Carbohydrates: Love or Addiction?

Complex carbohydrates form the foundation of a balanced diet. But is that always true? Does every food in this group suit everyone?

And what about sweets? What should we eat? I will try to make sense of this sweet confusion.

What is a carbohydrate?

Definitions: a carbohydrate is a macronutrient made of sugars. Carbohydrates can be simple, meaning they consist of a simple sugar molecule. How can you recognize them? Simple carbohydrates taste sweet, digest easily, provide very short-lived fullness, are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, and cause the hormone insulin to rise rapidly in the blood (insulin is a hormone essential for getting sugar into cells). Simple sugars include glucose, fructose (fruit sugar), sucrose (white and brown sugar), and lactose (milk sugar). We add them to drinks, cakes, jams, sweets, and juices, whether natural or otherwise.

Complex carbohydrates , as their name suggests, consist of chains of sugar molecules. How can you recognize them? They do not taste sweet, and digestion and absorption take longer, contributing to longer-lasting fullness and a more moderate rise in blood insulin. These are various types of starch. Examples include potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, pita bread, and similar foods.

Dietary fiber. Dietary fiber consists of complex carbohydrates that our digestive system cannot break down. Fiber is found in the grain's outer layers, which are lost when it is stripped (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Structure of a whole grain.

For example, when wheat is turned into white flour, important parts of the seed are lost, including the germ and outer layers. The germ is rich in essential nutrients, such as vitamin E and minerals including magnesium and zinc. The outer layer supplies dietary fiber. These components remain in the food if processing stops at the whole-wheat flour stage. Other grains rich in fiber include pearl barley, buckwheat, brown rice, and wild rice, as well as corn and legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, quinoa, and others). Fiber is also found in the skins of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Why is dietary fiber important?

It is hard to overstate the importance of dietary fiber for human health.

• It helps slow digestion and absorption, extending the feeling of fullness
• It helps regulate bowel function and counter constipation, with plenty of water
• It binds sugars and fats, reducing the number of calories absorbed
• It is essential for lowering blood cholesterol and increasing "good" HDL cholesterol
• Dietary fiber is credited with reducing the risk of various cancers, including colon and breast cancer
• When less sugar is absorbed, insulin secretion into the blood is more moderate. Insulin is also called the hunger hormone: high blood insulin makes us seek sweets and consume more carbohydrates, which trigger further insulin release. This creates a vicious cycle that can lead to obesity. Insulin is also a building hormone: when blood levels are high, tissue breakdown is inhibited. The body therefore has difficulty losing weight, and obesity becomes established.

How do we break the cycle?

Dietary fiber has a significant effect on the phenomenon called "carbohydrate addiction." How does this happen? As noted, eating carbohydrates causes insulin, the building hormone, to be released into the blood. Insulin is also called the "hunger hormone" because high levels make us feel a greater need for sweets. This process can lead to "insulin resistance," a precursor to type 2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes). People prone to it sometimes feel trapped in a cycle of eating and a constant need for sugar, to the point that they lose control of their eating habits and seem to be "managed" by their craving for sweetness.

One way to break this closed cycle is to reduce simple carbohydrates, the various sugars, and mainly eat fiber-rich complex carbohydrates. Choose brown rice instead of white rice, and fiber-enriched whole-wheat or whole-rye bread instead of white or standard bread. A similar reaction develops when they eat baked goods made with white flour, such as bourekas, cakes, pita bread, and the like.

So what should we eat?

Slices of bread made from whole grains with a spread, and fresh fruit and vegetables. Instead of corn-based breakfast cereals, which are usually low in fiber and high in sugar, try fiber-enriched whole-wheat cereals. If you want a potato, cook it with the skin on, which you can also eat. A sweet potato baked in its skin is another excellent choice. Instead of white-flour pretzels or crackers, snack on rice cakes, raw nuts, and almonds (the latter belong to the fats group). Most importantly, be aware, read food labels, and look for whole grains at the start of the ingredient list.

Whole grains are essential for reaching a healthy weight and balancing inflammation in the body, thereby reducing the risk of a bowel disease flare-up. Everything should, of course, be tailored to your body and your life!

This is general news information and is not a substitute for personal advice from a doctor or dietitian.