Introduction
Let’s quickly understand what carbohydrates are. There are 3 macro nutrients in food – carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The fundamental source of energy for the human body will always be carbohydrates and the human brain consumes nearly 30% of all the carbohydrates you eat for its daily function. 1 gram of any carbohydrate gives you 4 calories. For example if you consume a gram of honey, white sugar or maple syrup you get 4 calories from it.
Types of Carbohydrates
There are two types of carbohydrates – simple and complex carbohydrates. The fundamental difference between the two is that you have fiber in complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates are mostly just sugars. The lack of fiber in these simple carbohydrates make it easy to over eat. Simple carbohydrates are for example – juices, milkshakes, baked foods, fried foods and sweets. They also include Maida and Sabudhana (tapioca pearls). Complex carbohydrates are your grains, lentils, fruits and vegetables.
The Problem with Carbohydrates
When you consume these simple carbohydrates or refined carbohydrates, the brain sees a pure sugar source and since I mentioned the brain runs on glucose, it starts to send signals to crave more of it. Thus making it hard to stop eating. This is where you end up over eating and put yourself in a calorie surplus.
Whether you eat simple or complex carbohydrates the total calories per gram do not change. However, complex carbohydrates are hard to over eat. How often do you hear someone say they over ate roti curry? But hearing someone over ate burgers and fries is not uncommon. This is where carbohydrates get a bad name. Yes, even complex carbohydrates can put you in a caloric surplus and cause weight gain but they are much harder to do so.
Takeaways
Here are somethings you can do to control portions of your carbohydrates:
- Limit rice consumption per meal to no more than 150g (cooked rice)
- Eat no more than 3 Roti or Chapati – avoid adding ghee or butter to them once cooked
- If you are eating rice and roti then pick one – life is not about this and that it is about this or that.
- Increase how much fruit and vegetables you consume
- Eat your rice with protein (meat sambar) or more vegetables
Although I would never say that you should avoid simple carbohydrates altogether, the lesser there is in your diet the better the progress is going to be for better health.