Important Facts About Carbohydrates
The carbohydrates are the main source of energy which fuels our body cells. There are two types of carbohydrates namely refined carbohydrates and unrefined natural carbohydrates.
The fiber content of refined carbohydrates is very poor hence they are also called bad carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates are found in foods made of refined white flour,sweets,ice cream and are easily converted to glucose and quickly absorbed into the blood stream. This increased level of glucose in the blood stream triggers the production of insulin in pancreas to bring down the glucose levels in the blood stream. When glucose levels drop,the body cells and the brain cells are starved of glucose which is the source of energy. This causes the brain to activate the hunger center in the brain to order for more food consumption.
The body is forced to produce more insulin because of excess food intake. This causes more rise in glucose levels which again triggers more insulin production. The excess calories are converted into fat and stored. When this process is repeated over a period of time the pancreas is weakened due to the continuous excess production of insulin and wears out resulting in less and less production of insulin leading to diabetes. The increased insulin production also inhibits the production of protein called ‘glucagon’ the main job of which is to burn fat cells for energy. Due to low levels of this protein, the fat is stored,not burned.
The carbohydrates which are unrefined are called are called good carbohydrates because they take time to get converted into glucose. Good carbohydrates take time to get digested due to high fiber content causing more fat to be burned for the process of digestion. Good carbohydrates are absorbed into the blood stream gradually causing gradual increase of insulin levels. This low level of insulin production causes less fat storage. Besides good carbohydrates contain more fiber and fills the stomach quickly reducing the food intake.
Low carbohydrate diets are harmful to health. Low carbohydrate diets make the body burn not only fat but also protein which is bad for the muscle tissues affecting muscle development. Prolonged intake of low carbohydrate diet may cause kidney and liver problems. A diet of good carbohydrate with low fat content is good for health. It is advisable to avoid low carbohydrate diets at all costs.