Day: November 21, 2016

The foods we eat play a vital role in our health and body fitness. Basic nutrition science recommends having a well-balanced meal to provide body cells with all the required nutrients for a healthy body. A balanced diet should, therefore, contain proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and essential oils. All these nutrients play a big role in the body hence shouldn’t be replaced by any other. Many people today however have a misconception that carbohydrates make them fat. While eating the wrong carbs (in excess) can induce weight gain, carbohydrates provide calories which help drive all body processes and mechanisms, hence vital.

Some of the reasons that have contributed to people believing that carbs are bad, include the availability of processed foods on the market today. Fast food joints and factory manufactured foods contain high amounts of processed carbs that are easy to digest. According to research, more than 68% of processed carbs are absorbed and converted into body fats, which shouldn’t be the case. High-quality carbs (from organic foods, whole grains, cereals, etc.) are made up of long-chain monosaccharides that take long to be digested. In addition to this, these foods are high in dietary fiber, which also plays a critical role in controlling sugar levels in the bloodstream.

Carbohydrates from brown rice, cereals, corn, legumes, and even wheat are considered high quality for they promote many body processes. From the basic facts outlined above, it is clear that carbohydrates are necessarily required to fuel body processes and provide energy for various daily activities. Discussed below are some of the benefits of carbohydrates that you need to know about.

1. Weight Control

Although many people blame carbs for weight gain, high-quality carbohydrates do promote weight control, thus making it easier for one to keep track of his BMI. One fact that most people do not know is that carbohydrates are the primary sources of dietary fiber, a crucial constituent needed for digestive health and blood sugar regulation. Adding more unprocessed and organic foods in your diet plan can, therefore, promote weight loss in a number of ways. Dietary fiber, for instance, provides a full feeling while providing the required calories needed to keep your body going.

2. Heart Health

Whole grain foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits, oats, bran, whole wheat, broccoli, etc. are some of the best sources of high-quality carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is essential for it prevents cholesterol buildup in arteries and veins. This therefore reduces heart-related risks such as stroke, high blood pressure, and heart attack. Simple carbohydrates from processed foods such as cookies, cakes, and deep fried foods should however be avoided to promote heart health.

3. Improved Digestion

Constipation, flatulence, and indigestion are some of the most common digestive problems today. Doctors and nutritionists say that these problems could be prevented if individuals started taking nutrition seriously, and focused on organic and fresh foods. All these conditions have one thing in common, lack of enough insoluble fiber in the foods the patients eat. Including foods high in dietary fiber and whole carbohydrates can therefore help prevent these conditions for good. Fiber promotes digestive health by boosting movement of foods down the digestive system.