Carbohydrates are only as complicated as you let them be
Carbohydrates are only as complicated as you let them be
The carbohydrate. An unsuspecting, cyclic molecule consisting of six carbons. Each of these carbohydrates have a water molecule attached to them, thus the name, carbohydrates.
Unfortunately, carbs are heavily demonized by many. But why so?
It’s true that carbohydrates are found in sweet, sugary desserts but they are also found in whole grain pasta, sweet potatoes, legumes and your favourite fruits. To understand the confusion around carbohydrates, let’s break them down into simple and complex.
Complex carbohydrates are actually kinda simple
A food being high in carbohydrates is not always equatable to being high in sugar. Carbohydrates is the umbrella terms for all the different hydrated carbons .
Complex carbohydrates include whole grains like oats, wheat and rye and fruits & vegetables like bananas, broccoli, apples and carrots.
When we digest a complex carbohydrate, it will take longer to release the individual molecules of sugars. Fibres are a type of carbohydrate that is non-digestible, and is found in high amounts in complex carbohydrates.
These fibres (or carbohydrates) can serve as food for our gut micro-biome, increasing the amount of residing good bacteria. They can also decrease blood sugar and blood cholesterol, which is associated with reduced risk of heart disease.
Simple carbohydrates are actually kinda complex
In contrast, simple carbohydrates like candies, pop, chips, white bread, crackers and cookies don’t contain any fiber. While these foods are good for the soul, they don’t come with the health benefits of complex carbohydrates. The carbohydrates are almost immediately broken down into molecules of sugar by the enzymes in our saliva, and enter our blood stream.
But - “simple” carbohydrates are not always equatable with “bad”. Why? Because nutrition isn’t black and white.
Simple carbohydrates are not a waste of calories, as they provide 4 calories per gram meaning they provide your body with energy. Energy, believe it or not, can actually be useful.
For example, simple carbohydrates in the form of white bread, rice and pasta are crucial for athletes to fuel their muscles prior to exercise. Complex carbs won’t do the job as they take too long to digest and can sometimes cause gas and bloating before exercise.
For those living with type I or II diabetes, simple carbohydrates are life saving. If blood sugar goes too low, a serving of simple carbohydrates absorbs fast (within 15 minutes) into the blood stream to normalize blood sugar levels.
So - what does this mean for you?
Complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits and vegetables have more health benefits than not. Try to aim to have at least 30-40 grams of fiber per day from these foods.
Simple carbohydrates, like sweets and white rice, breads and pastas also have their place. They can spark joy, increase energy or save a life. Don’t demonize them, but don’t over-consume them if you don’t have to.
What we know about gut health
What we know and don't know about "gut health"
Our gut microbiome and the science is complicated, but here are some steps you can take based on what we know
Digestive health, or “gut” health is a major nutrition buzzword as of late. Beyond just those living with irritable bowel diseases, such as crohn’s or ulcerative colitis, everyone is getting into gut health to reap the perceived rewards of a healthy and balanced gut.
While it is undeniable that a healthy functioning organ as important as the digestive system is crucial to human health, is “gut health” and it’s available supplements worth the hype?
Let’s dive into what we know and what we don’t know, so you can know what you are getting into before hearing about the next gut health craze.
Short-version: This is what we know about gut health 💥
- Our gut can be influenced by the food we eat by increase bacterial diversity. More good bacteria can reduce inflammation and less bad bacteria might keep weight stable.
- Prebiotic fibers are special types of fibers that are used as food by the good bacteria in our gut. While they might reduce inflammation, there is not much evidence for improving any digestive symptoms.
- Simple lifestyle strategies like regular exercise and stress management are equally important for digestive health. Exercise like walking or jogging literally moves our intestines to help us go regularly, and stress management can improve digestive symptoms.
Long-version: This is what we know about gut health 💥
- Our gut microbiome can be influenced by food
Our gut microbiome responds rapidly to changes in diet. For example, consuming a plant-based diet can increase the amount of bifidobacteria and lactobacillus, beneficial bacteria that may reduce inflammation and increase diversity of microbes in our gut.
Increased bacterial diversity is important, as good bacteria may out-compete bad bacteria in the gut. For example, scientists suspect that bacteria belonging to the firmicutes phylum could extract up to 150 calories of energy from the digestion process, which could lead to weight-gain.
- Some types of fibers can help encourage the growth of good gut bacteria
Fibers are types of carbohydrates that give structure to plants. Fibers cannot be digested by humans, and instead of being absorbed into the bloodstream will travel down into your large intestines.
In the large intestine, certain types of prebiotic fibers like inulin, lactulose and beta-glucan will serve as food for the healthy bacteria in your gut. Through fermentation, the healthy bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids which may reduce inflammation but research finds that it does not improve digestive symptoms.
- Regular exercise and stress management is important for overall health, and gut health
Exercise like walking and jogging moves your intestines, and can help reduce constipation and help you go regularly.
For long-term health, exercise is also important. For example, a recent prospective study of over 40,000 individuals found that aerobic exercise reduces the risk of cancer in the digestive system. While this is not a cause-and-effect relationship, it could be another reason to get moving each day.
Stress can also impact the digestive system. Whether through physical or mental stress, your body activates it’s sympathetic nervous system or “fight-or-flight” mode.
Digestion is slowed down as your body conserves energy to fight off the stressor. In our current lifestyle that breeds chronic stress, the state of “fight-or-flight” can always be turned on, resulting in digestive symptoms as less digestive juices are secreted and muscular contractions are reduced.
Written by : Kristen Sunstrum, RD
Wait...Snacking isn't bad ?
Wait .. isn’t snacking “bad”?
Nope. Snacks can get a bad rap from the ultra-processed “snack foods” found in convenience stores and grocery shelves - but consuming snacks can be part of a healthy, normal diet 💪
For example, snacks can:
- Fulfill your protein needs, especially if you are following an exercise routine or living an active lifestyle
- Decrease cravings and ravenous hunger, resulting in more balanced meal intakes later in the day
- Increase intake of fiber, vegetables & fruits, to help stabilize blood sugar & energy levels while meeting your micronutrient targets
- Improve quality of life, by allowing yourself to eat the occasional indulgent snack with your family and friends
But … doesn’t snacking spike insulin levels, leading to weight gain?
Insulin is the hormone that helps our body utilize and store energy from food. The hormone rises in response to intake of carbohydrates (sugar) and amino acids (protein).
A big myth that surrounds insulin and weight-gain is that any rise in insulin is equitable to a gain in fat mass, otherwise known as the carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity.
The truth is that for healthy people¹, eating normal portions of protein and carbohydrates will not drive weight-gain. Why? Because it’s physiologically impossible, as only an excess of nutrients will become transformed into fat for storage.
When consumed in normal amounts, the insulin won’t drive weight-gain, but rather:
- Stimulate muscle-protein synthesis for the protein you just consumed (a.k.a muscle gains 💪)
- Stock muscle and liver glycogen, fuelling your muscles and preparing your body for stable blood sugar levels over the next several hours 💫
- Produce satiety and fullness hormones, helping you feel full and satisfied 🙌
Now that the snack fears are over, let’s get into the building of a perfect snack.
Step #1: Protein
Protein is an essential macronutrient that helps build muscle & is the building block for nearly all body functions (enzymes, hormones, nails, skin, hair).
A snack with protein helps meet your protein needs throughout the day and can also make you feel fuller & more satisfied 💥.
Aim to have at least 5 grams of protein per snack, such as:
- 1 egg (6 grams of protein)
- 1.5 tablespoon peanut butter (5 grams of protein)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (5 grams of protein)
- 1/4 cup of hummus (5 grams of protein)
- 1/4 cup of skyr icelandic yogurt (5-7 grams of protein)
- 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese (5-7 grams of protein)
- 3/4 cup of soy milk (6 grams of protein)
Step #2: Fiber
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that humans can’t digest. Some types of prebiotic fibres are digested by the bacteria in your gut microbiome while other fibers reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels 📉.
Aim to have at least 2-3 grams of fiber per snack, such as:
- 1 whole fruit (banana, apple, pear) or 1/2 cup berries (3 grams fiber)
- 1/2 cup cruciferous vegetables (kale, broccoli, cauliflower) (2-3 grams of fiber)
- 1 slice of whole-wheat bread (3 grams fiber)
- 1/4 cup of avocado (3 grams of fiber)
- 1/4 cup of homemade granola (2-3 grams of fiber)
Step #3: Fat
Healthy fats such as omega-3s are essential, and help reduce inflammation and increase HDL or “good” cholesterol. Fat is also extremely satiating, helping you feel full and satisfied 💫
If your protein or fiber source already contained a source of fat (avocado, nuts, seeds, whole-fat yogurt) you can skip this step. If not, add a small serving of healthy fat to each snack, such as:
- 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of mashed avocado
Putting it all together…
Now that we have our three nutrients (protein + fiber + fat) we have the building block for a perfect snack with staying power. Try mixing and matching these together, such as:
- 1 egg with avocado on whole-wheat toast
- Banana peanut-butter smoothie with soy milk
- Yogurt parfait with berries and granola
- Sliced veggies & hummus or guacamole
- Ricotta cheese on whole-wheat toast with tomatoes & walnuts
What’s your favourite protein + fiber + fat snack? Let us know in the comments 👇
Why is Gen-Z obssesed with chlorophyll?
“It makes my cells so stoked” says one creator on Tik Tok, enthusiastically showcasing her morning routine of putting 6 drops of a dark, green liquid into a tall glass of water.
Another creator reports that “this stuff is great for digestion, inflammation and overall immunity” as she swirls the dark green, opaque drink with a metal reusable straw.
This mesmerizing, dark green drink has liquid chlorophyll in it — and is the subject of the latest trend amongst Gen Z on TikTok.
What is chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is the pigment that makes plants green and helps the plant perform photosynthesis, or the process of turning sunlight into sugar for plant energy.
As humans, we don’t rely on photosynthesis for energy, but rather food. That being said, chlorophyll is not an essential nutrient for human health.
It is impossible to be deficient in chlorophyll as our body does not have a need for it in the first place. In fact, our body doesn’t even have a receptor for chlorophyll.
Even if we needed it in small amounts, it is likely we already get enough chlorophyll from fruits and vegetables as it is the most abundant plant pigment on earth.
Chlorophyll is not an essential nutrient for human health
Does liquid chlorophyll get rid of acne?
Acne is caused by an overgrowth of certain types of bacteria on the skin. There is evidence to suggest that chlorophyll has anti-bacterial properties, so it could potentially improve acne.
However, the chlorophyll used in this study was in gel form and applied directly onto the skin. In the form of a liquid supplement, any potential anti-bacterial properties of chlorophyll will be destroyed by the stomach acid during digestion.
Is liquid chlorophyll good for weight-loss?
The only “evidence” that exists for chlorophyll and weight-loss exists on Tik Tok — and anecdotes aren’t evidence.
The only imaginable connection I can make here is the link between a diet high in vegetables and fruits (where green vegetables contain chlorophyll) and weight-loss.
Can liquid chlorophyll enhance energy levels?
The structure of chlorophyl is similar to hemoglobin, or the protein in our red blood cells that helps deliver oxygen to our cells. Problems with hemoglobin can lead to low energy levels in humans.
However, the atom in the centre of the chlorophyll compound is magnesium, while the atom in the centre of hemoglobin is iron.
While low levels of iron, such as those with iron-deficient anemia will see a boost in energy levels from iron, the same thing can’t be said for the magnesium found in chlorophyll.
Can liquid chlorophyll reduce body odour?
A small study published over 40 years ago suggests that chlorophyll given to nursing home residents improved overall body odour, but not much research has been published since.
Body odour happens when bacteria mixes with sweat, which is why soap is effective in removing the bacteria. One study published in 1957 showed that chlorophyll has anti-bacterial properties, but similar to acne any anti-bacterial properties will be lost once the chlorophyll is digested by the stomach acid.
The bottom line
The evidence is ✨ extremely limited ✨
The only “evidence” we really have exists on 20 second Tik Tok videos. If you are seeing health benefits, its more likely due to increased water consumption or the placebo effect rather than liquid chlorophyll itself.
Eating your greens is more important than a supplement
Green vegetables are rich in chlorophyll as it is what makes the colour possible in the first place. Beyond chlorophyll, vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, water and fiber that will likely reap more health benefits than a concentrated supplement with little evidence.
Enjoy liquid chlorophyll if it helps you drink more water
If liquid chlorophyll encourages you to drink more water, then by all mean swirl away (just don’t exceed the maximum dosing as indicated by the manufacturer) as there doesn’t seem to be any evidence to avoid the supplements — it might just drain your pocket.
