The Glycemic Index (GI) was developed as a tool to help people with diabetes keep their blood glucose under control. Many diet programs base their carbohydrate choices entirely on the GI, stating the belief that high GI foods are fattening and low GI foods are not. Unfortunately, the whole theory is skewed and oversimplified, causing
Carbohydrates and Caffeine Refuel Muscles
Australian researchers found that athletes who consumed both carbs and caffeine following a tough workout had 66 percent higher levels of glycogen, the muscle’s primary fuel source during exercise, than those who only had carbs. (The caffeine may help move glucose into the muscles, where it’s stored as glycogen until your next workout.) Carbohydrates Carbohydrates
Low Carb High Carb
First, carbohydrates were said to be the food of choice for high energy and athletic performance. Then we were taught carbs are bad and will make us fat and lo and behold, low carbohydrate dieting went mainstream and a sort of “diet battle” began. For everyone who says eating a low carbohydrate diet is the
Clearing Up Carbohydrate Confusion
Carbohydrates are an important source for energy. In fact, carbohydrates are the body’s preferred and most efficient energy source. Whenever carbohydrates are restricted, energy levels usually decline. During short bouts of high intensity exercise, carbohydrates are the main fuel source your body draws on for energy to perform. When you restrict carbohydrates from your diet,
A Closer Look at Low Carb Dieting
Let’s take a look at some of the nutrient ratios that the popular Low Carb diet programs recommend. During the 1980s and 90s, the Pritkin diet recommended 70% carbohydrate, 20% protein and 10% fat. Other programs falling into this category are the Dean Ornish’s “Eat More Weigh Less” program, Robert Hass’s “Eat to Win” and
Macronutrient Ratios: No “Best” Ratio
What are they? Also known as nutrient ratios, macronutrient ratios refer to the percentage of your total daily calories that come from protein, carbohydrate and fat. For example, 60-30-10 or 40-30-30 are nutrient ratios. For decades, bodybuilders developed nutrition plans based on ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fats; however, it wasn’t until 1995 that nutrient
How and When Carbohydrates Cause Weight Gain
Carbohydrates are a complex factor of nutrition. There are different types, but overall they have a similar effect on the body no matter in which form you’ve ingested them. As many already are aware, the low carbohydrate diet will help you shed pounds. However, if done improperly, there can be negative physical ailments. There needs
