ALL ABOUT

CARBOTTY DRATES

And how the Canadian government made you fat

Janis McMath
Editor-in-Chief

 

O° in four Canadian adults are obese, and one in seven Canadian
children are obese. This may be why fad diets are extremely popular.
Everyday a new fad diet rears its head, and carbs were not immune to
this trend. Scott Pilgrim's “Bread makes you fat” terrified the nation and,
along with many other scary stories about “empty carbs,” their reputation
has suffered a blow. How should we feel about “zero carb” diets? Should
students cut carbs out of their diets in hopes of being healthier and more
energized for classes?

ARE CARBS EVIL?

The science says no. Low-carb and no-carb diets have been glamourized
without proper consideration for all the macronutrients and their individual
functions. There are three macronutrients our bodies need in significant
portions: proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Each has a specialized
function that it excels at, and without it, the other macronutrients must
compensate (poorly) to make up for the missing nutrient. For example, let’s
look at protein.

Protein is commonly known as the “building block of our bodies” as
amino acids comprise proteins and those build muscle, the brain, the nervous
system, blood, skin, and hair. This macronutrient also transports oxygen (and
other important nutrients). This is what protein is specialized to do, but it also
is capable of filling carbohydrate’s role as the main (and preferred) source of
energy for the body. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose with the
help of insulin; the process of obtaining glucose for energy from carbs is a
simple job for the body. Breaking down protein to create glucose in absence
of carbohydrates is a hard reverse process called gluconeogenesis; this
process takes a toll on the kidneys and the body's creation and maintenance
of muscle tissue. The body is capable of transforming proteins into energy so
it can survive in emergency situations. Stressing your body by not supplying it
with an apt amount of all the macronutrients it needs is far from ideal and can
cause issues. It is suggested that the ideal balance of calorie consumption is
45 to 65 percent from carbs, 20 to 35 percent from fats, and 10 to 35 percent
from protein.

ALL CARBS ARE NOT MADE EQUALLY

Knowing that it is important to maintain a relationship with carbohydrates
isn’t enough. Understanding the different types of carbs and what kind
double of energy they provide is another big part of a having a nourishing diet.
Carbs either provide energy in bursts or they provide energy that is stored
for long-term use. The bursts of energy come from simple carbohydrates
which are easy for the body to break down and turn into glucose. They
cause an immediate hike in blood sugar, and while this may be good for
an explosive amount of energy, simple carbs have a lot of glaring flaws.
For one, you'll be left feeling hungry as the energy from simple carbs are
digested and spent quickly. Blood sugar spikes also cause lethargy and can
cause serious health problems long term.

Consuming too many of these simple carbohydrates can cause insulin
resistance, meaning that insulin can’t get the muscle cells to convert the
sugar in the bloodstream into energy, so blood sugar levels stay high and
sugar is stored as fat instead. Insulin resistance leads to weight gain and high
blood pressure, and these afflictions can then further end with cardiovascular
disease and type II diabetes. Yet these carbs are useful for mid-workout when
you're feeling weary and can be helpful when used properly. Sports drinks,
sugar, pop, white bread, pasta, fruits, milk, and sweetened fruit juices are a
few examples—some obviously healthier than others.