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Carbohydrates are the main source of your body's energy. They are classified, based on their structure, as simple (found in sweet foods and sweeteners such as fruit, fruit juice, sugar, honey, etc.) or complex (found in potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables, beans, peas, winter squashes, and grains such as wheat, rice, corn, oats, etc.). Most of the carbohydrates you consume should be of the complex variety, although a reasonable amount of simple carbohydrates, mostly from nutrient-rich, fiber-filled fruit, is acceptable.
Whole grains (those which are mostly unrefined) provide vitamins, trace minerals, and fiber, all of which are important to both the immune system and to overall health. For many, one of the best ways to up the intake of nutrients is to substitute lots of whole grains for the "white" foods that are unfortunately common in our society. Although both are in the category of complex carbohydrates, the heavily refined white foods provide little nutrition. That makes choosing the unrefined, nutrient-rich sources of carbohydrates very important.
This includes using brown rice instead of white; whole grain pasta instead of white spaghetti or macaroni or noodles; whole grain rye or wheat or rice crackers instead of white saltines; whole grain flaked cereals instead of the usual cold cereals; whole grain hot cereals like oatmeal; and last but not least, 100% whole grain bread instead of white bread. Selecting whole grain bread can be tricky, however. Read the label carefully and make sure the bread is all whole wheat or whole rye or other whole grains and not mostly "enriched" flour or "white flour" or "wheat flour." These are the same as nutrient-poor white flour. The same is true with supposedly whole grain crackers and cookies. Don't be tricked by the name on the box. Manufacturers can put "whole grain" in big print, but its important to read the label carefully to make sure that the whole grains actually make up most of the product, not "enriched" or "wheat" flour.
Beans of all varieties are also excellent sources of both complex carbohydrates and low-fat protein. And don't think of them as a boring side dish. Make up a spicy bean dip, add them to a pasta dish, or sprinkle a tasty variety on your salad. And don't forget corn and winter squashes. They're loaded with nutrients and can be a tasty source of complex carbs from breakfast (whole-corn grits) to dinner (baked spaghetti squash used in place of pasta in your favorite Italian dish).
Low-carb diets: don't believe the hype
Don't be confused by the recent controversy surrounding carbohydrates created by the widespread promotion of high-protein, low-carb diets. Many people have developed the belief that carbs, in general, are a problem. That is simply not true. Carbohydrates provide a large part of the fuel that powers your physical activity and keeps your organs functioning properly, and will always be an important part of the human diet.
What is true is that all carbs are not created equal. The key is to select whole grains, fruits, and vegetables that truly support health, rather than from the highly processed foods loaded with white flour and white sugar that provide nothing of value. By choosing the good carbs, you will not only increase your intake of nutrients and fiber, but will also be using foods with a low-to-moderate "glycemic load."
The glycemic load is a measure that looks at the amount of carbohydrates in a particular food, combined with how rapidly those carbohydrates are broken down and, thus, the effect that they have on your blood sugar. When carbohydrates are broken down, they will all have some effect on your blood sugar. Of concern are the carbohydrates that are broken down very quickly and raise blood sugars the highest. Such foods have been tied to an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease.
The "glycemic index" classifies foods according to their effect on blood sugar, and there are lists on the World Wide Web showing the specific glycemic index for many foods (www.glycemicindex.com). The glycemic load takes into account a particular food's glycemic index, along with the total amount of carbohydrate in a single serving.
By choosing foods with low-to-medium glycemic loads, you can improve your chances of keeping your blood sugar at healthy levels, and thus reducing your risk for serious diseases. If you want to see a list of foods categorized by their glycemic load, the Harvard School of Public Health has one that can be viewed by clicking here.
However, again, if you simply focus your food choices on the whole foods discussed here, while avoiding the highly processed foods made from mostly white flour and white sugar, you will end up with a diet where most of the foods have moderate effects on blood sugar. Other than potatoes, which have a high glycemic load and can raise blood sugar just as much as eating a sugary treat, most fruits and vegetables are low glycemic load foods. Most whole grains—including whole-grain breads and pastas, oatmeal, and brown rice—are medium glycemic load foods. Not surprisingly, most highly processed foods—candy, sugar-loaded drinks, white-flour breads, cereals, and pastas—are high glycemic load foods. By avoiding the high-glycemic, nutrient-poor foods, HIV-positive people can help reduce additional health risks such as diabetes and heart disease.
Credits
This lesson was written by Lark Lands, a longtime HIV disease treatment writer and educator. Her informative website is www.larklands.net. |
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