You’ve
probably heard of 'bad carbs' -- but maybe you’re not quite sure what
they are or why you’re better off nixing them from your diet.
The 5 Worst Carbs
5. Candy and Sweetened Cereals
These foods are loaded with sugar. Sugar, like white flour, is
highly processed, providing lots of calories and no nutrients. The
problem is, when you eat simple processed carbs that are high in sugar
or starch, it is broken down into glucose and is absorbed fast
into your bloodstream. This means your blood sugar spikes, as does the
insulin produced by your pancreas to move all that glucose into your
body's cells for energy.
When all of that potential energy can't be used, which happens
often if you binge on candy and sweets, it just gets stored as fat -- in
your belly, thighs, hips… you get the picture. And it isn't pretty.
To recap: Any food high in sugar will cause your insulin levels to
skyrocket. High insulin levels and weight gain often go hand in hand,
because it’s a sign that you’re consuming excess sugar, which your body
cannot use as energy and will instead store as fat.
At the same time, insulin also suppresses fat burning and
encourages fat storage, which is the opposite of what you want if you’re
trying to lose a few pounds (or even keep from gaining any).
4. Soda
Soda is full of high fructose corn syrup, which not only leads to
the elevated insulin issues discussed above, but also poses its own
inherent risks. According to Dr. Robert Lustig, fructose is metabolized
by your body in much the same way as alcohol, and can lead to obesity,
high blood pressure and more. And the effects are the worst when
consumed in liquid form… i.e. in that can of soda.i
Did you know that drinking a can of soda daily may increase your risk of obesity by 60%?ii
(If you’re thinking you can “have your cake and eat it too” by drinking diet
soda instead, you should know that those artificial sweeteners they
contain have been linked to dangerous health issues too -- including
weight gain.)iii,iv,v
3. Skillet 'Helper' Mixes
As with the other carbs on this list, most of the convenience
foods you buy are highly processed, stripped of nutrients, and high in
sugar and sodium.
If all you have to do is add water and margarine (another food
that should be removed from your kitchen), stir in pasta and a seasoning
packet (full of nasty chemicals), you can assume you’re going to be
getting an unhealthy share of processed, simple carbs; that’s right –
the kind that end up going straight to your belly or hips.
2. White Bread
White bread is another processed, simple carb, and as such it is
HIGH on the Glycemic Index scale. The Glycemic Index ranks foods on how
they affect your blood sugar levels, based on a scale of 0 to 100. The
higher the number on the GI, the faster the carbohydrate is broken down,
the more it is going to spike your insulin levels and the faster it
will cause that number on the scale to creep up, up and up.
To put it simply, foods with a high GI rank cause a spike in your
blood sugar level, which leads to insulin resistance over time. This can
cause obesity and, eventually, diabetes.
Ever wonder why obesity and diabetes are at epidemic proportions in this country?vi,vii,viii Simple… simple carbs. No pun intended.
A plain white baguette nearly tops the GI scale, ranking 95, while peanuts, for example, barely make a dent at only 7.ix
Virtually all baked goods are high on the GI. Donuts, croissants,
cupcakes, giant chocolate chip cookies… you get the idea. These are all
sugary, simple carbs that signal your body to produce insulin and store
more fat.
If it is in your grocer's bakery department, don't buy it. In
fact, just avoid that department all together and save yourself the
frustration.
1. White Potatoes
But, they're vegetables! I know, but they are also insanely high
on the Glycemic Index. Baked potatoes, for example, are off the charts
at 111 (pure glucose is 100). They will spike your blood sugar faster
than white bread, so take a pass. (Sweet potatoes and red potatoes are
much better options.)
That’s all the bad news when it comes to eating carbs. The GOOD
news is that you do NOT need to go on a “no-carb” eating plan. Instead,
know that there are “5 scientifically-backed nutrients” that can help
your body processes carbs, so they are more likely to be used as energy
in your body then stored as fat. This way you don’t have to completely
stop eating them…
No comments:
Post a Comment