carbs Archives

December 18, 2020 By Yogita Agarwal 5 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

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!

#BeTheForce

August 16, 2017 By Richa Athavale 3 Comments

Gopalkala – a perfect evening snack

gopalkala (2)

We always learn a lot from our tradition. It’s not only the stories but also practical implementations that we can do in our day to day life. I have grown up listening to stories of Lord Krishna. There is so much learning from our mythological stories and history alike.

As we all know, Lord Krishna was brought up in Gokul where there was plenty of milk & milk products. He was considered notorious for stealing milk, butter, and curd in his childhood. In one of the folklores, it’s mentioned that Lord Krishna used to gather all the food stuff brought by his fellows and mix it up.

This gave birth to the dish – Gopalkala (Dahikala) which has different foods mixed up with curd. We celebrate ‘Janmashtami’ –Lord Krishna’s birthday is truly the way Lord Krishna celebrated it. All the goodies that he liked are prepared at home. Gopalkala or Dahikala is made and given in offering to him on this occasion and then served to the rest of the people.

Let me now give you the recipe for this tasty dish called ‘Gopalkala’. It’s easy to prepare and doesn’t involve cooking. At the same time, it’s nutritious & healthy. One can have it as an evening snack, mid meal or even perfect pre workout meal! You can even give this dish to your kids in their school tiffin box.

Gopalkala-Richa (2)

Ingredients:

Thick Poha or rice flakes- 1 bowl

Fresh curds- 1 bowl

Chopped Cucumber- ½ bowl

Groundnuts- ¼ bowl

Future or roasted chick pea- ¼ bowl

Pomegranate- ¼ bowl

Grated coconut/ Coconut pieces -¼ bowl

Grated ginger- 1 Tsp.

Chopped Green Chillies- 1-2 Tsp.

Chopped coriander- 1-2 Tsp.

Sugar 1 Tsp.

Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the rice flakes in the sieve and keep it aside for 5 min. Let it get soaked.
In 1 big bowl beat the curd with sugar, salt, ginger, green chillies & coconut pieces.
Add rice flakes in this bowl. Let it soak for another 5 min.
Add cucumber, groundnuts, roasted chick pea, pomegranate seeds.
Mix well & top it with coriander.

Nutrition Value:

It’s a healthy filling snack, nutritionally well balanced. Poha or rice flakes contribute for carbohydrate content. Curds, groundnuts and roasted chick pea make up for the protein content. The curd is an excellent pro-biotic good for gut health and digestion. It doesn’t require added oil or ghee but has healthy fats from groundnut (MUFA) & coconut. It completes your salads & fruits quota too through cucumber & pomegranate. So don’t worry about the fibres, vitamins and antioxidants.

Worried about Poha is a nice product and its GI (Glycemic Index)? Please don’t the protein, fats and fibres in it will bring down the GI.

So what are you waiting for for…. Don’t just eat it as an” Offering to God”. Include it in your daily meals.