Carbohydrates…
it’s definitely a word we have all heard before and usually one we associate
with foods that we eat to give us energy. Carbohydrate rich foods can usually
be converted easily into glucose, which is the form of sugar that is used by
our bodies to give it energy and keep us going throughout the day. However as
many are also aware, a diet with too many carbohydrates can result in us
gaining weight quicker than we might like. This is caused by our bodies blood
sugar level increasing that not only means weight gain, but can also leave us
feeling irritable and tired. It is advised that you balance your level of carbohydrates
with a healthy balance of protein, fat and fiber.
There
are two types of carbohydrates; complex and simple.
Complex carbohydrates can
either be found as a “natural starch” in foods or as a more unhealthy starch
that can be found in “processed foods”. Complex carbohydrates that can be found
in foods as “natural starch” includes products like bananas, barley, beans, wholegrain
products (including cereals, rice, breads, flour, pasta, etc.) chickpeas, lentils, nuts,
oats, etc.
Complex carbohydrates that
are found as a starch that are not so natural include; biscuits,
pastries and cakes, pizzas, sugary
processed breakfast cereals, white bread, flour, pasta, and
rice, etc.
Simple carbohydrates are
also known as sugars and exist again in two formats; natural or refined form. Natural carbohydrate sugars are found
in fruit and vegetables, Refined sugars on the other hand are found in
the following foods; biscuits, cakes and
pastries, chocolate,
honey and jams, jellies, brown and
white cane sugar, pizzas, prepared
foods and sauces, soft drinks along with sweets and snack bars.
So what is the difference between complex and simple
carbohydrates?
Both types of carbohydrates
form glucose when we digest them and are transported around our bodies via our
blood stream. These are then absorbed into our cells and converted into energy.
Without boring you with too
much detail, our pancreas glands in our abdomen, stores the hormone insulin,
which controls the uptake of glucose by our cells. When you have too much glucose,
your body converts this into glycogen, which is stored in the liver or in fat
around the body, this causes us to gain weight!
As you have read it is important that you get the right balance of
carbohydrate in your body on a daily basis however it is important that you
don’t consume too much of the starchy carbohydrate. This becomes hard when our
bodies are craving it! However there are supplements on the market that can
reduce these cravings, one of these supplements is 5-HTP. By taking a
supplement that contains 5-HTP you will not only find that your cravings are
reduced but that you also don’t feel as hungry and you have a smaller appetite,
resulting in weight loss. In addition to helping you lose weight, products
containing 5-HTP have also been proven to help with sleep disturbances, depression,
nasty headaches, anxiety attacks and PMS.
Capsiplex
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