Carbohydrates are not fattening if you eat the appropriate kinds and amounts. Complex carbohydrates such as potatoes, pasta, corn, whole grains, and beans are often avoided because they are thought to be fattening, although nothing could be further from the truth. The butter, sour cream, and sauces we usually consume with them are fattening. Ounce for ounce, a T-bone steak contains five times the calories of a baked potato without the butter and the sour cream.
Carbohydrates are your body's main source of energy. They are the primary fuel for the brain and for muscular activity. Since they cannot be stored in large quantities, they need to be ingested at each meal, preferably in the form of complex carbohydrates.
There are two forms of carbohydrate-simple (sugars) and complex (starches). Sugars are easily broken down and enter the bloodstream quickly as glucose. Starches are more slowly broken down. Insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, stores the extra glucose in cells in the form of glycogen. When the cells are saturated with glycogen (1,200 to 2,000 calories), the additional glucose is converted into fat. The rapid rise in glucose from simple carbohydrates induces a rapid release of insulin, which acts to clear the bloodstream of glucose and put the glucose into storage. The slower digestion of complex carbohydrates causes a slower release of insulin, less storage of glycogen and fat, and more available energy. Your body can store 1,200 to 2,000 calories of energy as glycogen in the muscles and the liver. This is the energy you use for your daily activities.
Because complex carbohydrates are absorbed much more slowly than simple carbohydrates, they are a better source of energy for the body. The cold cereals and oatmeal that Suzanne ate for breakfast at home were an ideal source of slow-burning energy to sustain her until lunchtime. Complex carbohydrate sources such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables also contain large amounts of the vitamins and minerals needed by the body.
Foods highest in complex carbohydrates
Lower carbohydrate choice
Spaghetti, noodles, macaroni
Pizza, lasagna with lots of cheese, meat
Rice, stuffing, potato, yamsÊÊ
French fries, fried rice, gravy
Lentils, chili beans, split peas
Casseroles with rich sauces and gravies
Bread, muffins, bagels
Doughnuts, buttery pastries
French toast, pancakes, cerealÊÊÊ
Eggs
Jam, jelly, honey, syrup
Butter, margarine, cream cheese
Bananas, pineapple, raisins, dates
Pastries made with lots of butter
Apple crisp, date squares, fig newtonsÊ
Ice cream
Juices - apple, grape, apricot, orange
Beer, wine, alcohol
Blenderized fruit and juice
Milk shake
Sherbet, ice milk, yogurt
Chocolates, candy bars
Complex carbohydrates are usually the main source of fiber as well. Fiber helps keep the bowels regular and is associated with reduced rates of colon, rectal, and breast cancer. Snacking on fiber-rich foods such as an apple, an orange, or a carrot will satisfy the appetite without causing surges in blood sugar; it will also provide much better nutrition than does a candy bar or a bag of potato chips. You should try to get 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day. There is more information on fiber in Preventive Medicine.