3 Carbohydrate Myths! How to eat without getting fat?

Do you think that you can’t lose weight if you eat too much fatty food? In fact, it is only half right, and may have omitted carbohydrates. As scientific research continues to deepen, nutritionists have begun to realize that controlling calorie intake and ultimately achieving weight loss should start with moderate carbohydrate restriction. Especially refined carbohydrates including white rice, white bread, and white noodles.

This includes refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, and white noodles. Be careful not to consume them in excess.

Highly processed and refined carbohydrates have had their fiber, vitamins and minerals removed during processing. These include white bread, cookies and snacks made with white flour, pastries, candy, high-sugar non-alcoholic beverages, etc. These highly refined carbohydrates will be immediately broken down into the simplest form of carbohydrates during the digestion process and absorbed by the human body as blood sugar, or glucose, which can easily cause blood sugar to rise rapidly and is not conducive to weight loss.

How should carbohydrates be consumed so as not to cause obesity? What are some myths about carbohydrates? Japan's "WOMAN ONLINE" website invited nutrition experts to provide answers to some myths related to carbohydrates.

Myth 1: Is it necessary to strictly limit carbohydrates to lose weight?

According to a study published in JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association, reducing carbohydrates is more effective in achieving weight loss than reducing fat intake, but limiting carbohydrate intake is not without disadvantages. Sugar restriction is indeed one of the most effective methods in preventing diabetes and losing weight. If you are a person who does not exercise or does too much physical exercise, even if you do not eat rice every day, the sugar intake from vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, eggs, etc. is enough to provide energy for the day. This means that the sources of sugar are not just carbohydrates.

Limiting carbohydrate intake is not entirely beneficial; you also need to pay attention to your dietary fiber intake.

Are there any health concerns if I completely cut out carbohydrates? Studies have found that if carbohydrates are not consumed at all, the body's glucose tolerance (the ability to process glucose to maintain normal blood sugar levels) may deteriorate, and there is a risk of a decrease in hematopoietic stem cells in the blood.

The Japanese Diabetes Society issued a statement saying that the current practice of not restricting total calorie intake and only strictly restricting carbohydrates is not only unable to confirm its effectiveness, but also has no clear guarantee of its safety if used as a long-term treatment. It is not recommended at this stage. In other words, completely restricting carbohydrates is not a wise choice for weight loss. Learning to scientifically limit and select carbohydrates is the key to successful weight loss.

Myth 2: Will completely restricting refined carbohydrates help you lose weight?

Most people equate "sugar" with "carbohydrates", but strictly speaking, the two have different meanings. Sugar is only a part of carbohydrates. For example, although both brown rice and white rice are rich in carbohydrates, the part around the bran of brown rice also contains a lot of dietary fiber, while after brown rice is refined into white rice, it contains almost only sugar.

As we all know, excessive sugar intake is one of the root causes of diabetes and obesity. Therefore, actively consuming dietary fiber is an important means to prevent obesity. Although limiting carbohydrates is a means of controlling calorie intake, dietary fiber is also a part of carbohydrates. If carbohydrates are strictly restricted, it will inevitably lead to a lower intake of dietary fiber, which is already insufficient, and may have negative effects.

Nutritionists believe that controlling calorie intake and ultimately achieving weight loss should start with limiting carbohydrates.

The nutrition community generally agrees that it is very important to control refined carbohydrates. In addition to white rice, white bread and white noodles made from white flour are all refined carbohydrates. They can easily cause a sharp increase in blood sugar after a meal, which is not conducive to weight control.

However, relatively speaking, barley, buckwheat, oats, brown rice, etc. contain more dietary fiber, which can stabilize blood sugar after meals. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals. Not only do they have higher nutritional value, they are also more conducive to weight control.

Myth 3: Are all carbohydrates derived from starch?

People tend to think of carbohydrates as grains and starchy foods, but in fact, fruits and vegetables are also a source of carbohydrates. More than 99% of the carbohydrates we eat come from vegetables, fruits and grains. If these foods are eaten in their natural, unrefined state, the carbohydrates are mostly in a "complex" form, which means that the carbohydrates are broken down in a slower and more controlled manner during the digestion process.

It is recommended to choose fiber-rich carbohydrates to obtain health benefits. This type of carbohydrates can be absorbed slowly in the body and can avoid sudden spikes in blood sugar. Whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans are all good sources of carbohydrates.