Carbohydrates are involved in the breakdown of fats and proteins, in the formation of important biological compounds, in the release of large amounts of energy.
Carbohydrate food is absorbed by the body at different speeds. Those carbohydrates that break down to glucose molecules slowly are said to have a low GI - glycemic index. Low GI foods are called light. Their use eliminates sudden changes in the level of sugar in the body. This is the basis of the psychological stability of a healthy person. A constant level of sugar in the blood determines a calm and balanced mood.
Low-GI carbohydrate foods must be chewed thoroughly to fully assimilate. The breakdown process of such carbohydrates begins in the oral cavity under the action of certain enzymes that are contained in saliva.
Cereals in the low-GI product list are unrefined rice, whole-grain pasta, oatmeal, and barley.
From vegetables, you should choose all kinds of cabbage, spinach, zucchini, peppers, onions, tomatoes, carrots. All legumes have a low GI.
Fruits: kiwi, grapefruit, apples, dried apricots, cherries, peaches, plums, pears, oranges.
High GI carbohydrate foods are not recommended by nutritionists for daily use. The splitting of products with a high glycemic index occurs with an additional load on the pancreas. A large dose of sweets, for example, causes jumps in blood sugar, a sharp change in mood. By and large, the festive table is an expressive example of food with digestible carbohydrates. The heaviest product from this group of carbohydrates is alcohol. The list of products includes watermelon, sugar, wheat bread, pineapple, wheat flakes, corn flakes, pumpkin, french fries, baked potatoes, overripe bananas, honey, caramel, popped rice, pancakes, melons, glucose, maltose, marmalade.
Carbohydrate foods with high GI are appropriate during the off-season depression as an additional source of substances that stimulate the production of serotonin.
Fiber is of two types. The first, soluble fiber, promotes normal digestion, maintains optimal cholesterol levels. The second is insoluble fiber, the body does not digest. But fiber improves intestinal motility, supplies pectin to the body , removing radionuclides and toxins from the body. The presence of fiber in the intestine promotes the reproduction of beneficial microflora. With the help of fiber, many vitamins are formed in the body.
What foods contain carbohydrates in the form of fiber? The highest concentration of this substance in wheat bran, raspberries, beans, nuts, dates, strawberries, apricots, oatmeal, chocolate, raisins, black currants, fresh mushrooms, figs, blueberries, white currants, red currants, cranberries, gooseberries prunes.
The following foods contain enough fiber for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract: barley, hercules, peas, potatoes, eggplant, white cabbage, carrots, sweet peppers, sorrel, pumpkin, lingonberries.
Carbohydrate foods make up half the calories of a healthy person’s daily diet. Diets excluding carbohydrates from the menu are dangerous to health. Particularly affected is the liver, which is threatened with fatty degeneration in the face of a prolonged lack of carbohydrates. The body begins to process fats to get the necessary energy. As a result of cleavage reactions, side-forming ketones are formed, shifting the acid-base balance.
Excess carbohydrates are a serious cause of metabolic disorders leading to obesity. Nutritionists recommend limiting carbohydrate intake with high GI as much as possible in order to prevent diabetes, pancreatitis, and atherosclerosis.