Don't be Misled about Carbs
There are two types of carbs. You’re better off without one. But the other is essential if you want energy
There’s a global rampage going on about how bad carbs are. It’s as if carbs were pollution being pumped from a car exhaust.
A study titled Determination of Misconceptions About Carbohydrates, published in 2023, found that misinformation runs deep.
The study of 169 pre-service molecular biology, genetics, and science teachers failed to comprehend the fundamental nutritional difference between simple and complex carbohydrates.
So, let’s clear the air with some facts.
Two main types: simple and complex
There are two main types of carbs: simple and complex.
It’s better to get rid of simple carbs. But not all carbs are simple carbs. That’s just the bad type.
The other type is one of the essential macro food groups. It’s not only highly nutritious fuel for your body, but it’s critical for human functioning, especially if you have MS.
Simple carbs: They’re simply sugar, sweetheart.
Simple carbs are like quick bursts of energy. They’re made of just one or two sugar molecules, so your body digests them fast. This can cause a quick rise in your blood sugar.
We also call them ‘refined’ carbs. ‘Refined’ means processed in a refinery to remove all goodness. Like a sweet biscuit with pink icing and coloured sprinkles. They look good in a superficial way, but lack substance or goodness on the inside.
Think of white bread, sugary drinks, and lollies. They usually don’t have vitamins, minerals, or fibre.
Complex carbs: Consistent, conquering energy
Complex carbs are different. They’re made of many sugar molecules linked together. Your body takes longer to break them down, which means a steadier release of energy.
Complex carbs are essential for your health. They often come with fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Remember, fibre is the favourite food of your gut microbes. Think of whole grains, vegetables, and legumes.
The fatigue factor: Cutting simple carbs was the masterstroke
For years, I used to hit that 3 pm wall hard. My energy would just plummet. Every day, I ate a chocolate for a little boost. I got that boost-but only for half an hour. Then I would crash. My eyes became so heavy, I was practically a write-off. The rest of the day was an excruciating waste.
Then, I tried cutting out that chocolate treat. Believe me, it wasn’t easy. I come from a long line of chocoholics and worked in a chocolate-fuelled workplace.
The CEO, god love her, used to come around with a basket of chocolates every morning, and it was hard to say no. If I did, there was an interrogation. Disbelief. Sometimes, she’d shake my jacket lapels.
But honestly, giving up that chocolate was a game-changer. Suddenly, those afternoon crashes stopped. My energy just hummed along all day and well into the night. At 5 pm, I was ready to go and have fun at the park, the beach, see friends, hit the gym, go out for dinner, and really enjoy my life.
The Scale of Fatigue
Fatigue is the number one problem reported by people with MS. A study of 57,000 people with MS found that fatigue was the most common symptom and had a profound impact on daily activities. This overwhelming tiredness affects work, communication, and daily activities. Several studies confirm that fatigue is the worst and most common invisible symptom of MS.
So, here’s a solution to try.
Sugar equals fatigue.
Want to get rid of fatigue? Get rid of sugar.
Eating too many simple carbs can also lead to weight gain and blood sugar issues. We need stable energy. This is why diet is so important for people like me, with MS. What we eat is the fastest way to get big changes that help us.
Make complex carbs your new best friends
Whole grains: Think brown rice, quinoa, oats, and whole-wheat bread. You can see the grains!
Vegetables: Load up on colourful veggies like broccoli, spinach, carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes. Who says you can’t eat a raw capsicum for morning tea?
Legumes: These include lentils, beans, and chickpeas. They are little powerhouses of fibre and protein. Combine with brown rice. Boy, are they satisfying. Need a GLP-1 agonist to curb your hunger? No way.
Foods frenemies: Simple saboteurs of energy
Yes, you want them. I hear you. But when you fall for that dazzling smile, you’ll be under the desk for a nap before day’s end.
Sugary drinks: Soft drink (soda), juice with added sugar, and sweetened teas. Picture them as a quick rush that fades fast. Have the tea— without the sugar.
Refined grains: White bread, white pasta, and pastries. They’re often pale and lack the goodness of whole grains.
Potato crisps: Known as ‘chips’ down in my parts. These usually contain sugar, especially the flavoured varieties, as well as a chemical coating of powders, including milk powder. Mmm, yuck.
Candy and sweets: Pure sugar. If you’re in the USA, colours like Red 40 may add behavioural problems to your children -excellent. Just what you need.
Small changes for supersized impact
Scientific American tells us 44 percent of American adults between 50 and 80 are addicted to highly processed food, which is laden with sugar. Detoxing from sugar is exhausting and shouldn’t be done without planning and support. But you can start tapering down by making conscious choices.
For afternoon brain fog, drink green tea
If you want clarity of thought (i.e. you suffer brain fog), drink green tea. It’s the students’ boost of choice in Japan, Taiwan and China, and it works. Don’t add sugar. Cold or hot, your choice.
Eat nuts and fruit
Instead of a chocolate bar during the day, for example, grab an apple and nuts. Buy a bag of dry-roasted nuts (without sugar or salt added) for your midday snack.
Buy a range of attractive fruits and vegetables and display them on your work desk or kitchen. I often eat a raw carrot during the day and immediately feel good.
Apples contain chlorogenic acid in the skin, which helps burn brown fat. Awesome! Nuts with a weight-loss apple, sounds good to me.
Fresh fruit combined with fresh nuts is delicious and satisfying! Your gut microbes will love you.
Eat popcorn
If you can’t eat nuts, real popcorn without added sugar or salt also works well. I like to put popcorn kernels in a saucepan with a lid, add a few teaspoons of olive oils, and pop myself a delicious, healthy afternoon tea. Heaps better than junk food.
If you’re at work and have access to a microwave, just put the kernels and olive oil into a paper bag and nuke for 45 seconds.
Popcorn with nutritional yeast is a standard afternoon tea for my kids as well, and it’s cheap, it feeds all their friends who come home too. Along with some fruit, it will get them through until dinner. (
Remember, focusing on complex carbs can give your body the steady energy it needs. Eating well is a positive step you can take for your health and well-being.
Wrapping up
The difference now is you’re making things from scratch or buying whole foods. Nuts, fruit. Vegetables (cooked or raw), beans and legumes. Rolled oats and seeds, grains.
It’s like cooking in the olden days. When people would whip up a chocolate cake when they had a visitor? Cooked from scratch instead of getting takeout. I bet you know the saying,
‘If Grandma wouldn’t recognise it, don’t eat it’
Go back to the grass roots, the old ways, you’ll end up eating the carbs you can’t live without and less of the carbs you never needed in the first place.
You’ll feel healthier, happier (because of your microbes and their mood-uplifting neurotransmitters), not to mention more regular (sorry to embarrass).
And you might even ditch the fatigue. Wouldn’t that be grand!
Published from Best Life with MS https://bestlifewithms.com/dont-be-misled-about-carbs/
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