a diet which provides a good amount of complex carbs. Starch and fibers are the types of complex carbs, and as we all know, there are lots of health benefits of including fibers in the diet.

Good Carbs You Can Include

Fruits
Vegetables
Whole Grain products
Beans
Pulses
Nuts

How To Incorporate Complex Carbs In Your Diet

Replace wheat rotis with multigrain or oats rotis
Replace the white rice with brown rice
You can also replace the brown rice with Dalia or Quinoa, if or whenever possible
Include more vegetables in your meals
Have at least 1 portion of fruits a day – preferably apple, papaya, guava, pears, cherries or berries
Include salads in at least 1 meal a day
Add boiled beans, sprouts, boiled pulses, nuts or mixed seeds to the salads

With these tips, do remember that it is not just reducing the carbs but an overall lifestyle modification that is really important. With the diet, it is really important to follow an exercise routine, to manage stress and to cut down any unwanted habits of smoking or alcohol. If you are a diabetic and have stopped having carbs, do start including complex carbs in a limited portion in your daily routines.

Please note that before you begin with any of the aforementioned foods, kindly check with your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. We hope this article on Good Carbohydrates for Diabetics helps you – do share it with your friends and family. For more on diabetes management, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by our experts on GOQii Play.

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March 22, 2019 By Deepanshu Sharma 2 Comments

Carbo-Loading: All You Need To Know!

At some point or the other, we have come across the term Carbo-Loading. While there are some people who know what it is, there are people who are unaware about this helpful hack. Carbo-Loading is the process of ‘loading’ your body’s muscles with excess glycogen. Glycogen is the energy source derived from eating carbohydrates and Carbo-Loading when done well, can lead to improvement in performance of endurance athletes.

What is Carbo-Loading?

In detail, Carbo-Loading means eating excess carbohydrates to fill the muscles with glycogen while also lowering your activity levels 3-4 days before the event.

Glycogen is the fuel which powers our body when we exercise. The carbohydrates that we eat are broken down to make glycogen, which is stored in the muscles to provide energy while exercising. The main aim of Carbo-Loading is to ensure that muscles have larger energy stores so that they don’t tire easily. Just like a car with a full tank would run longer, similarly, glycogen loaded muscles will perform longer.

Who needs Carbo-Loading?

Carbo-Loading helps athletes who compete in endurance events such as running over 10 kms, triathlons, treks, etc. Since the body already has enough glycogen stored in the muscles, it can perform short exercises with like weight training or jogging at sustained energy levels. It is the endurance runs which makes us use all our resources. This is where the extra glycogen can help to avoid cramps, prevent fatigue and keep one going till the finish line.

How to Carbo-Load?

Now this is the most important part. If done correctly, you will surely reap the benefits. If done incorrectly, it won’t help you much. It may even lead to feeling heavy before the marathon and even vomiting. You usually start 3-4 days before the event. It is recommended to start with 5 gm carbohydrates per kg body weight. You can increase it to 7-8 gm from your second attempt at Carbo-Loading.

4 Days Before the Event: You are eat the same number of calories as before but 60-70% of it should come from carbohydrates. Mostly complex carbs.

3 & 2 Days Before the Event: Eat more of simple carbs. They will provide instant energy! It is important to avoid processed forms of these simple carbs (like biscuits, rusk).

1 Day Before the Event: Almost all the carbohydrate calories should come from simple carbs one day before the event. Your last dinner before the event should be at least 12 hours prior to the race. The dinner should be heavy, made entirely of simple carbs, with little fats and proteins.

Before the Event: 2-3 hours before the event, eat a light and easy simple carb snack and also keep it for eating during the race.

Some Simple Carbs: Banana, milk, curd, honey, white bread, white rice, potato

Some Complex Carbs: Chapati, pulses, brown rice, sweet potato, green leafy vegetables, apples

Few Tips to Remember During Carbo-Loading

As it involves eating a high carb diet, people with diabetes and other medical problems which restrict the consumption of carbohydrates should consult their doctors before starting
Perform only light exercise when starting Carbo-Loading and rest the entire day before the event
Avoid adding new foods to your routine
Avoid eating fiber rich foods as they will give a feeling of satiety
Eat a moderate amount of fats and proteins
On all days of Carbo-Loading, eat 5-6 meals instead of eating only three to avoid a feeling of heaviness
After the event, have a carb-only meal to replenish the glycogen stores
Eat some salty snacks after the event (preferably salted nuts)
Drink lots of water during and after Carbo-Loading

Effects of Carbo-Loading

You will see a slight weight gain but it will only be due to the body retaining excess water. This weight will be gone in 1-2 days after the event
Expect a little stomach discomfort in this phase. It will not bother you much if you divide the total calories into 5-6 meals for the day

Have any questions about Carbo-Loading? Ask them in the comments section below!

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October 29, 2018 By Komal Baxi 4 Comments

What is carb loading?

We have heard of the term Carb Loading’. Especially, those who have just taken to long distance running or cycling or mountain climbing. However, there are many questions on who, what, why, when, where and how should one do carb loading also known as ‘Super Compensation’. It is a strategy (yes you may call it a strategy!) that involves changes to training and nutrition which can maximize muscle glycogen stores prior to an endurance competition. It apparently also means reducing training load and resting the muscles to allow them to become completely loaded with glycogen. Let me highlight resting, which means involving in (low to moderate intensity exercise) which is as important as eating.

Now the question is –who should really do it!

Carbohydrates is considered the primary fuel for any physical activity. Our body usually has enough carb stores to utilize for short term exercises. Shorter term exercise is unlikely to benefit as the body’s usual carbohydrate stores are adequate.

However, when it comes to engaging in long, intense athletic events, your body needs extra energy to keep going. So basically, any one exercising continuously for 90 minutes or longer is likely to benefit from Carbohydrate loading. Sports such as cycling, marathon running, longer distance triathlon, endurance swimming and so on do require carbo loading so that the athletes can pull along the event with sustained energy along with minimal fatigue.

Normal muscle glycogen stores are usually in the range of 100-120 mmol/kg ww (wet weight) and it is expected to reach up to 150-200 mmol/kg/ww with proper carb loading. This extra supply of carbohydrate dramatically improves endurance of athletes! So yes it’s quite a fact that it works!

How it should be done!

Trust me it’s simple, since it’s all about carbs and rest!

Three to four days prior to the event, shoot up your carbohydrate intake to about 10 to 12 grams per kilogram of your body weight.

Reduce your training sessions.

And most important, rest completely the day before your big event.

Basically, 3-4 days of exercise taper while following a high carb diet, means you have successfully managed to elevate muscle glycogen levels.

What best to eat?

You should opt for simple carb rich foods like white rice, oatmeal, bread, pancakes, bagels, whole wheat bread and pastas, rotis, broken wheat like daliya, potato, peanut butter, dosas, Idlis, fish, chicken, rajma, chickpeas. Hummus is again a super power food.

Yoghurt is a great option too. Try to drink fruit juices instead of whole fruit during carb loading for best results.

Choose foods that are low in fiber and easily digestible.

Also, avoid high fat foods like cheese, butter, ghee, fried food or processed food to compensate for the extra carbohydrate-rich foods. Since your body requires more oxygen to your cells, too much of fat like cheese may actually slow u down as it makes the body acidic which hinders the oxygen supply to your cells.

Common Mistakes made while carb loading!

Carb loading requires an exercise taper. If u don’t rest, then it won’t turn out well!

In order to consume the necessary amount of carbohydrate, it is necessary to cut back on fiber and make use of compact sources of carbohydrate, such as sugar, cordial, jam, honey, jelly, tinned fruit. High fiber foods may be too bulky to consume at times.

Carb loading will most likely cause body mass to increase by approximately 2 kg. This extra weight is due to extra muscle glycogen and water. For some athletes, a fear of weight gain may prevent them from carb loading adequately.

Consuming too much high fat foods will make it difficult to consume sufficient carbohydrate. It may result in gaining body fat.

The bottom line is to eat to high-carb, low fat foods while carbohydrate loading!