Carbohydrates: Essentiality to the Body and Weight Reduction

 

Carbohydrates, or simply carbs became a controversial macronutrient as various diet trends (or fad diets) gain popularity on the internet.

But how much do we know about it?

Carbs can be found in wide range of food in the form of legumes, grains, root crops like potatoes and taro, and in the form of starchy vegetables like corn.

But here in the Philippines, the most sought after form of carbohydrates is found in the form of, non other than... Rice.

Carbohydrates functions as an energy provider which help fuel our brain, heart, muscles, central nervous system, and our kidneys.

In fact, 45 - 65 percent of daily energy requirement of a normal adult should come from carbohydrates.

And also, a gram of carbohydrates contains 4 kilocalories (kcal) of energy.

A diet which lacks in carbohydrates can lead to certain conditions like fatigue, headache, halitosis, dizziness, constipation, weakness, and being out of focus.

It is also possible for you to become micronutrient deficient if you omit carbohydrates from your diet for it contains certain vitamins and minerals.

Dietary Fiber

Carbohydrates contains fiber which gives us the feeling of being full. It also aids digestion and feed good bacteria in our gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Moreover, fiber is also the one which helps in our bowel movement. In other words, fiber is the one who helps us keep going during hard times.

Soluble and Insoluble are the types of fiber which is beneficial and essential to our diet.

Soluble fiber is broken down into gel upon dissolving in water. It helps on maintaining a healthy weight for it gives you the feeling of being full without getting any extra calories.

On the other hand, Insoluble fiber are those fiber which attracts water and bulks stool for it to pass easily. 

Some of fiber-rich containing foods are namely: apple, banana, oranges, oats, and green leafy vegetables.

Excessive Carbohydrate Intake

Consuming beyond your carbohydrate requirement can lead to certain non-communicable medical conditions. Some of it includes Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM), Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), and even dental carries. Make sure to watch and be sensitive to your carbohydrate consumption especially when you have familial history of such diseases.

Weight Management

Carbohydrates is always blamed in terms of weight gain. But, haven’t you heard that any food can cause weight gain?

Whether it is carbohydrates, protein, or fat, as long as you consume more than your body needs, you are more likely to gain weight.

We should have our eyes in reducing portion whenever we feel like consuming beyond our requirements. We should not forget that healthy diet is nothing without proper exercise or physical activity.

Burning extra calories in the form of exercise is proven beneficial and should be paid attention if we consider to go for weight reduction.

Substitutes

Consuming carbohydrates with low glycemic index, or food with glycemic load of 55 and below is found beneficial and preventive from the above mentioned non-communicable diseases.

You might want to consider including fruits, leafy green vegetables, minimally processed grains, pasta, whole grain bread instead of white bread, and brown rice instead of white rice as substitutes to your previous meal plan.

Bottom-line

No food is considered bad to our diet. What makes it bad is the portion that we consume.

We should not engage to a diet that excludes carbohydrates in it. We must learn that carbohydrates is an essential part of our diet and is our major source of energy.

All food shall cause no harm to our body when taken in moderation.

And lastly, seeking help from a registered professional would be advisable in terms of weight reduction.