Carbohydrates On Trial -- Is This Nutrient Guilty Beyond a Reasonable Doubt or is it a Case of Mistaken Identity?

Many athletes, fitness enthusiasts and everyday people who want better health have been bombarded with the unsophisticated view that all carbohydrates are guilty of negatively affecting body fat mass, heart disease, cancer risk and insulin resistance. In light of this information, diets that focus on higher protein and/or higher fat have become more popular than ever. The media have jumped on this subject by covering popular authors such as the high fat, low carbohydrate maven Dr. Robert Atkins and Dr. Dean Ornish, who promotes a low-fat, plant-based (vegetarian) diet. The problem is that while the media may have good intentions, most of the coverage leaves the public left to decide which nutritional principles are best. As confusing as the debate between low and high carbohydrate zealots can be, other nutritionists oversimplify the subject to ideals such as 'don't eat sugar' or 'follow the food pyramid' - which emphasizes bread, cereal, rice and pasta.

The goal of this article is to enlighten you on the ever-elusive truth regarding carbohydrates and nutrition - with a special consideration for active individuals. To do so we'll need to follow...

Sugar -- The Trail of Forensic Evidence

You probably realize that carbohydrates include sugars, fibers, and starches. However, you may not know that carbohydrates can come from a wide variety of foods, including beans, milk, popcorn, bread, potatoes, cookies, pasta, and pecan pie.

Many Meal Supplements (MRPs) also contain carbohydrates, usually in the form of maltodextrin or corn syrups. No doubt there is a distinction between the kinds of carbohydrate found in these foods or supplements. The key is the process they must go through before we can obtain the energy from them. Nevertheless, when the body's digestive machinery is finally done processing any carbohydrate it loses the indigestible structures (fiber) and sends the final product into the bloodstream as glucose, otherwise known as sugar!

In the past, carbohydrates that were categorized as complex carbohydrates (bread, pasta and other starches) were considered to be "good," and simple carbohydrates or sugars (table sugar, candy and honey) were thought of as "bad." Research now shows us that the picture is more complicated than this. Those made from grains are one of the most misunderstood types of carbohydrate. In fact, the plight of grain products in the American diet has caused...

The Birth of the Health Food Store

If you were to take a shopping cart and browse through your neighborhood food store, you would eventually see aisles dedicated to refined, or processed foods. However, this phenomenon has only been around since about 1910 when the big cereal companies started mass-producing grains.

Many researchers believe these foods are the root cause of insulin resistance, which renders insulin unable to drive energy into cells. The reason is that refined carbohydrates (e.g., breakfast cereals) 'dump' glucose into your body more quickly than it can be utilized or turned into lean tissue (e.g., muscle glycogen). In fact, it may be more likely to end up raising key hormones that effectively shut down fat burning and cause you to feel tired, sleepy and lethargic.

The Whole Grain Difference

Grain products have received a lot of bad press recently, with many articles warning that they cause weight gain, increase hunger, and sabotage diets. But as you will soon see, only refined grains - those that make up the 'typical' American diet - can be considered problematic. When you're talking about whole grains, it's a whole different story.

The Fast Food Refinery

Most grain products in the American diet are heavily refined - that is, their outer parts have been removed during milling to make them easier and faster to cook. But the process of milling to create these 'fast foods' leads to the stripping of many vitamins, minerals, and other disease-fighting components.

Conversely, whole grains still have bran, endosperm, and germ layers intact. The bran is the outer coating or "shell" of the grain, which is high in B vitamins, trace minerals such as copper and zinc, and fiber. The germ is the part that would grow into a new wheat plant if sown; it is also known as the embryo. The germ is a rich source of B vitamins and vitamin E. The endosperm is the middle of the grain and the part that remains after the bran and germ have been removed.

The endosperm, which is high in starch, but relatively low in vitamins and fiber, is then ground up and made into flour. Examples of refined grain products made with flour include white breads and other baked goods, pasta, crackers, and white rice - the majority of a 'typical' American diet.

The Glycemic Index-A Measure of Whole Grain Excellence

Not only is a refined grain devoid of several beneficial nutrients, but also its glycemic index is increased. The glycemic index measures the rate at which carbohydrates break down into sugar once they are eaten. When you eat a food with a high glycemic index, you will feel less full than if you ate a food with a lower glycemic index. Most of this satisfaction from lower glycemic foods comes from grains high in naturally occurring fibers, which of course only unrefined whole grains can provide. This rapid rise in glucose also makes it nearly impossible to maintain proper blood sugar levels, which may cause rebound eating.

But not all grain products have a high-glycemic index. Whole grain products, and other high-fiber foods, have low-glycemic indexes, whereas refined grains - grains that are stripped of fiber - have high-glycemic indexes. The key point to remember is that when grains get 'bad press,' it is based on the premise that they have a high-glycemic index.

A Meal Supplement With Whole Grains

As you can see there is a world of difference between carbohydrate sources especially when it comes to grains. This is why Prolab's Lean Mass Matrix only contains carbohydrates from fibrous whole grains such as oatmeal, barley and brown rice and not refined sources such as maltodextrin. This unique approach to meal supplementation is truly leading the next evolution in sports supplementation for those who desire enhanced body composition and health.

Conclusion

Physically active people need energy from carbohydrates. Eating a variety of plant foods like fruits and vegetables, with an emphasis on whole grains, is an important part of a healthy diet. Whole grains offer numerous health benefits including:

• Whole grains take longer to digest, which allows more nutrients to be broken down and absorbed into the blood stream.
• Whole grains are a good source of beneficial cholesterol-lowering components.
• Whole grains help regulate blood sugar by slowing down the conversion of complex carbohydrates into sugar. In fact, low-glycemic index foods such as whole grains reduce hunger and can help to control weight, according to scientists at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts.
• Whole grains are a concentrated source of protective antioxidants and other phytochemicals.

Copyright 2002, Prolab
Reprinted with Permission.