The Right Carbs Support Good Health
By Tom Herrin
Most of us who are concerned about our health also try to have good diets. Eating the right foods can help us to manage weight as well as build muscle and have energy when needed. Many of the newer diets seem to focus on cutting carbs to the extreme, but cutting too many carbs can be a problem, too. Even though some of the newer diets are designed to force the body to burn fat to supply energy, most of the energy we use is provided by carbs. In order to maintain the best health possible, it is helpful for us to understand all we can about carbs.
Some Carbs Are Simple
We all consume some carbs, even when we try not to. Those that are considered to be simple are classified that way because they break down into sugars easily. After you eat or drink them, your body does not have to go through a long process in order to burn them for energy. As a result, many people think of them as almost instant energy. They can dump sugar into the bloodstream quickly, but it isn't quite that simple. A 2019 study indicated that what may have seemed to be a sugar rush may have actually been a sugar low that followed a short time after taking in simple carbs.
You Need Some Complex Carbs
Carbs that require more time to break down and process are called complex. Lots of the vegetables that we consider to be healthy are in this group. While some of us may need to avoid starches such as potatoes and rice, the foods that are thought of as green and yellow vegetables. These complex carbs are the ones we rely on to provide us with sustained energy. We should include some good ones in most meals.
There Is a Time for a Mix
Most athletic programs focus on ways to get the maximum amount of production from whatever is put into it. Careful planning is put into meals. While diets for athletes are careful to include those nutrients that can help to get the most out of the efforts put in, pre-game meals are especially important. For years, many of these have included simple protein for maintaining muscles, simple carbs for what was considered to be quick energy, and complex carbs to provide adequate energy to finish the game or competition. It all has its place.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Roswell, Ga.