In my last few articles I have been focussing on carbohydrates. I started by explaining exactly what they are and then covered a number of related topics including the glycemic index and the steps you should take when choosing your carbohydrates. In this article I am going to cover the benefits that carbohydrates can provide. 1) THEY ARE AN EXCELLENT ENERGY SOURCE:- The primary function of carbohydrates is to provide your body with energy. When you ingest any form of carbohydrate (whether it be pure sugar, whole grain bread or a piece of fruit) it is broken down into glucose in the … [Read more...]
5 Top Tips To Consider When Choosing Carbohydrates
In my last couple of articles I discussed carbohydrates and the glycemic index (GI). In my article on carbohydrates I discussed the different types and came to the conclusion that you should choose slow digesting, nutritionally dense carbohydrates where possible. In the following article I looked at the glycemic index as a potential tool for selecting carbohydrates and came to the conclusion that whilst it is a useful starting point, it is flawed and is not something you should fully base your diet around. In this article I will be bringing this information together and providing you with … [Read more...]
The Glycemic Index Explained
In my last article I discussed the different types of carbohydrates and the way that your body uses them. At the end of that article I mentioned that you should choose slow digesting, nutritionally dense carbohydrates where possible. However, sometimes it can be quite difficult to determine which carbohydrates these are. That is why today I am going to be writing about one of the methods you can use to choose the best carbohydrates – the glycemic index (GI). WHAT IS THE GLYCEMIC INDEX? The glycemic index is a system which ranks foods based on how they affect blood glucose levels. It … [Read more...]
What are Carbohydrates?
In a number of my previous articles I have stated that you should go for complex carbohydrates where possible and minimise your consumption of simple carbohydrates. After thinking about this for some time I realised that I had never fully understood or explained the difference between the two. That's why today I am going to be discussing carbohydrates in greater detail. WHAT ARE CARBOHYDRATES? Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients with fats and protein being the other two. They are made from a combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen hence the name 'carbo' (meaning carbon) … [Read more...]
Fibre: The Perfect Gym Food
In my last few posts I have been discussing fibre, the benefits of getting enough, the potential disadvantages of getting too much and how to make sure you are getting enough. Today, I'm going to explain why I think fibre is the perfect gym food and why you should consider making it part of your pre-workout meal. Personally, I never was one of the those people who enjoyed drinking high sugar sports drinks before working out. I don't particularly like the taste and I didn't notice a significant energy boost after drinking them. On top of this they're not cheap and can actually be quite … [Read more...]
The Disadvantages Of Consuming Too Much Fibre
In my last few articles I have been bigging up fibre. However, this article series wouldn't be complete without providing a balanced view of the topic. That's why today I am going to be discussing the disadvantages of a fibre rich diet. 1) WIND:- Wind is commonly listed as the main problem with a high fibre diet. I never had this problem when increasing my daily fibre intake but according to Weight Loss Resources a diet that is high in fibre can lead to the production of methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This can then lead to you feeling bloated and frequently passing wind. … [Read more...]
How To Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Fibre
In my last couple of articles I have discussed the different types of fibre and the associated benefits. The British Nutrition Foundation recommend that we get around 18g of fibre per day. Personally, I do not think that this amount of fibre consumption is difficult to achieve BUT I understand that some people may struggle. That is why today I have decided to write about how I manage to consume enough fibre each day. In this article I will be discussing (with examples) the foods I eat to get my daily fibre requirements and the times that I eat them. 1) BREAKFAST (6AM-7AM):- On weekdays I … [Read more...]
The Benefits Of Fibre
In my last article I explained exactly what fibre is and identified that there are two main types; Insoluble and Soluble. Insoluble fibre's main function is to help the body move waste material from the digestive tract more quickly whereas soluble fibre's main function is to help the body absorb nutrients from the food. In this article I will be discussing the benefits of fibre in greater detail. GENERAL BENEFITS: 1) WEIGHT LOSS:- Fibre contains no calories which means that fibre rich foods generally contain less calories than low fibre foods. Although the difference in calories is not … [Read more...]
What Is Fibre?
In my latest articles on cancer and diabetes I touched upon the benefits of fibre. In these articles I mentioned that fibre could help control blood sugar levels in diabetics and also help prevent certain types of cancer. However, I haven't really done any articles which elaborate and go into greater detail concerning fibre so I thought now would be a great opportunity to do so. My next few articles will be concentrating on fibre and I will begin with this article; 'What is Fibre?' I hear fibre mentioned a lot and see it on most food's nutritional value labels. However, all I really knew … [Read more...]