Carbohydrates

The first nutrient I will cover is one of the most important nutrients for runners and active people. Athletes use this nutrient to “load” up before a big event, and Atkins dieters have starved themselves of it for fast, but short term, weight loss. I’m talking about carbohydrates!

The carbohydrate is a very important nutrient, especially for an active person. Despite what numerous fad diets will tell you, we would not be able to sustain life without them. They are essential for basic body functions, but are especially important in the brain and muscles.

Why They Are Important

As I mentioned earlier, our bodies do not produce energy by themselves; we must consume foods containing carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Energy is not only needed for physician activity, but also for basic functions, for instance breathing, digesting food, and even thinking. Carbohydrates are the preferred source of energy in our bodies because they are easily converted to the “energy currency” that we use called ATP. After eating foods containing carbohydrates, our bodies break down the food into basic carb units called glucose. These molecules of glucose are stored in the liver and muscles. When we exercise, the carbohydrates that have been stored in our muscles are converted into ATP, and ATP is burned during muscle contraction.

Carbohydrates are also used for brain food. Our brains alone burn approximately 20% of the carbohydrate calories we eat! So, if you were thinking about losing weight by trying one of the carb-free diets, think again!

Requirement

The average person should get 60-65% of their calories from carbohydrates. For a 2000 calorie diet that means 1200-1300 calories should come from carbohydrates. People who are training for a marathon or triathlon should get about 65-70% calories from carbs.  You might be wondering how to figure out the number of calories that come from carbohydrates in each food. The conversion is simple: There are 4 calories per 1 gram of carbohydrate.

Example:     In one-half cup of oatmeal there are 27 grams of carbohydrates according to the nutrition label.

27grams carbohydrate x 4 calories/gram carbohydrate = 108 calories from carbohydrate per serving of oatmeal

Most people who eat a relatively balanced diet already get 60-65% of their calories from carbohydrates without them keeping track.  Once carbohydrate stores are full, any extra carbohydrates consumed go into storage as fat. So, don’t assume you are eating the right amount of carbs; record your diet as I recommended in the “General Nutrition Concepts” section, and adjust your intake if needed. 

Sources

There are many sources of carbohydrates around us. The important thing is to distinguish which sources should be utilized most. It is recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that we make “Half of our grains whole”, meaning that at least one half of the carbohydrates we eat should come from whole grain sources. The best way to find out if a food is “whole grain” is to look at the ingredient list. If it doesn’t have the word “whole” in one of the first ingredients, (whole wheat flour, whole grain), chances are that it is not a whole grain source of carbohydrates. The terms “multi-grain”, and “wheat” don’t necessarily mean the product is whole grain, so don’t let this marketing strategy work on you! Whole grains are more nutrient dense than refined carbohydrates, providing more fiber, vitamins, and minerals per serving. Many carbohydrates, such as white rice and white bread, are refined meaning the bran was stripped from the grain during processing. Removing the bran also strips the fiber and other natural nutrients from the grain, producing a less nutrient-dense food. Here are a few ways to make “half of your grains whole”:

Substitutes for refined carbohydrate products

·         Whole wheat pasta

·         Whole grain breads

·         Whole wheat English muffins or bagels for breakfast or for sandwhiches

·         Brown Rice with stir fries or curries

·         Whole wheat hot pockets for a quick lunch item

·         Whole wheat Eggo waffles

·         Raisin Bran instead of frosted flakes

·         Whole wheat tortillas for tacos, burritos, or wraps

·         Whole wheat pancake mix

·         Popcorn instead of chips

·         Bran muffins instead of blueberry muffins or coffee cake

·         Oatmeal

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