Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are your bodies first choice for energy. This is because the breakdown of carbohydrates to glucose (energy in the bloodstream) is the very efficient. Carbs provide energy for the brain, nervous system and muscles. So if carbs are so good why all the low carb hype? Simple. Americans not only eat too many carbs, but also the wrong kind of carbs.

Carbohydrates are classified as simple and complex based on their composition. Simple carbohydrates deliver the same amount of energy, four calories per gram, but at a far more rapid pace after eating. Therefore, simple carbohydrates provide an immediate boost in blood sugar (glucose). But the boost comes with a price -- it wears off quickly and you'll soon be hungry again. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are digested more slowly and will leave you feeling full longer. Plus, they are healthier! Complex carbs pack a bigger nutritional punch and have more fiber by their very definition. For people wanting to lose weight and body fat, complex carbs are a must!  

When choosing carbohydrates for your diet, always select unrefined foods such as fruits, vegetables, peas, beans, and whole-grain products. Processed foods such as soft drinks, desserts, candy, and sugar are bad for your health and waistline. Refined foods offer few, if any, of the vitamins and minerals that are important to your health. In addition, over a period of many years, a diet composed of mostly simple carbohydrates can lead to a number of disorders, including diabetes, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and obesity.

Most people should eat fewer simple carbohydrates. I think of simple carbohydrates as "stupid" calories because of their lack of nutritional value. Sure, you can have a regular coke if you want -- just go run 1.5 miles to burn those "stupid" calories.