Carbohydrates And Their Role In Your Diet |
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| By: Mischa Michaels | ||||
It's true that some carbohydrates, mainly sugar and other such simple carbs, are an unhealthy part of our diet. However, some foods that contain good carbohydrates, such as whole grain bread and fruits, offer benefits in the form of cancer-fighting ingredients. All carbohydrates are categorized as either simple or complex. Simple carbs make up many of the unhealthy, high-sugar foods in our diet, such candy, soda, and some fruits. Complex carbs, on the other hand, can be found in foods such as whole grain bread and cereal and other healthy fruits. One way that simple carbs and complex carbs are differentiated is by their chemical structure. Simple carbs are constructed of only a few chained sugar molecules, which complex carbs are made up of hundreds or thousands of such molecules. Both simple and complex carbs are turned into glucose by the metabolic processes of our bodies. Simple and complex carbs also differ in their digestion rate. Eating 100 calories of simple carbs will result in faster digestion than eating 100 calories of complex carbs. The reason that simple carbs digest faster is because they're closer to the chemical structure of glucose. Thus, complex carbs take longer to digest and keep us feeling full longer. It's easy to add lots of calories to your diet by consuming simple carbs such as soda and candy. Even worse, these simple sugars have been shown to increase risk of obesity and diabetes, with children especially at risk. However, it's been shown that healthy, complex carbs help fight off cancer. So when you hear about the new low-carb craze, ignore it and grab yourself an apple instead. |
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| Article Source: http://4health.co.za | ||||
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