Integritus Prime

One of the most important Lifestyle Angels is Food. A Lifestyle Angel, according to us in our Beyond Medicine series, is any habit that helps us live long and healthy lives. Apart from oxygen and water, food is necessary for health and wellness. The types and amounts of food that we eat matters a lot in determining whether we stay healthy or invite diseases. Most of us are familiar with 3 types of food, namely carbohydrates, fats and protein. Sometimes the groups are referred to as energy giving, bodybuilding and health foods. The first grouping is easier to discuss in relation to where the nutrients come from and how they affect our body functions, health and well-being.

Carbohydrates or starchy foods come mainly from plant sources and are divided into simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates include sugars and refined starches. The most common sources of sugars are processed sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, sucrose and fruit juice concentrate. Simple, refined or processed starches come from white flour, white rice and all processed and packaged foods made from them, such as, white bread, pasta, noodles, cereals and desserts.

Simple carbohydrates are devoid of fiber and many natural ingredients like vitamins, minerals and trace elements that our bodies need for health and wellness. They have additives, which are not healthy, such as preservatives and chemicals to make them last longer on store shelves.

Simple carbohydrates are processed fairly quickly by our digestive system into mainly sugar (glucose), which raises the blood sugar level and makes the pancreas produce insulin and quickly put this sugar to use as energy. When too much sugar is in the blood, it is converted and stored as energy for later use or as fat.

Since the simple carbohydrates are used up quickly, we feel hungry a couple of hours later and want to eat more. Refined sugars are also addictive especially when used in processed foods and drinks like cereals, desserts, and soda. They do not make us feel full easily or satisfy our hunger for long, so we tend to eat more and more often.

Taking in too much energy from simple carbohydrates contributes to unwanted weight gain and increases the risk for lifestyle diseases like diabetes.

Complex carbohydrates are usually from unprocessed, fresh from the farm or backyard garden starchy foods, for examples:

• root crops, such as potatoes, taro, sweet potato, yams;
• starchy or fatty fruits, such as breadfruit and avocados;
• sweet fruits like pineapples, apples, and papaya;
• starchy vegetables such as, pumpkin, carrots, corn, peas;
• lentils such as dried split peas, pigeon peas, cow peas;
• beans such as garbanzo, kidney, black, pinto, soy beans;
• seeds, such as, pumpkin and sunflower seeds; and
• minimally processed grains like brown rice and whole wheat flour.

The complex carbohydrates in beans and legumes also contain some protein, and have most of the natural ingredients – fiber, minerals, vitamins, trace elements – in them and give you satiety. They are digested slowly, avoiding a steep rise in blood sugar level. Usually we do not get hungry for a few hours after eating these, and thus we do not overeat. The choice of eating complex carbohydrate that are high in fiber, keeps our gut healthy as well. A healthy gut helps with keeping our immune system strong, brain healthy and prevents us from gaining unnecessary weight. 

Since starches are the primary source of energy for our body, it is advisable to eat complex carbohydrates in moderate amounts. Also, remember not to add large amounts of oil or fat, as we do when eating chips, fries and pizzas.

Tell us your experience with carbohydrate intake and your wellness state by emailing us at Margaret@alchemusprime.com.