Understanding Carbohydrates - Endurance Energy

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Carbohydrate diets are popular these days because people want to stay slim, healthy and have enough energy to propel them through out their busy days. Knowing the right carbs to eat is very beneficial because eating the wrong carbs can rob your body of energy and even cause weight gain.

In general, there are two main type of carbohydrates.

• Complex carbohydrates - found in barley, oatmeal, pasta, brown rice, potato, wholegrain cereals, fruits, etc.
• Simple carbohydrates (refined carbs) - found in cakes, candy, soft drinks, pretty much anything with lots of sugar in it.

The good carbohydrates are usually the complex carbohydrates and the bad carbohydrates are usually the simple carbohydrates. Complex carb is healthier for the body because the body takes longer to break the carb into blood sugar (glucose), the result is a gradual rise and fall in glucose levels. Simple carb is basically the opposite, it causes a rapid increase of glucose levels which is bad for your health and may increase the risk of diabetes. Imagine driving your car hard all the time, revving it to redline every-time you shift. Pretty soon your engine will breakdown resulting in oil leaks and other engine problems. This is similar to what you are doing to your body when eating too much simple carbs.

It is best to avoid as much simple carbs as possible, even if they are sweet and delicious. Also, keep in mind that not all complex carbs are good for you and not all simple carbs are bad for you. Potato is one of the complex carbs that is not the best for energy endurance because the carbs in potato break down quickly. Apple is a simple carb but is actually healthy for you because the fiber in the skin helps slow down the digesting process. One of the best ways to tell which food has the better complex carbs is to look at the “Glycemic Index” food chart. Keep in mind that the lower the GI value, the longer it takes for your body to digest the food for energy which is a good thing.

Examples of low GI value food (good for you)

• Cherries - GI value = 22
• Apple - GI value = 38
• Strawberries - GI value = 40
• Oatmeal - GI value = 49
• Broccoli/Cabbage/Lettuce - GI value = 10
• Mushrooms/Onions/Red Peppers - GI value = 10
• Green Peas - GI value = 48
• Barley - GI value = 25
• Brown Rice (cooked) - GI value = 50

Examples of high GI value Food (bad for you)

• Rice Crackers - GI value = 91
• Jelly Beans - GI value = 78
• Pretzel - GI value = 83
• Doughnut - GI value = 76
• Baked Potato - GI value = 85
• Rice (instant) - GI value = 91
• Tofu Frozen Dessert - GI value = 115
• Boiled Potato - GI value = 70

Do you really need carbohydrates?…the answer is…not necessarily. Your amazing body can convert proteins and fat into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis. As long as you provide your body with enough proteins and fat, you can survive for a while without consuming carbohydrates. So why do you need carbohydrates?…the answer is simple…”Energy Efficiency.” It’s true that proteins and fat can be converted into glucose for fueling our bodies with energy but it is less efficient. Converting fat and protein to glucose requires more steps than converting carb to glucose. The end result is that more energy is being wasted to convert fat and proteins into glucose.

This is why athletes consume complex carbs before competing because it fuels their bodies quickly, efficiently and gives them energy endurance. Learning how to eat like a champion athlete will make you feel healthier and you will have more energy to power you through out the day.

Related Posts:

• Keeping Your Blood Sugar Constant
• How To Stay Energized

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