Carbohydrates are found in a wide variety of foods such as bread, rice, fruits, pasta, milk, beans and legumes, potatoes, vegetables, cookies, and yogurt, to name a few. In summary, they are found in 3 out of the 4 food groups, and are even found in vegetarian and vegan sources of protein.
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Carbohydrates are made up sugars, starches and fibres and the amounts of each vary depending on their food source.
"Carbs" is a word that seems to hold a lot of power in today's world. "good carbs, bad carbs" blah blah blah. I do my part by calling them carbohydrates, which is their correct term, and this seems to neutralize them a bit. Carbohydrates are one of the THREE macronutrients that we obtain from the foods we eat- the others are protein and fat. We need them. We need them in adequate amounts. And we need them daily. Diets often promote low carbohydrates and no wonder people feel awful, experience shifts in mood, low energy and a preoccupation with food- not to mention, "feelings of failure" when one cannot sustain "low carb" eating. Once, again let's make room for all foods. Have a look at what carbohydrates do for our body.
Carbohydrates have many roles in the body, they:
đŠŸbreakdown into glucose, which is the MAIN energy source in the body for all of our processes, activities, and functions (vroom, vroom)
đ§ are the fuel source for our BRAIN! This is why you feel foggy, unable to make decisions, have difficulty concentrating, or get irritable on a low carb diet, or when you havenât eaten adequately on a particular day (omg, that's why!)
đ©supply us with fibre which promotes good digestive health and bowel regularity, in other words, it helps you POOP; fibre also lowers our risk of colon cancer, helps us feel satisfied for longer and helps with blood glucose management. Fibre is not absorbed by the body but passes through, helping us along the way (how nice!)
â€ïžimprove heart health by providing a source of soluble fibre, which helps lower cholesterol levels by helping the body rid excess cholesterol from the body (why, thank you!)
âœïžare stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells for a backup energy reserve (our bodies are smart!)
đȘđŒhelp preserve muscle mass by sparing protein from being used as an energy source which allows it to do its job of building and repairing muscles (amongst other functions of protein in the body)
đhelp with mood regulation as serotonin-releasing brain neuron activity is controlled by food intake- in short, carbohydrate consumption increases serotonin release (food feels good!)
â ïžcan assist with the interruption of binge eating when they are included in adequate amounts throughout the day (and not restricted)
Are you struggling to eat in a normalized way? Do you feel like food runs your life?
Let's connect for a quick consultation call and see how we can change your relationship with food. Food is important, but there are many other important areas of your life that deserve your attention and focus. Let's achieve food freedom and being rebuilding YOUR life worth living.
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