Carbohydrates: Hidden Article

Carbohydrates: The Good the Bad, and the Ugly

Carbohydrates have become the most controversial macronutrient in recent years. The truth is that approximately 65% of the population does not process carbohydrates well. This number may be skewed by the preponderance of refined carbohydrates in most American’s diets today, but when fat loss is the goal, you need to be very selective of your sources.

The remaining 35% of the population tolerates carbohydrates to a limited degree, with 10%-15% of that population able to eat them all the time and stay lean. If you want to improve your physique and get lean, you have to get used to the injustice. You can, however, eat carbohydrates to a limited degree, if you pay attention to the glycemic index and the glycemic load of what you are eating.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

Carbohydrates are often classified by their glycemic index, a measure of how fast the food elevates the blood sugar of the body. The glycemic index table was first created with classifying carbohydrates in mind. It was then expanded to include all foods.

Recently, another classification was added to the table, called the glycemic load. While glycemic index tells you how “fast” the sugar is in the given food, glycemic load tells you how much of that sugar is in the food.

Generally speaking, using the glycemic index to eat to be lean is like driving a car – keep it under 50 for maximum safety, even if it is boring. With regard to glycemic load, foods under 10 are best. (To research a food’s glycemic index and its glycemic load, go to http://www.glycemicindex.com.)

Some foods can have a high glycemic index and a low glycemic load, and still be very healthy to eat. An example is watermelon. Although it has a relatively high glycemic index of about 70, it has a very low glycemic load of about 4, which makes it a relatively benign carbohydrate source.

In summary, eating to get lean is similar to eating the way we ate before the advent of processed foods. If you hire a personal trainer who works with you on your nutrition on an ongoing basis, you can be assured of success.

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