In an attempt to lose weight, many people make the decision to give up carbohydrates, while others do so in the hope that they will register lower blood sugar values. Giving up is not the solution, however, because we desperately need them, as the diabetologist says.
Processed sweets should only be consumed occasionally PHOTO: Pixabay
Doctor specializing in diabetes and nutritional diseases Anca Roman says, in a video posted on her Facebook account, that patients often ask her if it is appropriate to give up carbohydrates (sugars) in order to achieve their goal of losing pounds quickly .
Others hope that by giving up carbs (as carbohydrates are also known) they will have better blood sugars. Both would make a big mistake by removing carbohydrates from their diet, because they provide the fuel necessary for the body to function.
However, it is equally true that not all products containing sugars have the same effect on the body. Therefore, the answer is categorically “No” to the question “Do we give up carbohydrates if we want to lose weight quickly?”, but we must be very careful about the type of carbohydrates.
Slow-absorbing carbohydrates, ally
Carbohydrates are, along with proteins and fats, an essential macronutrient for a healthy body. They should represent approximately 45-65% of your daily calorie intake. But carbohydrates also come in many forms – monosaccharides (such as glucose and fructose), disaccharides (sucrose and lactose) and polysaccharides (starch and fibre) – and are metabolized differently by the body.
While monosaccharides are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, disaccharides need further breakdown before being absorbed, and polysaccharides, the most complex, take the longest to be broken down and absorbed.
With this in mind, carbohydrates can also be classified as having a high or low glycemic index (how quickly a food can raise blood sugar levels).
Eating foods with a low glycemic index is recommended, while foods with a high glycemic index should only be eaten occasionally.
“We need at least 130 grams of carbohydrates per day”
“We don't have to give up carbs. We need at least 130 grams of carbohydrates per day. Let's not forget the fact that neurons feed exclusively on carbohydrates, let's not forget the fact that 55% of the daily caloric needs must come from carbohydrates. The difference, however, is made by the type of carbohydrates and the way in which they determine the secretion of insulin”, says diabetologist Anca Roman.
The doctor explains that the digestion of food begins in the oral cavity. Depending on what food we eat what happens in our body will be different.
“The process of digestion begins in the oral cavity, when salivary amylase is secreted. Salivary amylase informs the brain that we have begun to chew food, that there is food in the oral cavity, so that the stomach and intestines already begin to secrete the enzymes necessary to facilitate the digestion of this food. The difference, however, is the type of carbohydrates we choose to consume. If we eat slow-absorbing carbohydrates, this means that the pancreas will not be forced to quickly secrete insulin. Insulin will be gradually secreted as the carbohydrates slowly absorb from the blood into the tissues, so we will have a flat line of blood sugar and insulin levels, the ideal situation.” says the doctor.
When, on the other hand, we consume carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed from the blood, the body produces insulinemia in the form of a mountain top, the doctor explains further.
“Blood glucose will rise quickly, because carbohydrates are absorbed quickly, and insulinemia will rise just as quickly. At the base of the mountain, insulin begins to take glucose from the blood and deposit it as energy, in the form of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles, and the excess, that is, the top of the mountain, will be deposited in adipose tissue in the form of fat. So, fast-absorbing carbohydrates make us fat because we have more insulin, insulin – the hormone that makes us fat”explains Dr. Roman.
Moreover, the specialist also mentions, the paradoxical phenomenon of postprandial hypoglycemia can occur. This was because the carbohydrates were absorbed quickly, but insulin levels did not have time to fall as quickly as the absorption of carbohydrates, and there was a risk of hypoglycemia three hours after a meal rich in fast-absorbing carbohydrates. “What do we do when we have hypoglycemia? We eat fast-absorbing carbohydrates again and a vicious circle will be created from which it will be very difficult for us to get out”warns Dr. Roman.
If at a meal we consumed fast-absorbing carbohydrates, in order to slow down the digestion and absorption process of these carbohydrates, we will also have to introduce fiber, is the doctor's advice.
Pay attention to the label
Fast-absorbing carbohydrates are easy to recognize. They are all sweet products, which contain sugar, but also pastry products, white flour products, candied fruit, etc. Slow-absorbing carbohydrates are in whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat rice, beans, peas, lentils, carrots, fruits, dairy products etc.
If we have started a weight loss process, it is advisable to opt for carbohydrates with slow absorption and calculate the consumption. We must keep in mind that the body needs a minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates per day and it will be necessary to be careful how many grams of carbohydrates are found in each product consumed. On the label, we usually find the quantities/100 grams, therefore we will have to calculate how many grams we actually consume.
“Carbohydrate grams are not equivalent to product grams. We need to know, for example, that 25 grams of bread means 10 grams of carbohydrates”, the doctor also stated, for “Adevărul”.
Seeded bread has more grams of carbohydrates/100 grams of product than white flour bread, but the carbohydrates contained in white bread are absorbed more quickly. These are details that you can find out in the nutritionist's office, where you should also be told how to calculate the required amounts by following the labels.
Caloric restriction too hard, increased risk of putting on the pounds
If the patient's goal is to lose extra pounds, neither giving up carbohydrates nor overly strict caloric restriction are solutions, warns the doctor.
“Lose weight, but not by giving up carbs. You lose weight by restricting calories, opting for the minimum we need, not the maximum”, explained doctor Anca Roman. If we need between 180 and 250 grams of carbohydrates per day, we will reduce this amount.
However, the doctor is the one who should determine, depending on the age, height, kilograms and, very importantly, how active the patient is, the number of calories needed daily so that the weight loss process can be achieved without the risk of put the pounds back on at the end of the diet.
“We can make a caloric restriction, but we might make it too hard then let's get twice as fat, after we stop eating like this. That's usually the problem. When we go on a diet, we say: “Done, I'm not eating anything!”. This is what many patients say: “I haven't eaten anything, I ate one meal a day”. And it is normal to have three meals a day, I struggle a lot with this problem”the doctor concluded.
