flyingeagle57

Today I am studying Carbohydrates, #2 of the six major nutrients in food.

1. Protein (covered in a earlier section)
2. Carbohydrates
3. Fats
4. Vitamins
5. Minerals
6. Water

Carbohydrates-> Are our chief source of energy. They are readily digested and converted into glucose, which is the form of sugar found in the bloodstream and often referred to as blood sugar. Glucose provides energy for the brain, the nervous system, and the muscles. It works like kindling for a fire. It helps the body to burn the denser fuel of fat more efficiently. A limited amount of glucose is stored in the muscles and liver as reserve fuel known as glycogen. Any excess of glycogen though is stored as fat.  Carbohydrates come in 2 forms: simple and complex. The simple carbohydrates are sugars and are rapidly broken down into glucose and absorbed by the blood. Simple sugars are found in refined sugars, like the white sugar you’d find in a sugar bowl. If you have a lollipop, you’re eating simple carbohydrates. But you’ll also find simple sugars in more nutritious foods, such as fruit and milk. It’s better to get your simple sugars from food like fruit and milk. Why? Because they contain vitamins, fiber, and important nutrients like calcium. A lollipop does not. Complex carbohydrates: These are also called starches. Starches include grain products, such as bread, crackers, pasta, and rice. As with simple sugars, some complex carbohydrate foods are better choices than others. Refined (say: ree-find) grains, such as white flour and white rice, have been processed, which removes nutrients and fiber. But unrefined grains still contain these vitamins and minerals . Unrefined grains also are rich in fiber, which helps your digestive system work well. Fiber helps you feel full, so you are less likely to over eat these foods. That explains why a bowl of oatmeal fills you up better than sugary candy that has the same amount of calories as the oatmeal.So which type of carbs should you eat? Both can be part of a healthy diet.How the Body Uses CarbohydratesWhen you eat carbohydrates, the body breaks them down into simple sugars. These sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream. As the sugar level rises in your body, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin is needed to move sugar from the blood into the cells, where the sugar can be used as a source of energy.When this process goes fast — as with simple sugars — you’re more likely to feel hungry again soon. When it occurs more slowly, as with a whole-grain food, you’ll be satisfied longer. These types of complex carbohydrates give you energy over a longer period of time.The carbohydrates in some foods (mostly those that contain a lot of simple sugars) cause the blood sugar level to rise more quickly than others. Scientists have been studying whether eating foods that cause big jumps in blood sugar may be related to health problems like diabetes and heart disease so it might be a good idea to limit simple sugars (such as candy) and eating more complex carbohydrates (like vegetables, oatmeal, and whole-grain wheat bread).So as a diabetic not only the sugar on the food labels affect my blood sugar level, so do carbohydrates. Explains a lot to me. After researching this last night, today I have watched not only the sugars but the carbs as well and after checking my blood sugar I have been below 200 all day. Usually I am between 350 and 450. Wow I am amazed. And I even feel better and walked the block 3 times instead of 1. I knew carbs could affect you but I didn’t know there were different kinds, or how they worked.I think tomorrow I am going to get a hold of a nutrition person I know at the hospital and talk further with her about this as well as my doctor.I will update this later on any more findings.