Contents:
- Medical Video: 'Slow Carbs' and the Truth About Low-Carb Diets
- There are two types of carbohydrates
- Reducing sugar consumption for weight loss
- Choices of carbohydrate sources that should be avoided
Medical Video: 'Slow Carbs' and the Truth About Low-Carb Diets
To lose weight, reducing the intake of sweet foods, such as sugar, is one way. Too much sugar or carbohydrates that enter your body can indeed cause weight gain. However, your body actually needs carbohydrates as the main energy. So, which is better between reducing carbohydrates or just reducing sugar consumption?
There are two types of carbohydrates
You need to know, carbohydrates are divided into two types, namely simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are a type of carbohydrate that is easily digested by the body. This type of carbohydrate can trigger a rise in blood sugar quickly, so it is not good for you diabetics.
An example of this simple carbohydrate is sugar, either table sugar or artificial sugar commonly contained in packaged foods or drinks, for biscuits or soft drinks for example. Foods or drinks that contain lots of sugar usually only contain high calories, but do not contain nutrients.
Whereas, complex carbohydrates are a type of carbohydrate that takes longer to digest the body. This is because complex carbohydrates contain fiber which is good for your health. Fiber can keep you full longer and prevent constipation. Examples of complex carbohydrates are wheat, oats, brown rice, whole wheat bread, vegetables, and fruits.
Reducing sugar consumption for weight loss
Sugar is a simple type of carbohydrate that can contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess. This is because foods with high sugar levels usually contain high calories too. Unused sugar by body cells can then be stored by the body in the form of fat.
By reducing consumption of sugar and other simple carbohydrates, this can encourage the body to use fat reserves as energy. So, this can then help you lose weight.
Instead, don't limit eating complex carbohydrates. This type of carbohydrate is actually needed by the body because it contains many vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. In addition, complex carbohydrates also contain high fiber which is needed to maintain digestive health and can also help you lose weight.
Choices of carbohydrate sources that should be avoided
You may not realize, the food you eat every day is mostly high in sugar and "nutrient-poor". For example, breakfast with sweet bread and sweet tea, lunch with rice and fried noodles, and dinner with pizza and sweet cakes. If you have a diet like that, no wonder your weight will increase every month.
For that, you need to know what foods you should avoid. Many foods that actually contain high sugar you don't know. Some foods or drinks that contain high sugar and you should avoid are:
- Packaged foods with added sugar content. Read food labels, if they contain corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, molasses, malt, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, and other ingredients with names ending in -osa, you should avoid these foods. Also avoid packaged foods with sugar content of more than 10 grams per 100 grams of food.
- Sweet drinks in packaging, such as packaged tea drinks, soft drinks, bottled juices, and syrup.
- Reduce the addition of sugar to drinks, such as coffee and tea.
- Reduce the addition of sugar to your cooking. You can replace sugar with cinnamon or nutmeg to make a dessert.
- Reduce consumption of foods made from wheat flour, especially if you have a sweet taste, such as sponge cake, sweet bread, donuts, and others.
