Starches / Carbohydrates

by Mariana Bozesan

Some of the most common foods we consume daily contain mostly starches, also called carbohydrates. Examples include bread, potatoes, pastries, candy, rice, spaghetti, fruits, and vegetables. Many of these foods contain both starch, which can be digested, and fiber, which the body cannot digest. Nonetheless, both are crucial for a healthy digestion process. Starches are sugar (glucose) molecules bonded together. Enzymes from our body must break down these molecules into glucose that is the primary fuel for our cells. On the other hand, fiber keeps our digestive tract, especially the colon, healthy.

In the industrialized world, we tend to consume masses of refined carbohydrates (white rice, white pasta, corn starch, processed cereals).

We gain weight because the body turns refined carbohydrates mostly into fat for processed carbohydrates are digested quickly.

Carbohydrates from whole grains, which contain more minerals, vitamins and fiber, are digested more slowly!!!!

While we may want to reduce our intake in refined carbohydrates to lose weight, we should eat wholesome, complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, brown and wild rice, broccoli and cauliflower to stay healthy.

These starches can become a problem only if we eat too much of them and live a sedentary lifestyle.

Another important aspect of starches is SUGARS.

Did you know that the average American consumes more than 149 pounds (68 kg) of sugar per year?

To function properly, a healthy body needs only two teaspoons of blood sugar at any one time. The body can synthesize this sugar easily from unrefined carbohydrates or fats or protein. If we ingest more sugars than needed through improper nutrition, we throw off our body chemistry, compromise our health and, of course, the way we look. The worst consequences come from an excess in sugars — from refined carbohydrates and refined sugars.

Sugar from potatoes, yams, and sweet fruits contain carbohydrates. The body processes these sugars quickly and absorbs them as saturated fatty acids. When eaten in large quantities, these foods can be an impediment to losing weight.