With all of buzz on social media about how ‘insert molecule here’ is bad for you, it doesn’t seem to make much sense doesn’t it? These are what we need to eat everyday to live! So why do we avoid them? We’ve all heard the stray “Ew, this has so many carbs!” Or “All that fat will make you fat!” Are the poor proteins next to follow? I’d like to give a little more clarity about this mess. Picking out what to eat should not be a chore and hopefully with these next facts in mind you can select mindful but delicious food choices!
Let’s begin with carbohydrates since they seem to be the worst off (poor things). Carbohydrates are our main source of energy. If you’ve ever gone on a low carbohydrate diet, you’ve likely experienced the horrible and long bouts of tiredness. This is because our bodies are so used to them as our primary source of energy. Take a look at any meal and you’ll find that often, carbohydrate compose most of the calories. Now the bad/good paradigm that carbohydrates have, do have some merit because there is a distinction. We just probably should call them by what their actual names are. The “bad” carbohydrates are called simple carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, plain bagels, etc…). These are called ‘simple’ because they digest rapidly in our bodies. This is particularly “bad” because it results in a massive increase to your body’s blood sugar levels to which your pancreas must respond to with insulin. Long term consumption would eventually cause insulin resistance (your pancreas’ response lessens) and thus is how we acquire diabetes without even eating anything sweet! ‘Good’ carbohydrates, like whole grains and fibrous foods, are the exact opposite. They digest slowly, much of it is indigestible because of the fiber heavy nature of these foods. This keeps your blood sugar leveled and also reduces the insulin response required. ‘Bad’ is not necessarily true for simple carbohydrates. If you are an athlete or are very active, your muscles drain a lot of your carbohydrates very rapidly. Eating simple carbs after a good workout or practice can help regenerate these stores far faster than complex carbs would. At your local food facilities you’d probably have a lot of grain choices. Some rice or bagels. The whole grains would definitely be best choice, and remember, condiments are your best friend! Rice with maybe a soup mixed in or whole/multigrain bagels without some delicious cream cheese or butter make for a great choice!
Next we have fats. Biologically, they are vital to cell function (only one of several functions). You could eat twice as many grams of carbs or protein and still have the same caloric effect (Carb: 4 cal/g vs Fat: 9 cal/g). This is why you can eat more food if you skimp out on fatty foods, because they have more calories packed in less grams of fat. It often presents a problem to our cardiovascular health, however, this is limited to mostly saturated fats. Mono and poly are considered the healthier fats and are often found in things like avocado and certain cooking oils. Avocado spreads are wonderful choices. Nuts like almonds or peanuts, cashews in moderation are also really tasty. A lot of vegan options (product substitutes) are both delicious and avoid saturated fats so asking about vegan options are always an option! Finally we have proteins. Most have heard of essential amino acids in foods or protein shakes for the avid gym goer. They are responsible for most of our body functions, particularly preventing muscle breakdown. This is why proteins are vital to bodybuilding. Protein seems to be the most neglected group out of all three macromolecules because we often times associate them with only building muscle but they are critical to preserving what we already have. Muscle degeneration as we age is a natural process but we can help slow it down considerably by making sure we consume enough protein daily. Protein shakes are super accessible and easy to make although they can be a little expensive. Otherwise your usual chicken (preferably grilled to avoid saturated fats) is a great staple option. Lots of plants have soy proteins as well. Fish like salmon are absolutely wonderful, knocking out both protein and fats out. Edamame is a personal favorite! Ultimately, we need every single one of these to survive and they are essential to our body functions. They should not be something to fear! Next time you feel hungry and are picking out something to eat, don’t be afraid! Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats are here to save the day!