What is the difference between simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates?

09.10.2018

Carbohydrates are the main nutritional element and the main source of energy for life. When it comes to the need to lose weight, carbohydrates are the first to be outlawed. But first, it’s worth understanding what types of carbohydrates there are and learning to choose the right ones, rather than trying to mindlessly avoid everything.

You've probably heard that complex carbohydrates are healthier than simple ones. We suggest finding out how they differ and how simple and complex carbohydrates behave in the body.

So, carbohydrates are not just buns, cakes and pasta. Carbohydrates are also found in many other foods that contain added sugar, such as:

ready-made breakfasts;
preserves and jams;
ice cream, sweets, cookies;
instant food products;
cereal bars,
sauces (especially ketchup);
canned vegetables and fruits;
juices and sweet drinks.

But that's not all! Carbohydrates are contained even in such seemingly harmless products as:

Description and functions of carbohydrates

Carbohydrates

is a broad class of organic compounds that perform a huge number of functions. These are integral structural components in all tissues of the human body and consist of two chemical elements: carbon and water.

This is the main source of energy - and therefore the life of our cells. Their content varies significantly depending on the functions performed by the organ - for example, the concentration of glucose in the nervous tissue of the brain reaches 0.5 grams/kg.

Energy
― this is the main source of energy necessary for the normal maintenance of all physiological processes and functions in the body. This is a substrate that, undergoing a series of biochemical processes, will ultimately be sent as firewood to the furnace of mitochondria. In this, of course, the most important role goes to glucose - it is the main actress of the metabolic performance unfolding on stage.
Structural
- carbohydrates are part of various components of cells, in particular: nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), which ensure the storage and transmission of hereditary information; glycolipids and glycoproteins located in all tissues and organs of the human body - including the brain and spinal cord.
Protective
― mucus and joint fluid, of which they are components, protect cell surfaces from various types of damage.
In combination with proteins, they form antibodies, interferons, complement components - in other words, they actively participate in immune defense reactions.
Plasma albumins and globulins, blood clotting factors - all these substances also contain carbohydrate molecules.
Signal function
- are part of various cellular receptors and ligands.
Remember your high school biology lessons: long carbohydrate chains, called glycocalyx, are anchored into cell membranes. This is somewhat reminiscent of the branched tentacles of an octopus, which extend in all directions, providing intercellular interaction and selectivity in relation to chemical substances entering the body.
Regulate osmotic pressure
- one of the main parameters of homeostasis.
Storage
- the liver pantry is prudently filled with glycogen jam.
Detoxification
- glucuronic acid neutralizes toxic indirect bilirubin by binding to it; as well as various rotting products.
Read also: How much protein, fat and carbohydrates do you need per day for weight loss: daily allowance
Included in coenzymes
and other biologically active substances (for example, ATP).
Carbohydrates can form lipids
,
amino acids
and other compounds.

The main difference: what is the difference between simple and complex?

Any carbohydrate refers to a type of sugar compound - fructose, dextrose, glucose, sucrose. When such substances are received, a person receives the necessary nutrition, energy and... Simple carbohydrates differ from complex carbohydrates in that they contain no more than two sugars in their chain. Elements belong to the category of substances that are quickly broken down by the body, since their chain is insignificant. Due to this feature, such elements are often called easily digestible or fast.

Complex chains are distinguished by the fact that their structure contains three or more sugars; they consist of hundreds of different elements. They contain starch, cellulose, and glycogen. The body needs considerable time to break them down, so nutrition to the cells occurs evenly, so there is no feeling of hunger for a long time.

About proper nutrition for gaining muscle mass >>

Main types of carbohydrates

Depending on the amount of saccharides - those building blocks that make up the molecules, all carbohydrates are divided into simple (aka monosaccharides) and complex (polysaccharides).

The first group includes:

Glucose
(other names: grape sugar, dextrose) - found in berries, fruits, honey. This is the end product of the breakdown of complex carbohydrates in the body.
Here, perhaps, lies the main truth: whether we eat a banana or a potato, we will ultimately get the same substrate at the output. The difference lies only in the rate of secretion and the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas - we’ll talk about this in more detail below.
Glucose, in addition, easily undergoes fermentation, the constant companions of which are bloating, rumbling and flatulence, which usually cause considerable discomfort.
Fructose
(levulose or fruit sugar) is a widely used sweetener in nature, which is 2.5 times sweeter than glucose - an undeniable advantage for confectionery manufacturers. It is a structural component of sucrose.
Galactose
- Contains lactose (milk sugar).

Disaccharides can be distinguished as a separate group

(consist of two monomers).
The most famous among them:

Sucrose
(sucrose, cane sugar) is one of the most common disaccharides in nature (consists of glucose and fructose molecules). Its highest concentration is in beets and cane, which are used industrially for the production of table sugar.
Lactose
- found in dairy products. Its molecule includes one glucose and one galactose residue. It is used as a nutrient medium for the growth of bacteria, as well as for the production of drugs used in the treatment of various intestinal disorders.
Maltose
- malt sugar, consisting of two glucose residues. Contained, as a rule, in grain crops.

The second group includes polysaccharides

- large, branched carbohydrate chains, which contain hundreds and thousands of sequences of simple sugars:

Starch
- a reserve substance of plants, concentrated in grain crops and potatoes.
Cellulose
- the main component of the cell wall of higher plants and algae. Helps move food through the intestines, stimulating peristalsis.
Glycogen
- the main reserve pool of carbohydrates that fills the pantries of the liver and skeletal muscles.
Pectin
- present in the intercellular space of all higher plants. It has mild sorption and chelator properties.

We should also talk about dietary fiber

.
Fiber
is a collection of various plant substances that are not digested in the small intestine of humans and many animals: digestive enzymes are not able to hydrolyze (decompose) them into monomer bricks. Our body's resident bacteria ferment them, and the metabolites released in the large intestine are used by both the host organism and the microflora inhabiting it.

Fiber includes cellulose, pectin, resins, and lignin - these components have a unique chemical structure that gives them properties such as viscosity, volume, binding or adsorption, and water-holding capacity. It is practically incapable of fermentation and has a pronounced laxative effect.

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“Fiber-rich foods: benefits for the body” Read more

Dietary fiber causes a feeling of fullness and satiety - this is due to their bulking ability (imagine cotton wool swollen with moisture, which has increased many times in size).

When they are hydrated, viscous compounds (colloidal dispersions) are also formed, which have a beneficial effect on gastric emptying (evacuation of food), as well as the absorption of fats and carbohydrates.

In addition, fiber affects the texture of the product - foods rich in fiber increase the time required to chew and the associated energy costs.

Sources of fiber include fruits and vegetables, grain products, nuts and legumes.

Recommended amount: from 25 grams

in a day.

Research

: Dietary fiber: concept, classification and current indications, Carbohydrates and fiber, Dietary Fiber and Energy Regulation

Dividing carbohydrates into “bad” and “good” is as incorrect as dividing hormones into male and female: both groups are necessary for the normal functioning of our body.

In nutrition and medicine, there is a classification already described: simple sugars and complex ones.

Complex carbohydrates (also known as polysaccharides) during cavity or parietal (directly on the intestinal villi) digestion are decomposed into their component “building blocks” - monosaccharides. This is how they are absorbed.

Their features, such as a low glycemic index, the absence of sharp jumps in insulin, slowing down the movement of the food bolus and, consequently, increasing the time of action of digestive juice enzymes, distinguish them from simple sugars.

To build a healthy, balanced diet that will keep you productive throughout the day, consider the following foods:

Whole wheat bread.
Brown rice.
Buckwheat grain.
Quinoa.
Corn.
Lentils, beans, peas.

However, it should also be noted that cereals, legumes and oilseeds contain phytic acid - this is a natural plant defense mechanism. This antinutrient, entering the gastrointestinal tract, impairs the absorption of iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc - vital minerals. It is also associated with the development of irritable bowel syndrome and various food sensitivities. This is why soaking cereals before their direct consumption is so important - for partial deactivation of phytic acid.

In addition, rinsing rice grains before cooking can remove 3 to 43% of arsenic. The fact is that rice is grown as a lowland crop in flooded fields: under these conditions, the bioavailability of this highly toxic substance only increases, leading to its excessive accumulation.

Study

: Realistic risk assessment of arsenic in rice

But simple carbohydrates are not equally harmful: after all, the same glucose, in addition to its energy function, performs a number of other, no less important ones (for example, in the process of its metabolism it is accompanied by the production of raw materials for the formation of nucleic acids - DNA and RNA).

Nutritional value

It's clear that candy, cakes and cookies are of little benefit, but even cereals and foods that are often advertised as "balanced" can be just as poor in nutritional value. Prime examples of this are white rice, pasta or bread.

Whole grains are often stripped of their endosperm and bran, which are rich in micronutrients, vitamins, fiber and healthy fats. As a result, only simple carbohydrates remain. Once these layers are removed, the grain is no longer whole; More than 15 vitamins and minerals have been removed from it, as well as fiber, which increases satiety and prolongs digestion. Of course, in the process of “enrichment” some nutrients are re-added to foods, but not all of them, and certainly not fiber.

Without processing, whole grains are rich in nutrients and dietary fiber, and they remain a complex carbohydrate. By basing your diet on nutritious foods like brown rice, oats, and whole grain bread, you get all the benefits of a balanced, nutrient-dense diet that leaves you feeling strong, energized, immune-boosted, and healthy.

Symptoms of high insulin

So, say, frequent consumption of high-carbohydrate foods (be it a full breakfast and lunch, yogurt instead of a snack, nuts and even one candy), the pancreas will react by synthesizing and releasing insulin.

Its constant circulation in the blood leads to a decrease in the sensitivity of cell receptors - they are capricious and no longer want to open their doors, letting in glucose. Insulin resistance develops

- the first step in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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“Insulin resistance: prevention, nutrition and treatment” Read more

However, cells also do not like to go hungry: since glucose does not come to them from the outside, they begin to synthesize it themselves, inside their cytoplasm - gluconeogenesis is a process in which inside the cell itself from various non-carbohydrate compounds (for example, keto acids) comes to the rescue. Glucose is formed through a series of biochemical reactions.

You can suspect signs of insulin resistance based on the presence of the following symptoms:

The appearance of papillomas
are benign tumors on the skin that occur due to excessive cell division. (The whole point is that insulin is an anabolic (synthesis) hormone. Athletes often sin by resorting to its injections: everything is for the growth of muscle mass. However, not only it, as we see, grows under its influence).
Constant feeling of hunger
- glucose simply does not pass through the closed gates of the cells, and they, knocking on tambourines, begin to sound the alarm.
Waist
more than 80 cm for women and more than 90 cm for men.
Body mass index
>24 (excess weight is a sure companion of impaired carbohydrate metabolism).
Blackening of the skin
on the elbows, armpits, groin and neck (acanthosis nigricans).
Capillary angiomas
(red dots on the body).
Hirsutism
(excessive hair growth); acne, alopecia (hair loss), anovulation and other signs of hyperandrogenism (increased levels of male sex hormones in the blood).
The reason for this is that the ovaries are stimulated directly by insulin or in combination with LH (luteinizing hormone) - and they begin to produce more androgens.
Increased blood pressure and swelling
(insulin retains sodium, which pulls water with its tail - an increase in the volume of circulating blood occurs).
Bacterial and fungal overgrowth syndrome
: Glucose is a favorite treat of many pathogenic organisms.
Increased cholesterol
and stimulation of the growth of atherosclerotic plaques.
Reduced bile fluidity
— its stagnation (cholestasis) develops.
Geeking
(sugarification) of collagen and the appearance of wrinkles
Damage to the vascular endothelium
. Thus, patients suffering from type 2 diabetes are much more at risk of developing stroke and heart attack - these diseases of the cardiovascular system account for more than 75% of all causes of mortality.

The negative impact of increased glucose levels on the endothelium (internal lining) of blood vessels comes down mainly to two of its effects:

Increased sorbitol formation
(an alcohol synthesized during its biochemical transformations) and its accumulation in cells - here it causes a decrease in the level of myoinositol (an important transmitter (messenger) of intracellular signals) and also leads to osmotic damage.
Formation of AGE products
(advanced glycation end-products or advanced glycation end products) - these three letters describe one of the most popular and scientifically proven theories of aging. Glucose, interacting with the amino acids of proteins, leads to their “sugarification”. The complexes formed in this way accumulate in cells and tissues, leading to their further damage.

In general, in the pathogenesis of the development of endothelial dysfunction, an important role is played by an imbalance between factors leading to vasodilation (vasodilatation), vasoconstriction (narrowing of the lumens of blood vessels), anti- and prothrombotic factors (in other words, anticoagulants and components of the blood coagulation system).

Nitric oxide

(NO) - one of the most powerful and important vasodilators - is formed during the biochemical conversion of the amino acid arginine to citrulline. Various pathological conditions, such as hyperglycemia (increased serum glucose levels), as previously noted, trigger increased work in the free radical production factory.

Reactive oxygen species (for example, superoxide anion) react with NO, forming a dangerous, powerful oxidizing agent - peroxynitrite, which destabilizes and causes various kinds of disturbances in the structure and operation of NO synthase (an enzyme that directly catalyzes the synthesis of nitric oxide, and also takes part in the formation neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, etc.)

Study

: Antidiabetic Agents and Endothelial Dysfunction – Beyond Glucose Control

The harm of fructose and corn syrup

Since childhood, we have become accustomed to advertising, with firm confidence driving into the faceted slabs of memory that juices for breakfast or for children as a snack at school are an excellent and healthy alternative to sugar. It would seem that there is nothing wrong with a smoothie or fresh juice - after all, fruits have always been associated with health! To answer this question it is necessary to turn again to biochemistry.

Our cells are not able to use fructose as an energy source, so its metabolism in the liver includes only two ways: conversion into glucose or the formation of triglycerides (fat, in a word).

This monosaccharide plays a key role in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Imagine foie gras: the unfortunate animal is force-fed so that its liver becomes overgrown with a sheath of fat, turning into a gourmet restaurant dish. The human one will be little different - except that no one will serve it to you on a white plate.

High daily consumption of this monosaccharide leads to the development of more severe liver damage: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis.

Study

: Does fructose consumption contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?

This is why it is so important to pay attention to your waist size—its increase will be the first warning sign.

But the insidiousness of fructose doesn’t end there: it bypasses many satiety signals in our body. It's all about leptin, the satiety hormone that is secreted by adipose tissue. Its release is increased by the action of insulin, the concentration of which in the blood after consuming fructose will be quite low.

Moreover, fructose, unlike glucose, is not transported into the nervous tissue of the brain - and it does not pick up satiety signals. Thus, the feeling of hunger does not disappear even after eating - a person simply cannot get enough.

Study

: Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity

Excessive consumption of fructose is associated with increased levels of uric acid, a trigger in the development of gout.

Scientists conducted an interesting study with rats that followed a high-fructose diet for ten weeks. They experienced increased blood pressure and triglyceride levels, as well as the development of insulin resistance.

However, in the group that simultaneously took uric acid-lowering drugs (allopurinol and benzbromarone), these indicators were significantly better.

Study

: The Effect of High-Fructose Corn Syrup Consumption on Triglycerides and Uric Acid

A high-fructose diet promotes an overgrowth of gram-negative flora, and lipopolysaccharide, a component of their cell wall, enters the bloodstream. Watchdogs in the form of receptors immediately react to it - oxidative stress is triggered and the transmission of signals from insulin is simultaneously inhibited both in its peripherally located target cells and in the neurons of the hypothalamus - the most important structure of the brain.

It is important to add that such strong agents as free radicals, even if in this case they are formed outside the mitochondria, easily penetrate into the latter, causing transport collapse there in the form of electron leakage.

Study

: Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity

In the 1970s, it accounted for less than one percent of its sales in the American sweetener market. By the 2000s, its share had already reached 42% - an amazing success.

Today it is difficult to find a product in the United States in which manufacturers do not add it: soft drinks, candied fruits, yogurts, baked goods, jellies and even many cereals - it is lost on their labels. All this leads to an increase in the incidence of obesity among children and adolescents - the main consumers of sugary drinks, cereals and desserts.

The fructose content in this syrup varies from 42% to 55%

Studies have shown that consuming corn syrup increases glucose (and therefore insulin) levels.

It is recommended to consume about 100-150 grams

carbohydrates per day (provided there are no metabolic disorders).

So, after we eat any food containing carbohydrates and proteins (we will focus on them in other articles), the cells of the pancreas begin to actively secrete insulin.

This is a protein hormone whose main task is to reduce blood glucose levels. Insulin itself does not transport anything: by interacting with its receptors, it only increases the density of specific carriers on the cell surface.

Glucose enters the cell, where various pathways for its utilization are activated:

Glycolysis
— this process supplies raw materials for power plants, in other words, prepares firewood for mitochondrial furnaces.
Glucose is converted into pyruvate (pyruvic acid), which, in turn, in the absence of oxygen is metabolized into lactic acid - lactate (it is these processes that occur in actively contracting muscles during physical activity).
In aerobic, that is, oxygen, conditions, pyruvate, in the process of biochemical reactions and with the participation of a complex of a large number of enzymes, is converted into acetyl-CoA, which enters the tricarboxylic acid cycle (Krebs cycle).
In fact, all incoming food (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) will ultimately form acetyl-Coa - this is a universal chess piece along the path of complex energy production mechanisms.
Pentose phosphate pathway
- another way to utilize glucose. And if glycolysis is one of the key stages of energy production, then this mechanism ensures the formation of phosphopentoses - the building blocks for the construction of DNA and RNA.
Also, its second, no less important function is the restoration of the coenzyme form of vitamin B3 (NAD+) to NADH2 - this is necessary for the functioning of glutathione - one of the main protectors of cells, including blood cells, from free radicals. If this process is disrupted, hemolytic anemia is observed - increased breakdown of red blood cells. The released hemoglobin is converted into the bile pigment bilirubin, which is highly toxic to the human body.
Finally, glucose can go to glycogen synthesis
- this is the substance with which, in addition to fat, the storerooms in our body are filled.

The fact is that storing glucose is quite difficult: it freely leaves the cell, so it is necessary to involve various biochemical reactions to convert it into more fixed forms - this is not economical in terms of energy use.

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So nature found a way to preserve it - it mainly happens in the kitchen of the liver and muscles. However, you shouldn’t get your hopes up too much - the volume of stored glycogen is also strictly limited (200-250 grams) - all excess incoming carbohydrates will turn into fat.

Liver glycogen is used to maintain optimal blood glucose levels, while glycogen in muscles is spent on their own needs.

The main causes of carbohydrate metabolism disorders:

Excessive glucose intake.
Fructose abuse.
Excessive intake of foods with a high glycemic index.
Excessive intake of foods with a high insulin index.
Insufficient physical activity.

Strategy for correcting carbohydrate metabolism:

Three meals a day
, no snacks (unless there are medical contraindications).
Elimination of simple carbohydrates
- insulin will be secreted even when complex sugars are supplied, however, its release and further decline will be more uniform and smooth.
Breakfast
- protein-fat, quite filling and provides energy for a long time.
After a glass of smoothie or fresh orange juice, the feeling of hunger will begin to torment you, wriggling like a worm in your stomach, within 40-50 minutes; Our main task is to reduce the number of meals as much as possible, creating hungry intervals.
This is where olives, cod liver, fatty meats and fish come to the rescue - try eating what you usually find on your plates during lunch.
Exercise stress
- no less effective for adaptation and even (according to some studies) synthesis of new cellular receptors.
Elimination of stress agents
(increased secretion of cortisol and adrenaline leads to stimulation of gluconeogenesis and worsening insulin resistance).
8 hours sleep
(lack of sleep causes inconsistencies in the synthesis of leptin, the satiety hormone).
The use of gadgets is also not recommended 2 hours before bedtime - blue light from the screen reduces the production of melatonin, which has powerful antioxidant effects.
Recommended Supplements
:
taurine (1000 mg 2 times a day);
ginger (500 mg, 3 times a day);
fenugreek (150 mg 3 times a day);
bitter melon (500 mg, 3 times a day);
cinnamon;
carnosine (500 mg 3 times a day);
vanadium (1-3 mg per day);
chromium polynicotinate (300 mg);
zinc (25-50 mg);
magnesium (400 mg);
vitamin D (depending on laboratory parameters);
alpha lipoic acid (600 mg, 2-3 times daily).

New strategies for the treatment of carbohydrate metabolism disorders

Glucagon-like peptide-1

is a hormone secreted by intestinal cells in response to food intake, plays an important role in maintaining optimal blood sugar levels - all by stimulating the glucose-dependent secretion of insulin and suppressing its main antagonist,
glucagon
.

Its action is also associated with weight loss by reducing appetite and the amount of food consumed, protective effects on the cardiovascular system and pancreatic beta cells that directly produce insulin - all this actively allows its use as a drug for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. type.

Research

: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) and the gastrointestinal tract

Moreover Metformin

- a drug that represents the first line of drug treatment for diabetes mellitus, also stimulates an increase in the synthesis of glucagon-like peptide-1.

Research

: Metformin is a possible glucagon-like peptide 1 stimulator

Which carbohydrates are needed for weight gain and which for weight loss? How to use them correctly

For sports purposes, both types of carbohydrates are important - each of them has its own role and benefits (portion sizes, calorie content and product quality also need to be taken into account):

Gaining muscle mass:

fast carbohydrates - consume half an hour before and after training. In the first case, you will spend them faster than they have time to be deposited in fat, in the second, they will go straight to replenish glycogen reserves in the muscles (no need to worry about excess weight);
slow carbohydrates – consume 1-2 hours before and after training. In the first case, the energy will last until the end of the session, in the second, the muscles will also recover and grow, but more slowly.

Weight loss:

fast carbohydrates - you shouldn’t give them up completely, especially when losing weight - this can lead to breakdowns;
Slow carbohydrates – save you from overeating and are not stored in reserve. While they are digesting, you feel full.

Laboratory diagnostics of carbohydrate metabolism

Previously, before the advent of modern research methods, doctors were faced with a not particularly noble job: they had to taste urine - and in diabetics it was sweet. Now the task has become somewhat simpler - so, what laboratory indicators are worth paying attention to:

Triglycerides > 1.7 mmol/l.
An increase in the level of insulin in the blood stimulates lipogenesis - this, by the way, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acne development: the higher the level of triglycerides, the more sebum is secreted.
Fasting insulin >5-6 mmol/l.
NOMA index > 1.3.
Fasting glucose >5.5 mmol/l.
Optimum: 3.5-5.5 mmol/l.
Glucose on oral glucose tolerance test >11 mmol/L.
Optimum: <6.9 mmol/L (6.9-11 mmol/L indicates prediabetes).
Glycated hemoglobin - reflects the average blood sugar content over 3-4 months (lifespan of red blood cells) > 6.5%.
Optimum: up to 5.2%.
C-peptide is a molecule that is cleaved by protein enzymes from the precursor of insulin and is thus an indicator of its secretion.
Reference: 1.4-4.4 ng/l.
Optimum: middle of reference values.
LDL (low-density lipoprotein, atherogenic) > 3 mmol/l.
HDL (high density lipoprotein, antiatherogenic) < 1 mmol/l in men and < 1.2 mmol/l in women.

Glycemic index

(GI) is an indicator of exactly how the carbohydrates consumed affect changes in glucose levels.

As previously mentioned, a feature of simple sugars is their ability to sharply increase the glucose level in the serum - this effect does not distinguish them favorably from complex carbohydrates.

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The body's reaction is immediate: a powerful release of insulin occurs in the pancreas - a hormone designed in this case to neutralize excess glucose in the blood, but then follows the same uneven sharp decline. Hence the need to focus on foods with a low glycemic index that do not cause such “swings” in glucose concentrations:

Chickpeas
Beans
Plums
Pomegranate
Cherry
Raspberries
Currant
Mushrooms
Broccoli
Asparagus
Fennel
Lentils
Avocado
Olives
Seaweed
Cauliflower
cucumbers
Leafy vegetables

However, another indicator is no less important - the insulin index.

. It displays the amount of insulin secreted in response to the intake of a specific food.

Very often, foods with a low glycemic index, while having a high insulin index, cause many adverse effects. Such foods include dairy products.

Amino acids with branched side chains contained in milk are powerful stimulators of the synthesis and subsequent release of insulin (the AI of cottage cheese is approximately 100-120). This is a paradoxical situation at first glance: cottage cheese does not cause a sharp jump in glucose (GI = 30 and is quite low), but it leads to a significant secretion of insulin, to the calls of which the cells are already deaf.

The pancreas compensatory begins to produce more and more insulin in order to somehow break through the insurmountable wall - this eventually leads to its depletion. The patient is forced to receive it from the outside - in the form of injections.

Why do fast carbohydrates cause you to gain weight?

The fact that simple carbohydrates work faster than their “healthy” counterparts is understandable. Why do people get fat because of them? Because they break down instantly - the body simply does not have time to spend them. As long as the body carries glucose through the blood, you feel full. But as soon as blood glucose levels rise above 100 mg/dL, insulin pushes glucose into fat cells. When insulin does its job, you want to eat again.

In theory, this is what happens: fast carbohydrate – a jump in sugar and insulin – hunger and overeating. But in practice, a person rarely consumes pure carbohydrates - usually the product also contains a lot of fat. For example, 100 g of chocolate contains approximately 50 g of carbohydrates and 34 g of fat - and they contain twice as many calories as carbohydrates. The vicious circle can be broken if you limit portions - eat, for example, not a bar of chocolate, but only a slice. But ideally, replace it with fruit - the same apple contains only 10 g of carbohydrates and 0.4 g of fat.

Red list of products

It is advisable to exclude the products listed below or at least reduce their consumption not only for patients on treatment protocols, but also for healthy, conscious people: after all, insulin resistance is a lifestyle disease.

Sugar (including fruits, honey, dried fruits, sweet juices, store-bought sweets).
Porridge (oatmeal, pearl barley, corn, semolina, rice, except wild).
Bakery products.
Flour, starch, semi-finished products, pasta.
Store-bought sauces.
Chips, beer, crackers.
Soda and energy drinks.
Corn syrup is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Where is the enemy hiding or learning to read labels - what is another name for sugar?

Coconut sugar
Beet sugar
Cane sugar
Palm sugar
Barley malt
Maltodextrin
Maltose
Dextrose
Corn sugar
Fructose
Levulose
Corn syrup
Malt syrup
Molasses
Agave syrup
Maple syrup
Isoglucose
Brown sugar

Glucose metabolism, its regulation

Ketogenic diet

- low-carbohydrate diet (about 50 grams) high in fat.

So, to the list of “ prohibited”

» products include:

Fruits
Cereals
Bakery and confectionery products
Honey
Starchy vegetables
Juices, lemonades, alcoholic drinks
Trans fats
Oils high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids: sunflower oil, as well as palm, cottonseed, and rapeseed.
Low-fat dairy products
Ready sauces
Energetic drinks

Despite the rather impressive red list of taboos, the low-carb diet is nevertheless quite varied and includes fresh berries, meat, dairy products, fish and seafood, nuts and seeds, vegetables, herbs, and vegetable oils.

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Most of the usual, traditional dishes can also be easily prepared, taking into account the rules and carbohydrate limits of the keto diet - you just need to show a little imagination and slightly change the established focus of vision.

Low-carbohydrate diets, due to their high fat consumption, make it easy to stick to a 2-3 meals a day diet, avoiding annoying thoughts about snacking. In addition, they can easily tolerate intermittent fasting, which is so relevant in the context of treating carbohydrate metabolism disorders.

Beneficial effects of the ketogenic diet:

Weight loss
and combating metabolic syndrome.
Excessive consumption of carbohydrates, especially sugar, causes the so-called metabolic syndrome, which includes: obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lipid problems, inflammation and hypertension. A systematic review of major clinical trials of low-carbohydrate diets found significant weight loss and improvements in major cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Reducing the frequency of epileptic seizures
- by blocking the receptors of such an excitatory neurotransmitter as glutamate in one of the key structures of the brain - in the hippocampus.
Treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and disorders
(including depression and Alzheimer's disease).
Anticonvulsant action
- turns out to be due to the activation of inhibition processes by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), activation of the opioid system of the brain, reducing the effects of excitatory amino acids, the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) - a powerful vasodilator.
Changes the composition of bacteria
, inhabiting the intestines.

Thus, a study in which 14 epileptic and 30 healthy children participated showed: in patients with epilepsy after treatment with a ketogenic diet, the number of pathogenic strains of proteobacteria (such as salmonella, vibrio, E. coli) significantly decreased.

Carbohydrates

- vital nutrients that perform a number of important functions in the human body. This is the source of energy, and therefore the existence of our cells.

Their excess has no less adverse effect on the functioning of all systems than their complete absence. From hypoglycemia to diabetes mellitus - going to extremes, it is impossible to achieve the golden mean, those most optimal conditions for a high-quality and healthy life.

Special nuances

Today, many diets and exercise programs are based on controlling the intake of certain substances in the body and the difference in their benefits to the body. The well-known carbon-free diet shows good results in losing weight, but this effect has a short-term effect and causes severe harm to the body. It is worth knowing that excluding carbohydrates from the diet deprives it of a source of essential elements and minerals. As a result, exacerbation of various diseases may occur. To lose weight, you should use developed tables for carbohydrate content and limit your intake to only simple ones. In order to lose weight, it is recommended to consume foods with a high content of them before lunch.

Carbohydrates have a good effect if you need to build muscle mass. To do this, the daily dose must be increased. If an average person needs 5 grams of carbohydrates per day per kilogram of weight, then to gain muscle mass this value should be increased to 8 grams.

A sufficient intake of carbohydrates is the key to human health and well-being. For proper nutrition, you need to understand the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates and the difference in their absorption by the body. Information on carbohydrate content can be easily obtained using the table of calorie content and content of essential substances. It is recommended to make a choice in favor of complex carbohydrates, including plant-based foods with a lot of fiber in your diet.