In general, there are two major classifications of carbohydrates: simple and complex.
Carbohydrates are essentially linked rings of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. The classification of carbohydrates into simple or complex is determined by their molecular structure: the number of rings the carbohydrate has and the manner in which they are linked. Knowing which type of carbohydrate can be found in the different foods that you eat can be a useful guide to lose weight fast.
Refined products such as candy and juices, and also fruits contain simple carbohydrates. In contrast, complex carbohydrates can be found in foods such as vegetables, whole grains, and beans. For a long time now, the general opinion has been that the consumption of complex carbohydrates is better than the consumption of simple carbohydrates.
Although this can function as a general guide to lose weight fast, it cannot be regarded as an accurate estimate of whether or not the food helps in weight loss. The reason is simple—determining whether or not a food is a simple or complex carbohydrate does not take into consideration the food’s impact on the blood sugar levels of the body.
Some simple carbohydrates minimally affect the blood sugar levels of the body; however, some complex carbohydrates can dramatically raise these levels. For this reason, it becomes important to know more than just the difference between foods containing simple and complex carbohydrates.
The classification of carbohydrates can be furthered using the glycemic index (GI). Foods on the GI are ranked on a scale of 0 to 100. The lower a food is ranked on the GI, the slower it will raise your blood sugar levels. Conversely, the higher the GI ranking of a food, the quicker it will raise blood sugar levels.
Rankings are determined based on the blood sugar levels of the body two hours after the food has been consumed on an empty stomach.
To be able to use the GI as a guide to lose weight fast, you should know that all foods ranked below 55 are regarded as low-ranked foods. Medium-ranked foods are those that have a rank in the range of 56 to 69. Foods that are ranked 70 or more on the GI are considered to be high–ranking foods.
Although the GI offers useful information on how the blood sugar levels are affected by different foods, it should not serve as the only guide for carbohydrate consumption. The GI only considers the food’s effect on the blood sugar levels when the food is consumed in isolation and on an empty stomach.
Most people do not eat carbs in this manner, and so the GI cannot be regarded as the only guide to lose weight fast. Carbs affect the body’s blood sugar levels differently when they are consumed with lean proteins and other foods.
Further, it is not always true that healthy foods are ranked low on the GI and unhealthy foods are ranked high. Yet, the GI is an effective supplementary guide to lose weight fast, and it can be used as a tool when attempting to eat healthy.
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