Carbohydrates provide the body with energy, but not all carbohydrates are the same. Refined carbs do not provide lasting energy, and eating too many may cause health problems.
Carbs are an important part of a balanced diet. Unprocessed carbs contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
However, processing them removes nutrients and results in refined carbs, which people sometimes refer to as empty carbs or empty calories.
Refined carbs provide very few vitamins and minerals. The body processes refined carbs quickly, so they do not provide lasting energy, and they can cause a person’s blood sugar to spike. This will slow down weight loss and rent you from losing body fat.
The body digests refined carbohydrates quickly, and they provide a source of energy. However, they can cause a quick rise in blood sugar and trigger the pancreas to release insulin.
Here are a few ways that carbohydrate sources get refined.
1. Breaking down foods:Removing the bran from around a grain and grinding up the grain to make flour.
2.Extraction:Taking sucrose from sugar beet or sugarcane to make table sugar.
3.Concentration:Crushing and blending oranges, then removing the water to make concentrated fruit juice.
Each of these changes the way your body reacts to the carbohydrate sources and can cause excess body fat storage, and can work agains you if you are trying to lose body fat .
The body uses refined carbs much more quickly than it uses unrefined carbs.
As a result, refined carbs create a short burst of energy, whereas unrefined carbs release energy more slowly throughout the day.
Once the short burst of energy is over, a person may need to eat more food to gain more energy.
As a result, they can consume a high number of calories, contributing to weight gain.
Having overweight or obesity can increase the risk of health problems, such as:
heart disease
type 2 diabetes
stroke
hypertension
asthma
chronic back pain
osteoarthritis
Refined carbs also do not have as much nutritional value as unrefined carbs. They lack fiber, which is important for both digestive health and keeping blood sugar stable.
Examples of refined carbs
Some examples include:
bread and tortillas containing white flour
bagels
waffles and pastries
breakfast cereals
white rice
pizza
People will find refined sugars in a wide range of sweet and savory foods.
Some examples include:
flavored yogurt
cakes
soda, fruit juice, and smoothies
pasta sauce
condiments, such as ketchup or BBQ sauce
granola
There are some easy ways to avoid refined carbs.
A person can make healthful decisions, such as eating fruit if they want something sweet and opting to eat brown rice or whole grain bread rather than white rice or bread.
It is also best to avoid adding sugar to food. Adding sugar to food does not boost its nutritional value.
When shopping, a person can check the labels to help them make healthful decisions.
Manufacturers use many different names for refined sugars, so people should check labels for the following ingredients:
syrup
molasses
sweetener
fructose
sucrose
maltose
dextrose
Try to choose good carbs like baked yams, quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal, Ezekiel bread, berries, whole wheat pasta, lentil pasta.