Carbohydrates in food and their daily needs

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What are carbohydrates, how much of them should you consume and what foods contain them - we will talk about this in this article.

Today, thinking about your diet is fashionable not only because it is a trend, but because a healthy lifestyle has finally come into fashion. A healthy lifestyle can only be called when a person is actively involved in physical activity and plans his diet correctly.

What are carbohydrates and why do humans need them?

Modern Internet sources are full of headlines about protein diets that are completely devoid of carbohydrates. From the point of view of human anatomy, such actions are detrimental to the body, because the daily intake of food must contain proteins, fats and carbohydrates at the same time. None of the above components can replace the other, so adjusting your diet on your own is dangerous to your health.

Carbohydrates are organic compounds consisting of oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. There are two more types of organic compounds without which a person cannot fully function - proteins and fats. The task of these three components is to provide the human body with energy, that is, the ability to exist.

Carbohydrates are the most useful and necessary substances for the human body, because they are capable of providing the greatest amount of energy during oxidation (1g of carbohydrates is equal to 17 kJ). Only carbohydrates are converted into glucose, which is an energy generator in the human body.

From anatomy, everyone knows that the body draws its strength from the processing of glucose in the blood and from glycogen (energy reserve). Glycogen accumulates in the liver and muscle tissue, it is designed to ensure normal life in a critical situation (in the absence of glucose or carbohydrates).

If you do not eat carbohydrate-containing foods for a long period of time, your health will noticeably worsen:

• headache;
• malaise and weakness;
• inability to think quickly and make decisions;
• inability to perform physical activity;
• loss of accumulated fluid and dehydration.

This list can be continued, taking into account the functions of carbohydrates in the human body:

1. Energy – the ability to provide the body with 60% of the daily energy requirement.
2. Construction – promoting the construction of cell membranes (including cells of the immune system), complex molecules, participation in the construction of the DNA code repository.
3. Specific – providing an antitumor effect, helping hormones recognize where and in what quantities the body needs them.
4. Regulatory - ensured by the fact that coarse food fibers are not digested in the intestines, thereby stimulating intestinal motility.

Basic rules of low-carb diets

Of course, exclude sweets and baked goods from your diet. Give up bread. Sugary drinks, beer and alcohol in general will also be prohibited. Don't eat pasta, starchy foods, bananas, and minimize your fruit intake.

It is recommended to eat vegetables, herbs, seeds and nuts, meat and fish in unlimited quantities. The optimal amount, which should not be increased or decreased, is 50–100 g of carbohydrates per day (or 3–5 g per 1 kg of body weight). You can't give up carbohydrates completely. Replace unhealthy carbohydrates (sugar, baked goods) with healthy ones (vegetables, apples). Carbohydrate levels should be reduced gradually. You need to drink at least 1.5–2 liters of water per day.

Fast (simple) and complex (slow) carbohydrates

Doctors and nutritionists tend to divide carbohydrates into two broad categories:

1. Simple or easily digestible.
2. Complex or difficult to digest.

The first category usually includes glucose and fructose. They are found mainly in such products that are difficult to refuse due to their taste:

• sugar and honey;
• bakery products, pasta;
• sweet fruits and vegetables;
• raisins and dried fruits;
• fruit juices.

Some dishonest manufacturers mislead people and claim that if you replace glucose with fructose, you can easily lose weight. In fact, this is not the case, since both of these substances are easily digestible carbohydrates. This means that they are absorbed in the human body after 5-10 minutes, sugar quickly enters the blood and causes a chain reaction in the body.

When glucose enters the blood, the body begins to produce the hormone insulin to fight sugar, or rather, to fight construction processes in the body. If physical activity does not follow after taking a large amount of light carbohydrates, the body will convert them into fats. If glycogen reserves are depleted, the body will first begin to restore energy reserves, and only then will produce fat and store it in the subcutaneous tissues.

When the glucose runs out, insulin will stop being produced, and the person will again feel hungry. Thus, the body requires more insulin, which is a kind of drug. This chain is difficult to break, but if this is not done, then the extra pounds will begin to add in the near future.

Complex or difficult-to-digest carbohydrates have opposite effects on the human body. That is, their intake is accompanied by a long process of digestion, during which energy is slowly released. They contain a minimal amount of glucose and fructose, so the body will not ask for more every half hour, but on the contrary, the feeling of hunger will go away for several hours.

Complex carbohydrates are not completely digested, so they stimulate intestinal function, that is, its motility. As a result, a person can observe an improvement in the digestion process, improved well-being, no constant feeling of hunger, and weight loss.

Fat Burning

One of the key features of a low-carb diet is that it limits the body's main source of energy. As a result, another source of energy begins to be burned - fat. However, this is a big change for the body, and it needs time to adapt to it.

In the early stages of a low-carb diet, many people complain of feeling lethargic and lethargic. However, once the body gets used to the new energy source, many people have more stable energy levels throughout the day.

Initially, the small amount of carbohydrates available and the associated decrease in blood glucose levels reduce the amount of insulin the body needs. One of the functions of insulin is to store fat, so its low level affects the reduction of the amount of accumulated fat

Insulin also causes the kidneys to store sodium, which encourages the body to retain water. One of the first noticeable changes with a low-carb diet is dramatic weight loss within the first week. Thus, the body gets rid of excess water.

After the initial weight loss, the pace will slow down in the following weeks, but the reduction will occur due to the burning of stored fat by the body.

Research has shown that a low-carb diet not only reduces total fat, but is particularly effective in burning fat in the upper layers of the body, which is associated with many serious diseases such as insulin resistance, diabetes, dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis.

Which products are classified as complex (table)

The list of complex (slow) carbohydrates is not so long, but you need to love all these products, because they are priceless for the body and only bring benefits. It is worth noting that carbohydrates are divided into simple and complex, based on the glycemic index (GI) of products; the higher it is, the more “harmful” or higher in calories the product. Foods with the lowest glycemic index will not increase blood sugar levels, which means insulin will not be produced.

From the list it is clear that you won’t have to infringe on yourself too much, because the products we are used to are very useful. Plus, you don’t have to give up sweets completely. This category also includes representatives with a low glycemic index: dark chocolate, marmalade, and fructose-filled ice cream.

Low carb diets

1. Low-carbohydrate diets are close to protein diets, but still differ from the latter - the rejection of carbohydrates does not occur completely, but only partially. For example, the famous Kremlin diet. The main principle of this diet is to count the carbohydrates consumed every day; no more than 40 USD per day. Table with the level of e.g. carbohydrates in each product can be found on the Internet and thereby create an acceptable diet for yourself. In unlimited quantities, this diet allows you to eat all protein foods (meat, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, etc.), but at the same time exclude sweets and starchy foods from the diet.

2. French diet. This diet is not only close to a carbohydrate-free diet, but is also a low-calorie type of diet. During this 2-week diet, all sweet and salty foods, as well as alcohol, are prohibited. The basis of the diet is lean meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, eggs, rye bread and herbs. Everything else is strictly prohibited and you cannot deviate from the French diet menu. Unlimited mineral water and green tea.

It is likely that for each person who is familiar with various weight loss methods first-hand, and who is constantly struggling with excess weight, the list of the most effective diets is individual in nature. After all, each person has his own structural characteristics of the body (metabolic rate, fat mass, etc.), different levels of vital activity, his own individual eating habits, etc. All these factors determine why the same diet can be extremely effective for one, but almost useless for another.

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How to use them so as not to harm the body?

In order for carbohydrates to bring only the benefits intended by nature to the body, their consumption must be balanced. You should not completely exclude simple carbohydrates from your diet, just their amount should not exceed 15-20% of the daily intake of all carbohydrates.

There are no special requirements for the regime of carbohydrate intake, but the following recommendations can be distinguished:

• Most of the daily requirement should be eaten for breakfast, then the feeling of hunger will not appear until lunch, and the energy that is released as a result of oxidation will not be wasted and will be spent in the right direction;
• the rate of carbohydrate consumption should be strictly calculated based on the weight and lifestyle of each person individually;
• carbohydrates must be balanced with proteins and fats, since the body spends a lot of energy on their processing;
• It is worth considering the required amount of vitamins and amino acids that are involved in the process of transformation of organic substances. There are products that themselves are capable of ensuring the processing process, but most often this process requires additional amounts of vitamins, so drinking vitamin complexes for prevention is very correct;
• after heavy physical activity, it is allowed to eat fast carbohydrates to restore strength;
• You should not limit yourself in carbohydrates, otherwise the body will not have enough energy to carry out its usual life activities;
• you should avoid consuming carbohydrates 2 hours before bedtime, since no one will exercise at night, therefore, energy will be converted into fat;
• It is best to eat protein foods for dinner;
• carbohydrate-containing foods are best eaten cold, so they are absorbed by the body much longer;
• You need to carefully read the labels on products; if there is no sugar in the composition, this does not mean that it is not there, perhaps there is glucose, sucrose, dextrose and other substitutes that are no less harmful.

By following these recommendations, you can balance your diet so that it is complete and as healthy as possible. At the same time, do not forget about regular physical activity, which helps the body to perk up, spend excess energy and not accumulate fat, which is later difficult to get rid of.

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Carbohydrate window after exercise for weight loss

Some nutritionists believe that after an intense workout, the body experiences an urgent need for proteins and carbohydrates. Eating foods containing these elements promotes muscle growth and an anabolic response. And what’s interesting is that these products do not provoke the formation of fat deposits.

But, unfortunately, such a conclusion remains only an assumption today. So far, no research has been conducted on this matter. No one has compared the effectiveness of the nutrients that the body absorbed before and after exercise. Therefore, it is difficult to say unequivocally which period is more important - before or after training.

Now you know that the consumption of these substances should be rationed. Otherwise, you won't be able to lose weight. Control the food you consume, and then you will not be disappointed with the results achieved. I am sure that the following articles on weight loss will be useful to you. So don't forget to subscribe for updates. And I say goodbye to you: bye.

Sincerely, Olga Steshkina

Protein norm per day for women for weight loss - how to determine?

The diet must contain proteins that help convert fats into energy. It is recommended to include in the menu products containing elements that actively cleanse the body of toxins and other harmful compounds and help build muscle mass.

To saturate the body with proteins, it is recommended to include in the diet:

• meat (only low-fat varieties are allowed - chicken, turkey, rabbit);
• fish (preference is given to types of fish with a low percentage of fat);
• seafood;
• dairy products (kefir, homemade yogurt without sweet ingredients, cottage cheese, skim milk);
• apples (preferably green fruits);
• eggplant;
• avocado.

How to calculate the required amount of protein recommended by nutritionists for active weight loss? You should return to the results that were obtained when calculating the required number of calories.

To find out how much protein the body should receive, it is recommended to subtract carbohydrates (25%) from the resulting number. The results are divided into three parts - one of them is the daily protein requirement for women when losing weight.