Good Carbs Vs Bad Carbs

Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Carbohydrates have an important role in providing the body with a source of energy but how the body obtains that energy determines whether a carb is good or bad. To really understand why slow carbs are best this we need to look at the process of digestion and absorption.

All foods make their way from the mouth down into the stomach when you eat them. In the stomach food is mashed and churned into smaller particles which are then passed into the small intestine. The small intestine is the area that actually absorbs food particles into the bloodstream. Once the particles are transferred to the bloodstream they can be passed around the body to be used as fuel.

In the case of carbohydrates the glucose produced during digestion is passed into the bloodstream. This is often called blood glucose or blood sugar. The rate at which the glucose is passed into the bloodstream is important to your health and energy levels.

A bad carb goes through this process of digestion (the mashing and churning to small particles) and absorption (the passing of particles into the bloodstream) very quickly. The quickness of this process is due to the fact that they are very easy to breakdown. Think of white bread – if you press it in your hand it moulds easily and there is not a lot to it. When you put white bread into your mouth it tends to simply melt. This does not happen with brown or wholegrain bread. The problem that occurs with quickly digestible carbohydrates is that changes in your blood glucose levels can occur quickly. Bad carbs are often termed high glycaemic index carbs.

The body needs to keep blood glucose levels within a defined range. Changes outside of this range can have severe effects on the body. If a large amount of glucose rushes into the bloodstream the body senses this and if the total amount is too high it decides that some of this glucose must be removed. To remove the excess glucose insulin is stimulated and this then makes cells take up glucose from the bloodstream to be stored. The more frequently you eat quick releasing carbs the more often this happens and over time the body can become immune to the effects of insulin (this is what occurs with type II diabetes).

Rapid changes in blood glucose can cause swings in energy. Instead of feeling like you have stable energy levels you tend to feel overly active one minute but can be tired and grumpy not long after. If you consume a diet of quick releasing carbs you are likely to feel like this. If you eat mainly slow carbs you have much more sustainable energy levels as instead of having large bursts of glucose being released (which then need to be lowered through the use of insulin) you have a steady trickle of glucose going into the bloodstream. This provides a small, but consistent supply of energy (glucose) for the brain and working body. Slow carbs are often know as low glycaemic index carbs.

Source: The Ultimate Slow Carb Diet Guide 2011 - Everything you need to know about the slow carb diet, includes over 19 tasty slow carb recipes, 4 weeks of slow carb meal plans and advice.