Carbohydrates (CHO), are they good or bad? This is a question that many people are concerned with, especially when trying to lose weight. There are quite a few diets that have people completely cut this macronutrient out of their diets. However, are carbs really the enemy?
In today's society we constantly hear how carbohydrates are our enemy. However, these macronutrients are really our friend if we utilize them correctly. They only have to be bad if we do not use them appropriately or if we use the wrong types.
What I mean by the type is whether they are simple or complex. Simple means that they are derived from mostly sugars, and therefore hold little nutritional value. Examples would be something like candy and chips and white breads. The other type is complex; these are the type of carbs that should be incorporated into daily intake.
Every person has a calorie amount that they should be shooting for each day. Within that calorie amount this macronutrient should account for around 55 percent of the caloric intake for someone who has an average activity level. For those who have a more active lifestyle this nutrient is important as far as energy metabolism is concerned, so the percentage will need to be increased.
Energy metabolism of carbs occurs at a faster rate than that of fat or protein. That means that this macronutrient is broken down and absorbed at a faster rate, which means it provides energy faster than the other two nutrients. On top of being broken down more quickly, CHO are the only macronutrient that supplies energy anaerobically, which means without oxygen. Anaerobic energy is huge for power athletes such as sprinters or jumpers. This means that CHO are extremely important for these athletes because that is where they get their energy from when performing power activities. They are also a primer for the breakdown of fat for energy.
One of the most important aspects of carbs is that they replenish glycogen stores. Glycogen is found in both the muscles and the liver, and is a big source of energy. It is said that these stores can be severely depleted without CHO replacement after as a little as an hour of intense training, and completely depleted after two hours. Without being replaced after a workout, you can actually start your next workout at an inferior level compared to the first training session. This means that you will have a decrease in performance as well as fatigue at a quicker rate.
They do not have to be a foe, unless you consume too many for your lifestyle. The more active you are, the more you will need. If you are participating in any kind of training routine CHO should make up a good deal of your caloric intake, and remember you need the byproducts of this macronutrient to breakdown fat!
Simply planning out your day can help you make sure that you are receiving the proper amounts of all of the nutrients you need daily. Making sure you know what you are putting into your body is the building block to making your lifestyle healthier. To learn more about your diet you can visit http://weightloss-quickstart.com/alyse-kelly. You can also look at more nutritional topics by viewing http://improveurlifestyle.com/
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