Carbohydrates, Otherwise Known as Sugars... Check if Their Intake is Beneficial!

Latest dietary trends based on protein have spread the unjustified notion among individuals who wish to shed unwanted pounds that carbohydrates have a negative impact on weight loss. Carbohydrates have been viewed as adversaries of slimming down and have been excluded from the diet in favor of other nutrients. However, it is important to remember that a significant reduction of easily digestible carbohydrates or their complete elimination from the diet can lead to serious nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, carbohydrates should constitute 50 to 70% of our daily energy needs.

Carbohydrates should be the main source of energy in the diet. They are mainly supplied to the brain, hence it is important to have a proper amount in the daily menu. However, when conducting a healthy lifestyle, it is not enough to focus only on the amount of carbohydrate, but also on its quality. Consumed in excess, simple sugars present in sweetened beverages, cakes, pastries are stored in the body as fatty tissue. This is why it is important to reduce the intake of these foods. However, it is not necessary to focus on the quality of carbohydrates. In order to maintain a healthy diet, simple sugars should be replaced with complex carbohydrates. Where can we find them? The rich sources of these nutrients are whole grain products, whole grain bread, bran, durum wheat pasta, barley, spelt, oats, brown rice. Vegetables and fruits are also a source of carbohydrates for our body. They provide both simple sugars (as glucose and fructose) and disaccharides (as sucrose). Their content is variable and depends mainly on the type and variety of the plant, as well as on its degree of ripeness. We can also find carbohydrates in legumes, which make up the largest part of the grains (their content is about 60%). What does the term „whole grain products“ mean? These are products that contain ground grains, in which the proportions of endosperm, embryo, and seed coat are the same as in unground grains, and therefore are not freed from bran. Thanks to this, these products are also a source of fiber, minerals such as iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and phosphorus, as well as vitamins B and E.

Our regular meals comprise three main types of carbohydrates: simple sugars such as glucose, which is the basic energy source for many life forms, fructose, fruit sugar, lactose, milk sugar, sucrose, an indispensable component of cane and beet sugar. In vegetables, pulses, cereal grains, we can find more complex carbohydrates such as starch. The third type is dietary fiber, also known as fiber, which also occurs in vegetables and fruits, pulses, and whole grain products.

How do the ingredients in whole grain products impact our body? Nutritional fiber improves gut function and contributes to the reduction of dietary fat absorption in the intestines. Intestinal fiber also binds to harmful substances such as heavy metals, so the body is not directly exposed to them. Research has shown that consuming three servings of whole grain products daily can help prevent obesity and overweight. Two groups of people following a weight-loss diet were compared, with one group consuming whole grain products and the other not. The group consuming whole grain products reported a greater loss of fat tissue. Whole grain products also help prevent heart diseases, such as coronary heart disease. Another benefit of consuming whole grain products is reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and reducing the risk of cancer, including pancreatic and colon cancer.