Carbohydrates serve as an essential energy source, but processed versions can lead to inflammation and weight gain. Understanding the difference between complex carbs like oatmeal and simple sugars is key to metabolic health.
Marathon runners, endurance cyclists and elite athletes all know the feeling when, during a big competition or long training session, energy levels plummet. This is due to a lack of readily available fuel to power the muscles.
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Your body requires energy to function: each cell relies on a source of energy to drive the chemical reactions required for digestion and metabolism, cellular communication, cell division and growth, hormone synthesis and several other physiological processes.
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Your food choices are the biggest determinant of your risk of heart disease. Ample consumption of unprocessed plant foods coupled with limited intake of refined, nutrient-deficient foods is a major key to heart protection.
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If you love to start the morning with a bowl of oatmeal, keep up the healthy habit. Oatmeal provides complex carbohydrates to help fuel your body and brain and houses a host of other important nutrients as well.
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Knowing the number of calories you eat from sugar can help you when working to lose weight or when trying to control your blood sugar. If you regularly add sweeteners, such as granulated sugar or brown sugar, to foods or beverages, it's important to know how many calories this contributes to your daily intake.
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Deadlifts are the ultimate lower-back exercise, and, if done correctly, they can decrease back pain, decrease the risk of injury and improve functional strength.
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Soft, sticky and excellent for soaking up savory sauces, white rice makes a delicious accompaniment to many different meals. If you think white rice is doing much for your health, however, think again. Although white rice can be eaten as part of a healthy diet, there are much better sources of complex carbohydrates.
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With the exception of meat, fish and a few types of seafood, almost all foods have some amount of carbohydrate. If you suspect that carbs are giving you a headache, it could be a sign that your blood sugar is high.
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If you have eaten a food that has the term malt or malted in its name, chances are you've eaten maltose. Maltose is a sugar not naturally found in high quantities in the food supply, but your body can generate it when you digest starchy foods.
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Carbohydrates are the macronutrient that fuels most Americans, corresponding to an average of 300 g a day and representing over 50 percent of their daily calorie intake. Sugar, grain products and starchy vegetables are the main source of carbohydrates in the American diet.
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It's no secret that rice and potatoes are high-carb foods, but that doesnβt mean you have to eliminate them from a low-carb diet. First, it's essential to watch portion size so that a serving of rice or potatoes doesn't exceed your daily carb goals. Then you can prepare both foods in a way that reduces net carbs.
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The principle of weight gain is simple. You gain weight from consuming more calories than you burn. Carbs contain calories, but so do the other two types of macronitrients: fats and proteins.
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Palpitations are sensations in your chest, neck or throat that feel as though your heart is racing or pounding. They are not typically serious, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, but they can indicate medical conditions in need of treatment.
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There's no one-size-fits all approach to the amount of carbs you need daily, and the recommended dietary guidelines allow some leeway so you can find a carb intake that works for you. People need a minimal amount of carbs every day, however, to provide the brain with the glucose it needs to function.
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Imagine a platter of warm crusty bread or fresh-baked cookies. Are you hungry yet? The availability of flavorful breads and sweets in today's culture can make occasional cravings a given. Often, however, dietary and lifestyle factors underlie such cravings, making frequent and excessive indulgence likely.
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Food labels often offer up a sea of unpronouncable words. Maltodextrin and dextrose are two that may give you pause, but both are ingredients derived from natural sources, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration categorizes them as "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS.
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The Institute of Medicine advises that 45 to 65 percent of the calories you take in each day come from carbohydrate sources. Carbohydrates give you energy and help with weight control. They also benefit your heart and promote a healthy digestive system.
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Plants produce starch and use it to store carbohydrates for energy. When you consume foods that contain starch, it becomes an important source of energy for your body. Starches, or complex carbs, consist of two molecules -- amylose and amylopectin -- that connect together to form starch granules.
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Whether you're following a low-carb trend, or are a carb junkie, carbohydrates play a role in your diet. If you're like most people, carbohydrates make up a significant portion of your diet.
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It is impossible to make a blanket statement that all bagels are good or all bagels are bad. If you eat too many bagels, they can be bad for you. However, if you select the right type, bagels can be a good choice for breakfast as a part of a well-balanced diet.
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