John Myers
Distinguishing good carbohydrates from the bad – you have to pay attention to this
Low-carb diets are trending. A diet with as few carbohydrates as possible should ensure a slim figure in no time. But not all carbohydrates are bad. They are found in bread, pasta, and rice, but also in fruits, dairy products, and vegetables. Sweets and lemonades are particularly high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are simply sugar molecules. They are differentiated according to the type of sugar molecule. The longer the chain of molecules, the more complex the carbohydrates:
- Fructose and glucose consist of just one sugar molecule, lactose and cane sugar are made up of two molecules, starch and cellulose, i.e. sugar in plant-based foods, consist of long molecular chains, they are so-called multiple sugars.
- Complex sugars are healthier for humans than simple carbohydrates. “The longer the chain of sugar molecules, the longer the body needs to break them down and absorb them into the bloodstream,” explains Stefan Kabisch, study doctor at the German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE).
- Foods with multiple sugars cause the blood sugar level to rise more slowly. In order to break down the sugar again, the body releases the hormone insulin with every meal.
- Insulin, in turn, affects the feeling of satiety. If it is poured out over a longer period of time, it fills you up. A chocolate bar causes blood sugar to shoot up quickly and ensures a short-term release of insulin. Therefore, one has an appetite for sweets rather than wholemeal bread. “There is sometimes talk of empty carbohydrates in connection with short-chain sugars,” explains Gunda Backes, a self-employed ecotrophologist.
- Constant small snacks keep blood sugar levels unnecessarily high, which unnecessarily affects metabolism.
- The result can be fatty liver or diabetes. The classic three meals a day are healthier.
- Multiple sugars are also often roughage, i.e. indigestible food components. They are found in plant foods and reduce the risk of colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.
- Carbohydrates from vegetables, fruit, and whole grain products are therefore the “good” carbohydrates. Carbs from sweets and white flour products are the “bad” carbs.
- A balanced diet should follow the following basic rules: Vegetables and fruit are allowed at any time, and grain products such as bread and pasta should be chosen in the whole grain variety. Sweets and sweetened drinks should be an exception.
