subject: The Dangers of Refined Carbs [print this page] The Dangers of Refined Carbs The Dangers of Refined Carbs
Many people seem to think that fats are evil. We've been told that saturated fats are the devil, and these days everything in the supermarkets seem to scream 'Low Fat!' as if that was more important than their caloric content. Experts everywhere have advised us instead to consume a moderate amount of protein, and to make up the rest of our diets with plenty of carbs. This can range from rice to potatoes to corn to pasta, and we're supposed to load up on it, to eat tons of bread and find true and good health in that manner. Is this however the way to go? Not all carbs are made equal, and refined carbs are especially problematic. Read on to discover why you should be cautious.
One of the first things to be wary of is how calorically dense most refined carbs are. If you stop and look at the portions mentioned on the labels of most pasta or cereal boxes you will realize that they are actually ridiculously small; most people easily consume about twice as much without noticing, resulting in their consuming more calories than they had thought. For that reason alone eating refined carbs can be dangeroushave you seen how large bagels are getting these days?
Further, who eats a potato by itself? Most people spice up rice, pasta, potatoes and the like with all kinds of toppings, ranging from sour cream, butter, and pasta sauces like Alfredo. The result here is that your refined carb is now coming with a ton of extra calories, most of it fat, and this will only cause you to swell up more.
Not only that, but these refined grains have very little fiber, meaning that most of the benefits that come from normal carbs are lost. You don't get the bulking affect that tells your body that you are no longer hungry, they don't clean out your intestines, they don't slow things down so that you can digest the rest of your food with ease.
Finally, many of these refined grains can really cause spikes in your blood glucose, and if you are an inactive individual that is prone to insulin problems then they can play hell with your health. For that reason perhaps they can be dangerous to consume in large quantities. You are much better off eating whole grain food, or better yet, having a little more vegetables and fruit instead.
