Which carbohydrates are fast and harmful, and which are slow and healthy?

Products containing slow carbohydrates: Pixabay Fast and slow carbohydrates, according to world nutritionists, are what modern people who want to lead a healthy lifestyle and eat right should learn to distinguish between. You should be careful with the first ones, but I’ll tell you in detail what slow carbohydrates are and how they are useful.

Slow

Good or slow carbohydrates are foods with a low glycemic index. Characteristics of this energy group:

• presence of vitamins, fiber and minerals
• chemical structure that speeds up metabolism
• prolonged digestion
• slow release of calories

The good ones, also known as complex compounds, are found in whole grains, unprocessed rice, cereals, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits.

Carbohydrate diet for weight loss

The principle of the carbohydrate diet is quite simple: it is necessary to control the amount of sugar consumed in food so as not to cause excess unspent energy, which will subsequently settle in the form of fat deposits.

In no case should you skip main meals, since a prolonged lack of fuel will give the body a signal to store it for future use. And this, again, is excess weight.

Choose foods with low and medium GI more often, limit the consumption of ordinary sugar and other sweets, and increase physical activity.

At first, a special table of fast and slow carbohydrates will help, and over time, taking care of your health will become an invariable part of your new life.

Fast

Bad or fast carbohydrates are a nutritional group with a high glycemic index and properties:

• digest very quickly
• cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels
• provoke a sharp release of insulin
• lead to the deposition of adipose tissue

Sources of fast or simple carbohydrates are foods that are pre-processed, lack fiber, and have low nutritional value.

Fast carbohydrates, list of products:

• pasta made from soft wheat varieties
• potatoes, white bread, pastries
• confectionery - cakes and desserts
• muesli, cereal, white rice, popcorn, sugar
• instant porridge and puree, honey
• yoghurts and curds with additives
• jam, chips, lemonades, sweet drinks, juices

A carbohydrate-balanced menu consists mainly of foods including:

• dark flour
• fruits and vegetables

In this case, the processes of lipogenesis - that is, the formation and deposition of fat in the body are under control.

Foods with easily digestible carbohydrates should be avoided:

• made from white flour
• semolina-type cereals
• with added sugar

Remember - simple carbohydrates are a calorie bomb devoid of nutrients.

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Biological role of carbohydrates

The human body is a kind of perpetual motion machine that requires a constant supply of fuel.
The last thing is food, or more precisely, the carbohydrates (sugars or saccharides) contained in it. As a result of the oxidation of one gram of it, a little more than 4 kcal of energy and 0.4 g of water are released. This is enough for 1 second of running at maximum speed. In general, it is believed that the life activity of an average person requires from 1500 to 1700 kcal per day. But the energy function of carbohydrates, although the most important, is not the only one. Saccharides provide regulation of blood osmotic pressure. This is manifested in the fact that it contains more than 100 mg/% glucose (the simplest form of carbohydrates).

These organic substances are part of complex molecules involved in building DNA. And they perform a plastic function.

Carbohydrates form cellular receptors responsible for the perception of external stimuli.

As for the support function, in the human body their share ranges from 2-3% of body weight. For comparison: the dry mass of plants consists of 80% carbohydrates. That is why the main source of these organic substances for humans is plant foods.

Is it right to give up carbohydrate-containing foods?

Sometimes, people, in pursuit of good shape, decide to avoid eating any carbohydrates. But, this is a bad choice.

1. Low-energy nutrition is of the ketogenic type. A lack of energy substances in the diet leads to the process of ketosis - fat burning, during which ketone substances enter the blood. These are toxins, in particular, depressing brain functions.
2. In addition, the body increases the production of hormones - norepinephrine, adrenaline and glucagon. These compounds are useful in the short term, but on an ongoing basis lead to exhaustion of the body and endocrine disruption.
3. Another unpleasant aspect of a low-carbohydrate diet is hypercholesterolemia with rapid vascular damage and the risk of conditions such as stroke or heart attack.
4. Just 3-4 months of eating without plant fiber will cause gastrointestinal problems - vomiting, constipation or nausea. Additionally, a deficiency of vitamins B, C and A will form, the body will become acidic, the nervous system will become hyperactive, and the urinary system will react with gout.
5. Separately, disorders of calcium phosphate, hemoglobin and glucose metabolism may develop. That is, a person will become acquainted with type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis or osteopenia.

Therefore, the right choice would be a healthy diet rich in slow carbohydrates.

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Plant calorie content

By determining the quantitative composition of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins in a banana, you can determine how beneficial it is for the human body. Russian health authorities advise that up to 60% of calories come from monosaccharides, 30% from lipids and 10% from proteins. The energy value of a ripe dessert banana ranges from 65 to 111 kcal, green – 108 kcal, dried – 298 kcal. 100 g of ripe fruit of the Platano variety has a calorie content of 110 to 157 kcal, green – 90-145 kcal, dried – 359 kcal.

Energy value of various dishes based on banana (in kcal):

• corn curd muffins – 249;
• protein pancakes with oatmeal – 222;
• casserole –126;
• cocktail with chocolate – 50;
• smoothie with strawberries – 75.

Bananas are recommended for use in cases of cardiovascular pathologies, especially swelling. This is due to the presence of potassium and magnesium in the fruit, which are involved in the conduction of the heart. These microelements in 1 piece of banana, when consumed daily, are enough to prevent necrotic processes in the heart muscle. The berry is useful for the prevention of hypertension, various pathologies of the digestive tract and excretory organs.

It is prohibited to use the tropical product for overweight patients suffering from blood clotting pathologies. People in the age group also need to be careful, especially with dried fruits called banana figs.

When and how to consume carbohydrate-containing foods?

There are general rules for consuming energy products.

In the morning

You can use small amounts of fast carbohydrates, which will help your brain work intensively and will be a good way to start the day energetically. In the morning it is recommended:

• jam, marmalade or honey
• sweetened yoghurts
• cereal with dried fruits

And also, carbohydrates in porridges - semolina, millet, oatmeal with the addition of fruit.

Dinner

Must include complex carbohydrates:

• whole grain bread
• durum wheat pastes
• dark pasta and brown rice

In addition, fruits or vegetables in salads, side dishes and fresh.

Evening

Starting from 18-19 hours, it is recommended to eat only protein foods with the addition of lettuce or vegetables, except potatoes and legumes.

Depending on daily activity, when an energetic period is replaced by a measured period, it is necessary to reduce the amount of carbohydrates in the diet.

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Nutritional value

Next, we will talk about what provides the beneficial and healing properties of this exotic fruit.

Number of calories

The calorie content of a date depends on the form in which it is consumed and the variety. The average figures are as follows (calorie content of 1 fruit (10 g) in parentheses):

• calorie content of fresh fruit - 150 kcal (15 kcal);
• The calorie content of dried fruit is 292 kcal (29 kcal), of which proteins are 10 kcal, fats are 4 kcal, carbohydrates are 277 kcal.

When calculating calories, the size of the fruit is taken into account, since there are large-fruited and small-fruited varieties.

Content of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial substances in dried fruit

The calculation of the daily norm is given for women weighing 60 kg and age 30 years. With changes in gender and age, this indicator changes slightly.

Why is sugar dangerous?

If we can say about slow carbohydrates that these are natural fruits and whole grains, then among fast carbohydrates the most useless carbohydrate is sugar. The product has no nutritional value and is considered the drug of the century for a number of reasons.

Sugar:

1. Stimulates the formation of beta-endorphins.
2. Gives the illusion of stress relief, briefly improving mood.
3. It produces biochemical dependence in people.
4. It affects the brain in a way similar to opioid intoxication because it stimulates the same receptors that respond to morphine, heroin and codeine.

After eating sweets, people feel calm. They quickly get used to the cake = happiness scheme. As a result, they become dependent.

Excess sugar, as the most prominent representative of bad carbohydrates, leads to:

• hypertension, irritability, hyperactivity
• decreased mental functions, cancer pathology
• suppression of the immune system, accelerated aging
• slowing down recovery processes

Not everyone consciously chooses to abuse simple carbohydrates. Therefore, it is useful to know where sugar is hidden in hidden form.

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Let's compare the elements

Essentially, simple and complex carbohydrates are sugars, but they differ in several ways. Let's compare the components in a small table.

Healthy foods with bad ingredients

Diet cereals and candies are simply a trap for buyers, as they contain hefty doses of sugar. It's useful to know that this ingredient is also hidden in unsweetened foods:

• ketchup and salad sauces
• canned meat and fish
• peanut butter
• all types of bread
• yoghurts, muesli, cereal bars
• sausages and sausages

How can I find the information on the label? Read the section “Carbohydrates”, where the explanation “Including sugar” follows. On average, 150 grams of sugar-containing, although unsweetened, products contain up to 2 teaspoons of sugar. Healthy chocolate or cereal contains up to 3-5 spoons per 150 grams.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that nutritionists recommend paying attention not only to the amount of carbohydrates, but also to the presence of fats in foods, since the combination of sugar and fat has a particularly adverse effect on the health of the body.

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Eating

Dates with pits, which contain more nutrients, are considered the healthiest.

Dried dates are the most common in our latitudes. They are consumed as a snack for tea, coffee instead of dessert.

Dried fruit is eaten separately from the rest of the food, as this way it is better digested and absorbed. The recommended daily dose is 10–12 fruits, for athletes and people engaged in heavy physical labor - up to 25 fruits.

How to choose?

For a product to be beneficial, you need to learn how to choose it. The most beneficial fruits are those that have dried naturally on the palm tree without the use of chemicals. Here are the signs of a quality product:

• Dark brown color, uniform coloring. A light shade indicates an unripe fruit.
• The surface is matte, solid, moderately soft to the touch, not hard.
• No cracks on the skin. If the surface is cracked, this indicates rapid oven drying, especially with signs such as stickiness and stickiness when chewed.

If there are sugar crystals on the surface, and the dates themselves are stuck together, then it is likely that they have been treated with sugar syrup - this is not harmful, but it increases the calorie content. If the surface is shiny, then the dried fruit has been treated with fats.

Recipes

There are many recipes with dates. The easiest one is to make homemade sweets. To do this, the pitted pulp is passed through a meat grinder and mixed with chopped nuts.

The sweet mass is rolled into balls and sprinkled with sesame seeds, poppy seeds or coconut crumbs. For children, such a delicacy will replace candy, and for athletes, an energy bar.

Dates are added as an ingredient to salads, and not only fruit ones. So, they chop kale, kale, broccoli, add garlic, red onion, and celery. The pulp of two dates is also chopped there. For dressing use olive oil and sea salt.

Traditional medicine offers recipes for the treatment of various ailments. So, for a dry cough, 6-7 fruits are poured with cold milk and brought to a boil, kept on fire for another 10 minutes. The broth is cooled to a comfortably warm temperature and drunk before bed, eaten with boiled fruits.

Interesting Facts

In the Muslim holy book, the Koran, dates are mentioned 29 times. According to legend, this delicacy was one of the favorites of the Prophet Muhammad.

If in northern countries Palm Sunday is celebrated with willow branches, then in the south of Europe believers take date palm branches for worship.

Dates strengthen eyelashes. To prepare the remedy, burn 2-3 pressed fruits and grind the mass in a coffee grinder to obtain a powder. Eyeliner at night.

In the 60s of the twentieth century, excavations of the palace of King Herod were carried out. Archaeologists have found a pot of date palm fruits that were collected more than 2 thousand years ago. Scientists managed to germinate one of the seeds. The palm tree from the ancient seed was named Methuselah in honor of one of the forefathers of mankind, who, according to biblical legends, lived 969 years.

Dates are sometimes called fruits of other crops - for example, jujube ("Chinese date").

Until now, in African countries, dates replace bread, so the inhabitants of the continent value this food.

Dates are undeservedly ignored. This is a product that both nourishes and heals. Therefore, if there are no contraindications, you should reconsider your attitude towards “breadfruit”.