From potato chips and burger buns to cookies and condiments, July 4th can be a cornucopia of carbs. You’ve probably gotten the memo that these aren’t great for your waistline, but do you know why? Here’s a quick rundown.
Simple carbohydrates—think sugar and white bread—are made up of just one or two sugar molecules. As a result, the body breaks them down quickly, so these hit the bloodstream fast. The more sugar that enters your blood, the more insulin the pancreas produces. Insulin is a hormone that signals the body to absorb sugar for energy storage, which (you guessed it) happens in the form of fat.
Complex carbohydrates are longer chains of sugar molecules. You’ll find them in varying amounts in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and legumes. Precisely because they’ve got more parts to them, they take more time to break down, so they enter the blood stream more slowly—think a steady stream as opposed to a powerful spike. The result? Less insulin is produced and less fat storage is signaled.
You can check up on the effect the carbs in a particular food is likely to have looking at something called the glycemic load (GL) of any food. This uses the quality of the carb as well as its quantity to measure its impact on your blood sugar. But for quick rule-of-thumb decision-making, make a habit of avoiding or minimizing processed foods; the carbs here are already broken down a whole lot. And try to limit your refined sugar intake. A typical American currently consumes approximately 22 teaspoons, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. But up to six teaspoons a day for women and nine a day for men is considered best practice, according to the World Health Organization.
If you have questions about managing your weight, reach out to us at 1-844-MD-OSCAR or help@hioscar.com. Our team of experts is ready to help, and can refer you to resources and in-network providers.