Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Carbohydrates and the Glycemic Index
Carbohydrates have been the discussion of many dietary plans in recent years. The popularity of the Atkins and other no or low carb diets has given carbohydrates a bad name when it comes to a healthy diet. However, these claims are unfounded. This paper will discuss why carbs are good diet foods, how fiber affects your digestive health and weight, what lactose intolerance is and how it's treated, and what carbs have to do with diabetes and hypoglycemia.
Carbohydrates are excellent sources of energy, and thus good diet foods. Muscles, nerve cells, and the brain all need carbs as the fuel to run. In addition, a recent study showed that participants who ate a high-carb diet, ate the same amount of food (calculated by weight), but consumed 200-300 fewer kilocalories, in addition to less fat. And, they had a greater intake of many vitamins and minerals (Bowman & Spence 272).
Fiber is one of the three types of carbohydrates, along with sugar and starches. Fiber cannot be digested by the human body, and thus does not add to caloric intake. It provides a feeling of fullness for the eater and it aids in digestion and elimination. In addition, it may be helpful in treating diabetes and heart disease.
Lactose intolerance is the body's inability to digest lactose, which is a dairy sugar. It's caused by a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, in the small intestines. Treatment includes eliminating dairy products from the diet, yet, milk substitutes are necessary, to ensure that enough calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, and protein are consumed.
Diabetes and hypoglycemia relate to the amount of blood sugar in the body, too much and too little, respectively. A healthy level of glucose in the body, via the consumption of carbohydrates, is critical to the treatment of these two diseases. Add to this the risk factors of obese people of contracting these diseases, and the dietary benefits of carbohydrates, and one can see why carbohydrates should be a part of everyone's reasonable daily caloric intake.
References
Bowman SA, Spence JT. A comparison of low-carbohydrate vs. high-carbohydrate diets: Energy restriction, nutrient quality and correlation to body mass index. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 21(3): 2002; 268-274.
The amount of carbohydrates, rather than the source, is the primary concern. Blood glucose levels are influenced by the food preparation process, the amount of food, sugar absorption and the combination of foods. Carbohydrate counting assigns certain carbohydrate grams or exchanges these with specific foods. Computations determine insulin need, which lead to a better control of blood glucose levels over a broad range of foods. Diabetics may even add moderate
Efficacy of High Protein Low Carbohydrate Diets With Diabetics Diseases like diabetes depend on the nutritional intake of the patient for its control. In particular patients have been advised to reduce the direct intake of sugar since the disease renders the body incapable of controlling the free sugar levels in the blood stream. Since direct sugars are to be avoided, many dieticians have recommended a diet pattern that is less in
Dieting Factors Americans spend billions of dollars on weight-loss products and programs every year. Despite this, most people do not lose the amount they would like or, if they do, regain the weight after a short period of time. The problem lies with following specific fads that emphasize one type of eating pattern. The low-carbohydrate diet, which has been popular off-and-on-again since the mid-1800s, exemplifies such a diet program. Studies do
Matt gave Ed two eggs on toast with half-a-grapefruit and orange juice for breakfast (Independent on Sunday, 2002). Ed took fish oils and multivitamins on a daily basis. These were immediately followed by a good fiber and protein meal in minutes or strength during his warm-up sessions. Matt gave Stu chicken, basmati rice, couscous and egg and Jaffa cakes for his "insulin." Matt's intention was to bring extra protein straight
Zone vs. Paleo Diets Paleo Diet This refers to the diet of the Paleolithic or cave man before the beginning of civilization, modern agriculture and technology. It is believed to have been largely made of lean red meat and vegetation. The cave man was a hunter and gatherer and his adherents today imitate him by complementing the diet with vigorous physical activity, which he engaged in. They actually hunt their own food in
it's rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein…Most importantly, it doesn't leave out any major food groups" (par. 2). However Moore also has some doubts about how 'foolproof' the South Beach Diet is, and warns that the phase one claim of rapid weight loss is actually mostly a loss of water weight, not fat. This would seem to dispute the claim that most of the weight loss