Define Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates sprung into the minds and out of the mouths of many people back in the mid to late-nineties when Dr. Robert Atkins facilitated a phenomenon that took the nation by storm. Convinced that avoiding them would cause monumental weight loss, people went on high protein diets and decided that carbs were the enemy. The raging waters of the high protein, low-carb phase have since receded and now all that's left is mother nature's original intention.

Significance

• Carbohydrates are of the main three macronutrients, the other two being fat and protein. Of the three, carbs are the most prominent. The USDA recommends that the diet should consist of 45 to 65% from carbohydrates, making this macronutrientvitally important for existence.

Function

• The main function of carbohydrates is to fuel the body. When at rest or during bouts of low level activity, fat is the main fuel source. But during an activity like weight training, the body looks to carbohydrates for energy.

Types

• There are two main types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbs are characterized by the fact that they give the body quick energy. They are sometimes also called simple sugars. Some examples of this type would be cake, cookies, white bread, bagels, soda, candy bars and white rice.

  Complex carbs are altogether different. They digest slowly and have a good amount of fiber in them. Some examples of these would be whole grain breads/bagels/cereals, oatmeal, broccoli, legumes, rice bran, sweet potatoes and barley.

Features

• Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. When they are ingested, they break down inside the body as glucose and are stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. When the liver and muscle cells are filled up, any excess of carbs will be stored as fat. They are also the body's main source of fuel and the brain and nervous system rely heavily on carbs for proper functioning.

Identification

• The Glycemic Index, or GI, is a rating of how fast a carbohydrate elevates blood glucose levels after it has been ingested. This has gained a lot of press lately with escalating diabetes rates sweeping through all the ages. The GI is a ranking from 1 to 100 and if a food is 70 or above it is considered high, if it is 56 to 69 it is considered medium and if it is 55 or less it is considered low.

Benefits

• Eating a diet high in complex carbs has many advantages. They have a lot of fiber in them, they digest at a slow pace, they cause sustained energy levels and they keep the satiated longer. Eating these types of carbohydrates can also help reduce the risks of heart disease and they can lower cholesterol levels.

  There is also a benefit to eating simple carbs. During physical training, such as weight lifting, the body gets depleted of glycogen which is the stored version of carbs. As soon as the workout is over, it is a good idea to eat simple carbs to quickly replenish the glycogen stores.

  One other advantage that could be seen with simple carbs is ingesting them during bouts of exercise lasting more than 60 minutes. Up until this point, water is usually sufficient for hydration and energy, but after the 60 minute mark, the body starts to need glucose for optimal performance. This is where a good sports gel or sports drink comes in handy. Being that they are in liquid or near liquid form, they are easy for the body to assimilate.

Theories/Speculation

• Carbs have been much maligned for their ability to cause weight gain. This has led many people to the elimination or severe reduction of carbs. There is no sound proof or evidence that this is a long term safe solution for weight loss. The reason why carbs are accused for weight gain is because they are eaten in amounts that are way over normal recommendations. This leads to an overabundance of calories that the body cannot use for energy so they are stored as fat. It is this overabundance that leads to weight gain. It doesn't matter if the calories are coming from carbs, fats or proteins. If there are more calories coming in than going out, the body will gain weight.