A common myth in the fat loss industry is that carbs lead to fat gain. It would be better said – simple, or refined carbs lead to fat gain. In an era of processed foods not all carbs are created equally. They can be divided into two groups: complex carbs and simple carbs. Complex carbs are found in whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Simple carbs are sugars and starches that have been refined and stripped of their natural fiber and nutrients.
There are five reasons that simple carbs cause the body to store excess fat:
- They are high in empty calories
Simple carbs are high in calories and low in nutrients. This gives your body nothing that it needs and causes your body to crave more food.
2. They impact blood sugar and hormone levels
When simple carbs are consumed there is excess glucose in the blood. Insulin must release from the pancreas to signal the fat cells to open and store excess glucose. Chronically elevated insulin levels can lead to insulin resistance and eventually diabetes.
3. They don’t satisfy hunger
Simple carbs are digested very quickly which often leads to a blood sugar “crash,” leaving you hungry and craving more.
4. They displace healthy foods
When simple carbs are consumed regularly, it is likely a person is not consuming the good nutrient dense foods that their body needs.
5. They can cause addiction
Similar to recreational drugs, sugar causes the brain to release dopamine. For people that are prone to addiction, sugar can be highly addictive.
Note – Research also suggests that eating large amounts refined carbohydrates leads to obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer.
Foods to eat and foods to avoid
Carbs can be a healthy part of your diet if you choose the right ones. The healthiest carbs are from foods that are in their whole, unprocessed form.
Complex carbs to include:
- Whole grains: whole unprocessed grains like oats, quinoa, barley and brown rice.
- Legumes: lentils, black beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, etc.
- Vegetables: sweet potatoes, broccoli, green beans, carrots, asparagus, etc.
- Fruits: apples, berries, citrus, kiwi, etc.
- Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, peanuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seed, etc.
Refined carbs to limit or avoid:
- Sugary beverages: soft drinks, sweetened tea, sports drinks, fruit juices, etc.
- Desserts and sweets: donuts, cakes, cookies, ice cream, candy, etc.
- White bread in all it’s variations
- White pastas: these are made from refined wheat flour.
Here is an abbreviated list of common simple carbs to avoid when purchasing packaged foods:
- High fructose corn syrup
- Agave nectar
- Fructose
- Bleached starch
- Corn starch
- Potato starch
- Cane juice
- Cane sugar
- Cane sugar extract
- Raw sugar
- Date sugar
- Fruit juice concentrate
- Fruit sugar
- Grape juice concentrate
- Grape sugar
- Pear juice concentrate
- Beet sugar
- Corn sugar
- Gluco-malt
- Glucose syrup
- Karo
- Barley malt syrup
- Birch syrup
- Brown rice syrup
- Coconut sugar
- Invert sugar
- Malt extract
- Palm sugar
- Rice malt syrup
- Glucose
- Dextrose
- Lactose
- Maltose
Label reading nugget of wisdom – ingredients on packaged foods are listed in order of volume – most to least. Manufacturers often use a number of different types of sugars to in one product to obscure the total quantity of sugar present.
An example of what this looks like from a fruit and flake breakfast cereal: Wholegrain wheat, rolled oats, sultanas, sugar, triticale, dried apricots, wheat flour, fructose, palm oil, humectant [glycerol], dextrose, wheat fibre, food acid (citric acid), natural flavour, barley malt extract, salt, honey, mineral (iron), vitamins (niacin, riboflavin, folate, thiamin).
This product has 5 different kinds of sugar, which if combined would make sugar one of the main ingredients. In which case, many scrupulous shoppers wouldn’t buy it.
But don’t live your life unsweet!
At 49th Degree we don’t want you to live your life with no sweetness, here is a list of healthier baking choices we recommend in moderation:
- Dates
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Blackstrap molasses
- Fruit such as bananas or applesauce
Summary
Fat loss is a complicated biological process that requires much more than reducing or eliminating simple carbohydrates from your diet. Understanding how your body metabolizes carbohydrates and how to identify hidden simple carbs in packaged foods is a small slice of the big fat loss pie.
Resources:
Medical News Today: What is the difference between simple and complex carbs?