No Carb Diet? … You can’t run a car off of Antifreeze, it needs GAS … No Carbs = No Fuel

No Carb Diet? … You can’t run a car off of Antifreeze, it needs GAS … No Carbs = No Fuel

For a few years now Carbohydrates have gotten bad rap. People have all of a sudden replaced Fat with Carbohydrate as the nutrient to avoid. Here’s a news flash, both Fat and Carbohydrates are nutrients that your body MUST have.

I am amazed at the number of questions I get about “No Carb” diets, and “Low Carb” Diets. Then I am appalled by the number of Athletes who ask about these “Diets”. My answer to them all is you can’t run a race car on Antifreeze. Cars run off of Gas. Carbohydrates are our body’s “gas”. Carbohydrates are the fuel that our bodies need.

The key, just like any food, is using the right type of carbohydrate and the right amount. Carbohydrates come in 3 forms. There are Sugars, Fiber, and Starches. Our bodies attempt to break these down into sugar to be used in the Blood Stream … Blood Sugar. When the Sugar enters our blood, our bodies release insulin to tell our body to use the sugar for energy or store it for later. At the same time our body releases Glucagon to begin releasing stored sugar. This process helps maintain our sugar levels.

The rate in which these Carbohydrates are broken down or digested and get into our blood system is given a number value by the Glycemic Index. The higher the number the more quickly the carbohydrate is converted to sugar. The quicker this happens the faster ones blood sugar rises. The higher the blood sugar level raises the more insulin is released.  A food is considered High Glycemic Index with a number of 70 or higher. Examples of these foods are White Bread, Fried Potatoes, and refined and processed foods. A food is considered a Low Glycemic Index food with an assign Glycemic Index value of 55 or lower. Examples of these foods are high Fiber Fruits and Vegetables, Bran Cereals and Beans. These foods allow a slower digestion and a slower rate of insulin release, making it a more optimal food choice.

SO the message here is there is no such thing as an evil Carbohydrate. Some carbohydrates are simply better choices than others. Take a look at information on the Glycemic index. Get an idea of what is good and what is better. “Carbs” are good. “Carbs” are REQUIRED by our bodies. A good rule of thumb for choosing Carbohydrate, and ANY food, is to look at how it is prepared.

Process = bad.  / Fresh = good.

Fried = Bad / Grilled or Broiled = Good

Processed or White Wheat = Bad / Whole grain = good.

Fructose = Good / Sucrose = Bad