Smart Carbs ? – what the heck is a carbohydrate and why is it so important to know this ? Why Carbs ? What is a Carb ? How are they used ? Why is bread bad ? How does a tortilla turn to sugar ? Gosh it’s all so complicated, or is it,,, ? Knowledge is power so keep on reading.
You can reach out to the community of www.medicalchatmexico.com with more questions about carbohydrates post bariatric surgery.
In general, carbohydrates come to us from plant (versus animal) foods, because carbohydrates are produced by photosynthesis in plants. The carbohydrates are the primary source of energy in Nature’s plant foods – fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and tubers. These foods play an important role in the functioning of internal organs, the nervous system and muscles. They are the best source of energy for endurance athletics because they provide both an immediate and a time released energy source as they are digested easily and then consistently metabolized in the bloodstream. Animal foods contain carbohydrates, but the broad diversity of carbohydrates that are needed to optimally support health can only be found in the plant world.
Carbohydrates play an important role in helping to regulate the metabolism of their fellow macronutrients – namely, protein and fat. The balance between these three food components helps determine the robustness of our immune response, bone and tissue growth, joint fluidity and rate of healing following injury. Excessively low ratio of carbohydrates to proven shifts our body’s metabolism into a ketogenic state. Ketogenesis is a natural but also specialized process in which our bodies respond to stress of starvation by increasing the reliance on fat as a fuel. There is some evidence that a diet too low in carbohydrates can make one of our hormones (insulin) less effective, therefore destabilizing our blood sugar levels.
Some kinds of high carbohydrate diets have been shown to have equally destabilizing effects on blood sugar and to raise certain fat levels (especially trigicerides) in the blood. This diet also appears to be the major factor in obesity issues.
When you reach for all your “comfort foods” like macaroni and cheese – make your carbohydrate servings count by selecting the most “nutrient dense” choices and always remember to keep your portions nice and small.
Here are some ideas to get all you can from your carb choices.
- Avoid drinks that have sugar such as regular soft drinks, or sweetened iced tea, or gatorade.
- Don’t drink the juice, Eat the Fruit.
- Why choose regular potatoes when you can opt for a sweet potato.
- Whole Grain Rice will not elevate your blood sugars like white rice will do
- Eat whole grain oatmeal instead of those processed cereals.
- Only 1/4 of your plate is reserved for your “good carbs”.
- Make your Carbs count by making smart choices. Keep your portions small and choose nutrient dense carbohydrates. Reach out to us if you want more information about eating carbohydrates post op bariatric surgery.
It’s all about your health. It’s about the quantity and quality of your life and the ability to be able to do the things that you want to do when you want to do them.
Bariatric Options: Medical Form
Gastric Balloon
Lap Band
Mini Gastric Bypass
Full Gastric Bypass
Gastric Sleeve
Gastric Plication Surgery
Conversion or Revision Surgery
Duodenal Switch Surgery
Much success in your journey.
Respectfully,
International Patient Facilitators – Cancun and Tijuana, Mexico
On behalf of Dr. Sergio Verboonen
info@ipf-mail.com
1 800 210 5124
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