For snacks between heavy meals, you should leave not buns and sweets, but nuts and dried fruits. People who are predisposed to developing diabetes should be extremely careful when consuming foods with a high GI.
Carbohydrates are substances consisting of molecules of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. In the process of metabolism in the body, they are converted into a source of energy - glucose.
The body uses glucose for energy, but if it is not used during a sedentary lifestyle, the unused glucose is stored in the form of glycogen, a polysaccharide formed by glucose residues. This substance is a reserve carbohydrate for the body and accumulates in the liver and muscle tissue in reserve or in the form of subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat.
What are fast carbohydrates
Fast or simple carbohydrates include all the sugar and starch consumed in food. They are easily broken down and absorbed by the body thanks to a special chemical formula, dissolve in water and have a pronounced sweet taste. These carbohydrates include monosaccharides and disaccharides.
Monosaccharides include substances:
- Glucose. Glucose-containing foods - carrots, grapes, corn, berries. It is stored in the liver and muscles as energy reserves in the form of glycogen.
- Fructose. Natural sources of fructose are honey, ripe fruits and vegetables. It is absorbed a little worse, since the body must process it into glucose.
- Galactose is contained in dairy products.
The following components are classified as disaccharides:
- Lactose. It is an animal carbohydrate found in milk.
- Maltose is a sugar obtained after the fermentation of grapes and the formation of malt. Contained in oranges and beer.
- Sucrose. Natural sources - cane, beet, brown sugar, black molasses; sucrose is present in smaller amounts in vegetables and fruits.
The division of carbohydrates into fast and slow is associated with the glycemic index.
Workouts and carbs in the evening
A separate question: should you eat after an evening workout if you want to lose weight? Or should you go to bed hungry so that your body burns more fat?
Here you can read in detail about the importance of nutrition around training.
Carbohydrates are energy. If you train in the evenings, then shifting carbohydrates to the evening makes direct sense: by consuming them before training, you provide yourself with energy for high-quality work. By consuming them after training, you speed up the body's recovery.
Insulin sensitivity is high after exercise (), so there is no need to worry about everything you eat turning into fat. Moreover, this is impossible on a calorie deficit.
The concept of glycemic index (GI)
The glycemic index shows how quickly the body absorbs the carbohydrates eaten and enters the bloodstream. The higher it is, the faster this process goes and the more actively a person gains weight. The GI also measures how quickly a food can raise blood glucose levels. Glucose with an index of 100 units is taken as the GI standard.
It is customary to use the following classification:
– high GI – more than 70;
– average GI – in the range from 50 to 70;
– low GI – less than 50.
The lower the GI, the more beneficial the product is for the health of the body.
The importance of fast carbohydrates in human nutrition
Having a high glycemic index, fast carbohydrates can have a detrimental effect on human health. They do not provide the body with nutrients, and they dull hunger only for a short time. If sugar that enters the bloodstream is not converted into glycogen due to physical activity, it will be stored in the body as fat.
Therefore, all healthy nutrition systems recommend limiting the consumption of foods containing fast carbohydrates. You should be especially wary of fast carbohydrates in the afternoon; it is at this time that they pose the greatest danger to weight and figure.
A low glycemic index, on the contrary, promotes weight loss. If your goal is to lose weight, you can lose weight with a diet in which foods have a GI that does not exceed 55 units. In this case, a fit figure and a great mood are guaranteed.
When you eat foods containing fast carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels jump sharply. This is a negative factor for health and, according to doctors, can lead to the development of diabetes.
Banana composition
Banana is a perennial herbaceous plant and its fruit is considered grass. These fruits have become very popular in our country because they have a pleasant taste and aroma. They are also good for health because they contain many useful substances. Bananas are cheaper in price than many common fruits, such as apples or oranges.
It has long been known that banana fruits cleanse the body of toxins. This is due to the fact that they contain a lot of healthy fiber. They are also able to remove excess water from the body. Exotic fruits do not cause allergies, so they can be given to infants. Fruits are very useful for people with hypertension and diabetes, and for atherosclerosis. By regularly eating bananas for such diseases, you can observe positive dynamics in treatment.
The yellow fruit contains a lot of sugars: glucose, sucrose and fructose. Due to this content, it is considered a high-calorie fruit. It is believed that one fruit can provide the body with energy for 30-40 minutes. For this reason, many athletes use them as a snack. In addition to sugars, the fruit contains:
- ascorbic and nicotinic acid;
- riboflavin and thiamine;
- tocopherol and carotene;
- potassium and magnesium;
- zinc and iron.
Bananas also contain many other very important microelements and vitamins for the body. They contain a lot of vitamin B, which, in combination with polysaccharides, benefits the digestive and nervous systems. The high carbohydrate content benefits those who lead an active life. However, bananas can not only increase productivity, but also give you a good mood. Exotic fruits contain the substance tryptophan, which can be compared to the hormone of happiness. Eating 1 fruit can lift your spirits and saturate your body with useful substances.
Why does the body need fast carbohydrates?
Research shows that sugars make it possible to digest foods rich in proteins and fats. All doctors and nutritionists are of the same opinion that the diet should mostly consist of foods with slow carbohydrates.
However, there are situations when it is necessary to quickly restore energy, even for a short time, in which case fast carbohydrates are irreplaceable. They sharply increase blood glucose levels, which leads to a surge in insulin, intense blood circulation, and high muscle tone. This helps to cope with lightheadedness, dizziness, and nausea.
In addition, fast carbohydrates:
- help cope with mental tasks by activating brain function;
- replenish glycogen reserves in the body;
- neutralize toxins;
- participate in the construction of the cell frame;
- help fight stress and relieve depression;
- control metabolism by activating the synthesis of various hormones and enzymes in the body.
If a person regularly visits the gym and exercises intensively, then fast carbohydrates in small quantities help reduce excess weight by accelerating the burning of fat deposits.
In the absence of proper physical activity, jumps in glucose levels only replenish fat deposits in the body and harm the functioning of the pancreas, muscles and cardiovascular system. A person needs to consume up to 40 g of fast sugars per day and only in the first half of the day.
Fast carbohydrates in a healthy diet
According to the principles of proper nutrition, a person’s diet should not be dominated by fast carbohydrates, but by foods that also contain organic acids, vitamins and minerals. These include vegetables, grains and fruits.
It is advisable to interchange carbohydrate products. For example, instead of fried potatoes, it is better to cook baked ones, and add honey to tea instead of sugar.
It is advisable to eat dried fruits and fruits with fast carbohydrates separately from the main lunch. When creating a healthy diet, nutritionists recommend taking into account the principle of food compatibility:
- do not mix carbohydrates with fatty foods;
- if you intend to lose weight, you should exclude fast carbohydrates at least after lunch, and better yet, from your diet altogether;
- if you can’t give up chocolate, it’s better to buy black with 70% cocoa content;
- Sugary drinks, store-bought cookies, chocolates should be banned - these clean calories can provide fuel when a quick recovery is needed, but more often they contribute to obesity and their benefits are questionable.
How to cook cereals correctly
Before direct cooking, cereals (like legumes and nuts) must be soaked: this is due to the content of phytic acid in them, which largely complicates and prevents the absorption of minerals and trace elements in the intestines. Such a manipulation, even if it does not completely inactivate this biologically active compound, will definitely ensure much more complete absorption processes on the epithelial villi of the intestine.
| Cereal name | Approximate soaking time |
| Brown rice | 12 hours |
| Buckwheat | 5-6 hours |
| Quinoa | 3 hours |
| White rice | 9 o'clock |
| Cereals | 12 hours |
| Millet | 5-6 hours |
| Amaranth | 3 hours |
Also, don't forget the importance of rinsing grains under running water—especially if they've been sitting on open counters. And for rice, this need increases several times: this crop, grown in wetlands, is fairly rich in arsenic.
To prepare cereals, you should choose the right utensils from the right material - this, according to chefs, is one of the key factors in preserving and giving them the desired texture and friability
The use of filtered water is also important - even in the context of basic safety. Possible bacterial contamination, the presence of chlorine (due to appropriate processing), a specific metallic taste and hardness - all this will affect not only the dish itself, but also health in general.
Add the correct volume of water - the type of future porridge depends on this.
| Name of porridge | Semolina | Rice | Wheat groats |
| Volume of cereal (dry) | 1-2 tablespoons | 1 glass | 1 glass |
| Volume of water required | 1 glass | 2 glasses | 3 glasses |
| Name of porridge | Buckwheat | Pearl barley | Oatmeal |
| Volume of cereal (dry) | 1 glass | 1 glass | 1.5 cups |
| Volume of water required | 2 glasses | 2 glasses | 1 liter |
Give preference to long-cooked cereals: in this article we have already provided a comparison of the nutritional value of processed and whole grains.
What foods are classified as fast carbohydrates: list of foods
To reduce the load on the pancreas and to prevent fat deposits, the optimal solution in a healthy diet is considered to be a significant restriction in the diet of foods containing fast carbohydrates. In general, without going into the intricacies of the glycemic index values, you can focus on the following example of dangerous products to exclude:
- white bread and flour products made from white flour (cakes, pastries, cookies, buns);
- sausages;
- honey;
- store-bought sweets (drinks, soda, candy);
- starch;
- quick-boiled soft wheat pasta;
- potato;
- vegetables after heat treatment, with easily digestible starch appearing;
- canned fruits enriched with sugar, which easily turn into glucose;
- alcohol, especially spirits and beer;
- sugar and products with its addition, ice cream, preserves, jams;
- fried or fried potatoes;
- fast food and almost all dishes in fast food restaurants that contain a lot of starch and sugar.
If it is not possible to completely exclude the above products from your diet, it is recommended to include them in the menu as rarely as possible in order to eliminate such a disadvantage as weight gain. This is the simplest diet option that is useful for losing weight.
The way such products are processed is of great importance. As a general rule, cooking time and high temperature increase the sugar in the finished dish. For example, boiled jacket potatoes will be less harmful than mashed boiled peeled potatoes or even fried potatoes.
However, the best thing for a healthy diet is to pay attention to the glycemic index when choosing foods for your diet. This will be difficult to do in public catering establishments, but for a home menu it is quite feasible.
Oat cookies
Both adults and children love this sweet treat. It is considered both incredibly tasty and very healthy. Let's figure out how many carbohydrates are in oatmeal cookies, which we have loved since childhood. If we are talking about a classic recipe, then the average indicators are as follows:
- 412 g kcal;
- 66.08 g carbohydrates;
- 14.15 g fat;
- 6.28 g protein.
Naturally, these figures can vary significantly depending on the recipe and quality of the products used for preparation. It is worth noting that high-quality oat flour retains many of the properties of oat grains.
List of foods containing fast carbohydrates with an average glycemic index (55-70 units)
These products include:
- bread and other baked goods made from rye flour (coarsely ground);
- boiled carrots, peas, beets;
- kiwi, banana, apricot, pineapple, and melon;
- honey;
- pearl barley, oatmeal, buckwheat, rice, semolina and other cereals;
- corn, including popcorn;
- potatoes boiled in their jackets.
These products can be consumed in the first half of the day without fear of negative consequences, but only if the goal is not to lose a lot of weight.
