Carbohydrates – carbohydrates or sugar
Carbohydrates are a type of fuel, which is divided into two categories: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. But their quality is what matters most. Good carbohydrates and bad ones make the difference between a normal weight and obesity.
Simple carbohydrates (refined carbohydrates or simple sugars), such as white flour, processed foods, pastries, confectionery, jams, jams, syrups and carbonated drinks, etc., can increase the feeling of hunger. Some of these carbohydrates were once beneficial to the body, but the level of processing removed dietary fibers, vitamins and minerals, leaving only the simple, bad carbohydrates or sugars that our body absorbs quickly and which are deposited very easily in the form of fat. In this way, sudden increases or decreases in blood sugar can be determined, thus negatively influencing appetite.
Complex carbohydrates (slow-release carbohydrates or sugars) are good for the body because they absorb much more slowly than simple ones and provide the body with constant energy throughout the day, preventing sudden increases and decreases in blood sugar, providing the feeling of satiety throughout the day. These good carbohydrates are found in legumes and whole grains.
The two types of carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels (glycaemia) differently and have a different impact on hunger by rapidly or slowly triggering insulin secretion from the pancreas, as well as on the production and storage of energy in the body.
By glycemic index we make the difference between good and bad carbohydrates. In this way we list foods according to their impact on blood sugar, i.e. blood sugar levels. The lower the glycemic index, the slower it turns into energy, the lower the impact on blood sugar.
Principles of carbohydrate consumption
- It is best to eat starchy foods between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., because most of the energy we get from carbohydrates. This energy is used in daily activities. Those of us who gain weight quickly should pay special attention to this rule, in order to avoid obesity.
- It’s good to eat only one kind of starch at a table. Combining different types of starch increases appetite and leads to too much food consumption.
- Combining flour and cereal products with jam or sugar causes fermentation in the stomach. That’s why we have heartburn after eating doughnuts and pastries filled with jam. It is not good to combine foods containing starch with sugars (e.g. cereals with sugar). Honey can be consumed with bread, but we can dissolve it in boiled water and cooled to room temperature in the form of a sweet drink.
- Cereals, bread, potatoes and other starchy foods should not be combined with protein-containing foods such as fish, meat, eggs or cheese. The interval between carbohydrate-containing and protein meals should be at least two to three hours.
- Sweet, dried fruits can be combined with starchy foods: bread, cereals or rice.
- Before eating starchy foods, we need to eat a vegetable salad.
- The best salad is the one made from cabbage, carrot,raw or cooked beetroot, dill, parsley,a little salt and other spices. Enzymes in vegetables help to digest starch.
What we need to know
- Cereals and yeast-free pastries are high in fiber and cleanse the digestive tract. If we want to keep our digestive tract in full working order, we should eat them every day.
- The digestion of starch begins in the oral cavity and therefore starchy foods must chew them very well.
- The healthiest types of cereals are buckwheat, wheat, maize, rice and mostly unrefined barley. It’s good to cook the cereal with small amounts of water. A third of our diet should include cereals.
- When we cook cereal, it’s best to use the boiling-interruption method. For example: buckwheat can be prepared in the following way: rinse the buckwheat and keep it in water for three to four hours. We do not change the water, we cook the buckwheat for 3-5 minutes. Cut a small onion and add it to the pot. Wrap the pot in a towel to maintain the temperature for 15-30 minutes. Add vegetable oil before consuming them.
- Animal fats (butter, cream, lard) and vegetable oils can be combined with carbohydrates and vegetables.
To implement these tips in our lives we need to change our eating habits and start to see how these principles can change our lifestylefor the better. Good health!
