Week 6: Selecting Whole Carbohydrates over Refined Carbohydrates

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Oswald Berry
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1 Week 6: Selecting Whole Carbohydrates over Refined Carbohydrates Purpose The purpose of this chapter is to understand the difference between refined and whole carbohydrates, and give you guidance on how to determine if a product is whole or refined. Learning Objectives In this chapter, you will learn the following: What are carbohydrates and what foods contain carbohydrates Why carbohydrates are essential components of your diet What is the glycemic index and how to select foods that are low on the glycemic index scale What health problems are associated with refined carbohydrates Page 81

2 What are Carbohydrates? By now you re probably aware that when you eat carbohydrates, your blood sugar values increase. This is because carbohydrates break down into glucose. In order to limit the rise in blood sugar following a meal, many people with diabetes limit their carbohydrate intake, and instead opt for foods that are high in protein and high in fat. Eating large quantities of protein and fat may help with weight loss and blood sugar control, however recent research is now showing that low fat diets are extremely effective in reducing blood sugar and even reversing type 2 diabetes (43 47). What Types of Foods Contain Carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are found in the following food groups: Fruits Vegetables Legumes (Beans and Lentils) Pastas Grains Breads Cereals Rice Artificial Sweeteners Page 82

Carbohydrates are Essential Components of Your Diet Carbohydrates from whole foods are essential for the function

Adrenal Gland Restricting carbohydrates can result in elevated cortisol, a stress hormone which can cause you to

Sex Glands Restricting carbohydrate intake can reduce testosterone in men and women, and reduce fertility in women.

Brain Your brain runs off of glucose and requires glucose for optimal function.

3 Carbohydrates are Essential Components of Your Diet Carbohydrates from whole foods are essential for the function of many tissues, including the following: Thyroid Gland Your thyroid gland produces a hormone called T3 that is important for blood glucose management. Restricting carbohydrate intake results in a drop in T3 levels, which can make you feel low energy (48 51). Adrenal Gland Restricting carbohydrates can result in elevated cortisol, a stress hormone which can cause you to gain fat and lose muscle (52 55). Sex Glands Restricting carbohydrate intake can reduce testosterone in men and women, and reduce fertility in women. In certain cases, women can stop ovulating, leading to serious fertility issues (52 54). Brain Your brain runs off of glucose and requires glucose for optimal function. Feed your brain the fuel that it needs in order to stay mentally focused and awake (56 60). Heart and Muscles Eating carbohydrates can actually help you gain muscle. This is because insulin stores carbohydrates and promotes muscle growth. Keeping your carbohydrate intake high can also help protect your heart against plaque buildup (61 66). Page 83

4 The Glycemic Index The glycemic index is a measure of how fast a food increases your blood sugar. The higher the glycemic index of a food, the faster that food will increase your blood sugar. The lower the glycemic index of a food, the slower that food will increase your blood sugar. Below is a list of the glycemic index of 100 common foods. The glycemic index is on a scale from Foods that are low on the glycemic index scale are slow to increase your blood sugar, whereas foods that are high on the glycemic index scale are quick to increase your blood sugar. See the following classifications for a more concrete breakdown of the glycemic index scale: Glycemic Index Scale Low: GI value 55 or less Slow Medium: GI value of Medium High: GI 70 or more Fast A complete list of glycemic index values has been published and can be found in the article referenced here (67). Page 84

5 Food Bakery Products and Breads Glycemic Index Serving Size (grams) Banana cake, made with sugar Banana cake, made without sugar Sponge cake, plain Vanilla cake made from packet mix with vanilla frosting (Betty Crocker) Apple, made with sugar Apple, made without sugar Waffles, Aunt Jemima (Quaker Oats) Bagel, white, frozen Baguette, white, plain Coarse barley bread, 75 80% kernels, average Hamburger bun Kaiser roll Pumpernickel bread % cracked wheat kernel bread White wheat flour bread Wonder bread, average Whole wheat bread, average % Whole Grain bread (Natural Ovens) Pita bread, white Corn tortilla Wheat tortilla Page 85

6 Beverages Food Glycemic Index Serving Size (grams) Coca Cola, average ml Fanta, orange soft drink ml Lucozade, original (sparkling glucose 95± ml drink) Apple juice, unsweetened, average ml Cranberry juice cocktail (Ocean Spray ) ml Gatorade ml Orange juice, unsweetened ml Tomato juice, canned ml Breakfast Cereals All Bran, average Coco Pops, average Cornflakes, average Cream of Wheat (Nabisco) Cream of Wheat, Instant (Nabisco) Grapenuts, average Muesli, average Oatmeal, average Instant oatmeal, average Puffed wheat, average Raisin Bran (Kellogg's) Special K (Kellogg's) Page 86

7 Grains Food Glycemic Index Serving Size (grams) Pearled barley, average Sweet corn on the cob, average Couscous, average Quinoa White rice, average Quick cooking white basmati Brown rice, average Converted, white rice (Uncle Ben's ) Whole wheat kernels, average Bulgur, average Cookies and Crackers Graham crackers Vanilla wafers Shortbread Rice cakes, average Rye crisps, average Soda crackers Dairy Products and Alternatives Ice cream, regular Ice cream, premium Milk, full fat mL Milk, skim ml Reduced fat yogurt with fruit, average Page 87

8 Fruits Food Glycemic Index Serving Size (grams) Apple, average Banana, ripe Dates, dried Grapefruit Grapes, average Orange, average Peach, average Peach, canned in light syrup Pear, average Pear, canned in pear juice Prunes, pitted Raisins Watermelon Vegetables Green peas, average Carrots, average Parsnips Baked russet potato, average Boiled white potato, average Instant mashed potato, average Sweet potato, average Yam, average Page 88

9 Food Beans and Nuts Glycemic Index Serving Size (grams) Baked beans, average Blackeye peas, average Black beans Chickpeas, average Chickpeas, canned in brine Navy beans, average Kidney beans, average Lentils, average Soybeans, average Cashews, salted Peanuts, average 7 50 Pasta and Noodles Fettucini, average Macaroni, average Macaroni and Cheese (Kraft) Spaghetti, white, boiled, average Spaghetti, white, boiled 20 min, average Spaghetti, wholemeal, boiled, averagewheat Snack Foods Corn chips, plain, salted, average Fruit Roll Ups M & M's, peanut Microwave popcorn, plain, average Potato chips, average Pretzels, oven baked Snickers Bar Page 89

What is the Difference between Natural and

Unprocessed Carbohydrates are Whole Foods

mainly in fruits, vegetables and legumes,

state or be eaten with minimal cooking and

Whole foods contain beneficial nutrients

health, and can help strengthen the function

10 What is the Difference between Natural and Processed Carbohydrates? Unprocessed Carbohydrates are Whole Foods Carbohydrates from whole foods are found mainly in fruits, vegetables and legumes, and can be eaten in their whole, natural state or be eaten with minimal cooking and processing. Whole foods contain beneficial nutrients including vitamins, minerals, fiber, water and antioxidants. These beneficial nutrients promote organ health, and can help strengthen the function of your brain, heart, liver, pancreas, thyroid and muscle tissues. Whole food carbohydrates are generally medium or low on the glycemic index. Opt for foods lower on the glycemic index to help minimize blood sugar spikes. Antioxidants Carbs Fat Water What Does a Whole Food Contain? Protein Fiber Vitamins Minerals Page 90

Processed and Refined Carbohydrates Can Cause Health Problems Refined Carbohydrates are Not Whole Foods Refined carbohydrates live in packages, bottles, cans and boxes.

11 Processed and Refined Carbohydrates Can Cause Health Problems Refined Carbohydrates are Not Whole Foods Refined carbohydrates live in packages, bottles, cans and boxes. They are refined products that have been processed, manufactured and changed from their original and whole state. Refined carbohydrates have been stripped of beneficial nutrients including vitamins, minerals, fiber, water and antioxidants. As a result, refined carbohydrates are digested and absorbed quicker than unrefined carbohydrates, resulting in blood sugar spikes. Refined carbohydrates often have a high glycemic index because vitamins, minerals, fiber, water and antioxidants have been removed. Whole Food Remove Vitamins and Minerals Remove Fiber Remove Water Remove Antioxidants Refined Food Page 91

12 Your Homework for Next Week Determine which refined carbohydrates are present in your diet. Come up with a battle plan for substituting them with whole carbohydrates. List your favorite refined carbohydrates in the first column below. Determine how many grams of carbohydrates are present in that serving size. Determine the glycemic index of that food. Select a whole carbohydrate alternative. Determine how many grams of carbohydrates are present in that serving size. Determine the glycemic index of that food. Aim to incorporate lower glycemic carbohydrates whenever possible. Page 92

13 Your Favorite Refined Carbs Carbs (g) Glycemic Index Whole Carb Alternative Carbs (g) Glycemic Index Weeks 6-8 Vegetables Fruits Legumes Servings Page 93

14 Sample for Week 6-8: Breakfast: 1 serving fruit + 1 serving vegetable Snack: 1 serving fruit Lunch: 1 serving fruit + 3 servings vegetables +1 cup beans Snack: 1 serving vegetable Dinner: 1 serving fruit + 3 servings vegetables + 1 cup beans Page 94

Glycemic Load & Glycemic Index

Glycemic Load & Glycemic Index Load & Index When food is consumed it is converted to fuel for our bodies. One type of fuel is glucose and different foods impact blood glucose levels differently. A driver of this is the amount and type