Carbohydrates

There are four Macro Nutrients; Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, and Water.

Carbs are foods based upon carbon compounds and one of our body’s main sources for energy. Carbohydrates are the initial energy source for exercise bouts.

Myth: all carbs are bad for me and will make me gain weight.

Facts: Carbohydrates can be further separated in to simple or complex carbs.

Simple carbohydrates are more easily broken down in the body into sugar. These carbs are mostly found in our highly processed foods such as white bread, cakes, muffins, donuts, bagels, etc. Tricks to finding out which products these are would be too look at the nutrition labels and if you see "enriched flour" it is a simple carb. The ease of digestion for this type of carbohydrate creates a fasted spike in blood sugar levels and often do not keep your body feeling full for that long, which can lead you to consume more.

Complex carbs contain the whole part of a grain, also listed as whole grain on most boxes. these carbohydrates naturally contain more fiber and take longer for the body to digest. The longer digestion time of these carbs allow the body to sustain a more normal rise in blood sugar and the fiber will help your body feel full longer. Complex carbs can also be found in vegetables and are often used in recipes as lower carb options.

Tips & Tricks

• Look for Carbohydrates high in fiber. Whole grain should be listed as one of the first ingredients on the label
• Going “low carb”? Swap out regular pasta for spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles!
• Avoid added sugars. Try and limit the amount of added sugar in your diet by checking labels and trying to keep to natural sugars such as those in fruit.

Blog post by Erin Womboldt.