Los carbs they have a ‘bad reputation’ for being enemies within the feedingespecially when it comes to diets to lose weight fast because most are low in carbohydrates. However, the body needs them to function properly, he discovers what are carbohydrates and how to consume them to maintain your silhouette.
What kind of foods are carbohydrates?
Los carbohydrates or carbohydratesas they are also known, are a type of macronutrient It is present in many foods and drinks. Although most of them are in the vegetarian food, like grains, it is true that in the fast food Add to carbs to the processed foods, describe specialists from the Cleveland Clinic Medical Institute.
This type of macronutrient It is composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. It is found in a wide variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, bread, rice, pasta or sugars, When we consume them, our body breaks them down into glucose to use it as combustible in the body cells and the brain.
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How are carbohydrates processed?
The way that process carbohydrates is through digestive system, once there they become glucose or blood sugar. However the bloodstream is the one that absorbs glucose to use it as power source in the body.
The problem with carbsis that by consuming them in large quantities, the glucose levels in the blood, a very high level can cause hyperglycemia and increase your chances of developing diabetes.
What are carbohydrates?/ Photo: iStock
types of carbohydrates
There are several carbohydrate classifications. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), we can split carbs in three main categories:
1. Monosaccharides: these are the simpler carbohydratesthat is, they are those that cannot be decomposed into carbs smaller, for example glucose, fructose and galactose.
2. Diacarides: they are compound carbohydrates by two monosaccharides together, they include sucrose (glucose + fructose), lactose (glucose + galactose), and maltose (glucose + glucose).
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3. Polysaccharides: these are complex carbohydrates, They are made up of long chains of linked monosaccharides. However, they are divided into two types:
Starches: it is about polysaccharides found in plant foods such as rice, potatoes, corn and grains. A great important source of energy for the human body.
Dietary fiber: a type of polysaccharide which is found in the Plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. However, the Dietary fiber cannot be fully digested in the human body, but it is important for the digestive health and can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, among other health problems.
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Los sugars are a type of simple carbohydrate. Although our body can break them down quickly, after consuming sugary foods we can notice a rise in energy after a great feeling tired.
There are two types of sugars:
Natural sugars: They are found in milk or fresh fruits.
Added sugars: They are present in candies, canned fruits, juices, soft drinks, candy or junk food.
Although our body is capable of processing them in the same way, it is important to limit your intake to maintain the glucose levels stable, above all because they also tend to provide more calories that can contribute to considerable weight gain.
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It is important that you read the your food labels because sugar has many names, for example, agave nectar, cane syrup or corn syrup, dextrose, fructose or sucrose, honey, molasses or simply sugar.
Are carbs bad?
Not all carbs are badas we mentioned, they are a great power source for the body, the problem is that the excessive consumption of refined carbohydratessuch as those present in the processed foods, as well as in the fast food, can cause health complications
Weight gain due to obesity
Type 2 diabetes
heart disease
Hence the importance of knowing how to choose what kind of carbs you should include in your feeding day by day to balance your consumption.
What are carbohydrates?/ Photo: iStock
What is the recommended daily amount of carbohydrates?
If you don’t want to pass caloriesyou should know that the recommended daily amount of carbohydrates It varies depending on your age, gender, or how active you are during the day, but it’s more or less recommended that carbohydrates cmake up between 45 and 65 percent of your total daily calories.
A clearer example is the following: if a person needs to consume some 2000 calories a day, it is recommended that between 900 and 1,300 of those calories come from carbohydrates. Like the carbs provide 4 calories per gram, this is equivalent to between 225 and 325 grams of carbs a day.
now that you know what are carbohydrates, how they are classified and what you should avoid when consuming them, there is no excuse to incorporate them into your feeding properly. Take care of yourself!