Everything you need to know about slow carbs. Slow carbohydrates for weight loss
If you ask the question, what nutrient is the main source of energy, then the answer will be carbohydrates. Fats and proteins also act as "fuel" for the body, but with some peculiarities. The energy required for the processing of proteins and fats will have to be spent much more than for carbohydrates. Let's look at the role carbohydrates for the human body in more detail.
Types of carbohydrates.
Exist fast and slow carbohydrates, their difference in the speed of assimilation. Slow ones should be taken before the start of the workout, so they will give energy for the entire time of playing sports. And fast - after the completion of the training (within 30 minutes).
This pattern is due to the need for our body to restore the resources that were spent on training. For example, glycogen is restored only by fast carbohydrates, while slow ones will be absorbed for a long time, and the muscles do not receive the necessary component in a timely manner.
After the training process, a small dose of fast carbohydrates (100-150 gr.) Will help you restore the spent energy and awaken "hunger". This portion is enough to not activate the process of transition of sugar into fats, and if we then, when eating, saturate our diet with proteins, then the body will begin to use its own reserves - subcutaneous fats. This is what ideal nutrition looks like during training days.
Foods with fast carbohydrates.
There is a list of products with a large amount of fast carbohydrates, but they should not be completely excluded from the diet, because even among the protein components (in the form of a sports supplement) there is a small amount of carbohydrates. So, here is a list of foods high in fast carbohydrates:
- vegetables with a large component of starch;
- sugar;
- flour products (this does not include black bread);
- drinks with a lot of sugar.
In details:
- potato dishes (frying, boiling, fries, stewing);
- soups that do not require long cooking;
- fruit juices, soda and still drinks with a lot of sugar;
- fruits with a sweet taste (bananas, watermelons, grapes);
- various vegetables (corn grains, turnips, celery (root), carrots);
- cookies and other pastries (sweet rolls, white or gray flour bread, bagels, rice biscuits, biscuits, donuts);
- syrups.
By the way, the glycemic index of these food options is at least 69 units. This is a significant level that affects the amount of sugar in the blood (glucose).
Slow carbohydrates have a lower glycemic index, which does not affect the amount of glucose in the blood as much. However, we must not forget that foods that contain fast carbohydrates have different characteristics. For example, fried potatoes have an index of 95 units, while bread made from white flour has only 70 units.
Alcoholic drinks are also fast carbohydrates. In particular, beer has a glycemic index of 110 units.
For those who want to lose weight, there is a table:
| Product | Glycemic index |
| Potato | 80-95 |
| Fruits | 63-100 |
| Honey | 89 |
| Drinks, juices | 65-75 |
| flour products | 65-95 |
| Sweets (waffles, cookies) | 75-80 |
| Vegetables | 65-100 |
| Food that does not require long cooking | 66-93 |
This information allows you to navigate, choosing the right food. You just need to keep in mind that when choosing a product available in this table, you should take into account its glycemic index, it will be in the presented range of numbers.
It is recommended to consume less fast carbohydrates, and use them only when necessary (at the end of the training process). Otherwise, foods with a large number of fast carbohydrates will contribute to the appearance of excess body weight.
List of foods with slow carbohydrates.
There are special lists and tables of food options with slow carbohydrates that contribute to weight loss (have a small glycemic index).
Here is a detailed list:
- Dill, basil, lettuce.
- All legumes, including soy.
- Cereal porridge. Oatmeal, barley, millet are preferred. And semolina has a high glycemic index, so it is better not to use it.
- Pasta from durum wheat.
- Bread of low grades.
- Fruits containing little fructose (kiwi, apple, cherry, tangerine). You need to know that dried fruits have a higher (usually 10-15 units) glycemic index compared to fresh counterparts. And this level becomes higher during heat treatment. Therefore, it is better to eat fruits in their usual form. Fruit juices, and freshly squeezed ones too (even if sugar is not added), due to the lack of fiber, have an index close to the upper limit.
- Berries (plum, cherry, cranberry).
- Natural yoghurt without fillers.
- Mushrooms.
- Nuts, chocolate (the amount of cocoa beans in it should exceed 75%), sunflower seeds. These foods are considered high-calorie, but the body breaks down rather slowly.
- Vegetables (onions, cabbage, leeks, zucchini, tomatoes, spinach, bay leaves, peppers).
- Papaya, sweet potato (yam), mango, corn, persimmon. These foods have the highest glycemic index of all slow carbohydrates. Therefore, they must be used very carefully.
Many people who read the information described above are likely to have a question:
Will it be necessary to significantly change the list of food products bought in stores?
Here you can answer that everything will depend on the specific case. Fast carbohydrates should be resorted to after a lot of physical activity. Otherwise, there will be a breakdown. Therefore, in this situation, you should eat foods whose glycemic index is high. They will be assimilated quickly enough, and will make up for lost strength. However, people who lead an inactive lifestyle, or people who are trying to lose weight, should completely eliminate or significantly reduce these foods and create their own diet based on slow carbohydrates. It should be borne in mind that the final decision should be made by the attending physician and (or) nutritionist. All the best, stay healthy!
From athletes and adherents of a healthy diet, you can often hear the following phrase: - this is evil, and slow carbohydrates are good. But is it really so clear cut? The issue requires detailed study. In the article, we will consider the process of transformation of slow carbohydrates and their impact on the body of a professional crossfit athlete and representatives of other sports.
General information
Complex carbohydrates - what are they and how do they affect the body? If you are familiar with, then you know that the body is traditionally used to drawing all the energy from carbohydrates. It breaks down all of them without a trace and releases the resulting sugar into the blood. But any overabundance of energy the body hide in the fat depot. Slow carbohydrates are a way to prevent the accumulation of excess fat. Due to their structure, they are extremely slowly converted into pure sugar, and, therefore, energy is dosed into the blood.
What does this mean in practice:
- The body has time to spend almost all the energy received from slow carbohydrates, therefore, it does not need to turn it into fat.
- If some excess of caloric intake is observed, then with slow carbohydrates it will most likely have time to break down into, bypassing the stage of release of triglycerides and alkaloids.
- Complete absence of load on the liver.
The remarkable properties of complex carbohydrates have made them a traditional source of excess calories in the diet. However, this does not mean that if you replace sweets with porridge, you will begin to lose weight. No, it’s just that you will be full for much longer, which means you will eat a little less often and less.
Product groups
Considering which foods contain complex carbohydrates, we must not forget the fact that in the process of chewing or cooking, slow carbohydrates can turn into fast ones. The simplest example is wheat.
- Raw wheat - rich in fiber - the standard of slow carbohydrates.
- Purified wheat - devoid of fiber, slightly higher.
- Wheat porridge is still considered slow carbohydrates, although its GI is significantly higher than standard norms.
- Wholemeal flour is already considered fast carbohydrates, although this factor is offset by a high fiber content.
- Wholemeal baking is considered a healthy dietary dish, although in fact it is fast carbohydrates.
- Fine flour - very fast carbohydrates.
- Baking from fine flour is highly discouraged due to the extremely high glycemic index.
The raw product has an extremely low rate and is considered a slow carbohydrate. At the same time, wheat baked goods, which were simply finely ground, are practically devoid of starch compounds. Instead, under the influence of mechanical and thermal factors, all carbohydrates are converted from slow to classic monosaccharides.
Group 1: cereals
It is one of the slowest sources of carbohydrates. In the process of digestion, carbohydrates from cereals turn into sugar for a long time, thanks to which they nourish the body throughout the day. That is why, to maintain strength, even on diets, it is recommended to use cereals.
Group 2: starchy foods
First of all, these are potatoes and corn. This is a faster group of carbohydrates, however, the process of converting starch into a monosaccharide is associated with additional fermentation of products - the missing enzymes are produced for a relatively long time, so they can still be called slow.
Group 3: vegetables rich in fiber
Even if these are products with a sugar content, fiber almost completely compensates for this deficiency. Fiber cannot be absorbed by our body and binds sugar molecules together. The body first needs to separate the monosaccharide from the fiber, which takes a lot of energy and time.
Below is a table of foods with slow carbohydrates.
This table presents not only pure carbohydrate products. Many protein foods contain fiber or substances that break down into simple sugars during digestion.
In addition, in the table you will find products whose glycemic index significantly exceeds the threshold. But at the same time, they are still considered products with a low glycemic index. The thing is that some of the products contain fructose instead of glucose, so the process of their digestion occurs without the participation of insulin. Another reason why the products made it to the table is the glycemic load, which is considered an integral part of slow carbohydrates. This parameter is the primary coefficient for determining the GI. And in fact, to determine the real index, it must be multiplied by the coefficient, dividing by 100%.
| Product | ||
| Apple juice (no sugar) | 51 | 10 |
| Black yeast bread | 75 | 12 |
| Whole wheat bread | 75 | 25 |
| 51 | 32 | |
| Sushi | 55 | 45 |
| Spaghetti | 55 | 10 |
| sorbent | 75 | 40 |
| Orange juice | 75 | 32 |
| Sweet canned corn | 57 | 47 |
| (boiled or stewed) | 75 | 10 |
| fresh pineapple | 77 | 12 |
| basmati rice | 51 | 25 |
| Rye bread | 75 | 32 |
| Wheat flour | 78 | 45 |
| Sprouted grains of wheat | 73 | 10 |
| Industrial mayonnaise | 71 | 40 |
| Pizza on thin wheat dough with tomatoes and cheese | 71 | 32 |
| Shortbread | 55 | 47 |
| papaya fresh | 58 | 10 |
| Wheat flour fritters | 73 | 12 |
| Oatmeal | 71 | 25 |
| Muesli with sugar | 75 | 32 |
| Ice cream (with added sugar) | 71 | 45 |
| Marmalade | 75 | 10 |
| Mango | 51 | 40 |
| Pasta with cheese | 75 | 32 |
| Lychee | 51 | 47 |
| lasagna | 71 | 10 |
| brown brown rice | 51 | 12 |
| canned pineapple | 75 | 25 |
| canned peaches | 55 | 32 |
| Canned vegetables | 75 | 45 |
| Cranberry juice (no sugar) | 51 | 10 |
| Maple syrup | 75 | 40 |
| Kiwi | 51 | 32 |
| Ketchup | 55 | 47 |
| Chestnut | 71 | 10 |
| Jacket boiled potatoes | 75 | 12 |
| Cocoa powder (with added sugar) | 71 | 25 |
| Raisin | 75 | 32 |
| Melon | 71 | 45 |
| long grain rice | 71 | 10 |
| Jam | 75 | 40 |
| Mustard | 55 | 32 |
| Grape juice (no sugar) | 55 | 47 |
| Instant oatmeal | 77 | 10 |
| Bulgur | 55 | 12 |
| Yam (sweet potato) | 75 | 25 |
| Banana | 71 | 32 |
| Arabian pita | 57 | 45 |
| Pineapple juice without sugar | 51 | 10 |
The effect of carbohydrates on the body
Yes, complex carbs are not good for closing the carb window. The thing is that due to the low rate of splitting, they do not have time to cover and the body begins optimization processes, which is fraught with additional muscle destruction. However, this can also be used to your advantage. First, slow carbohydrates help you stay full longer. This is important in cases where a person sits down, which is characterized by a restriction not only of calories, but by a decrease in the amount. Secondly, slow carbohydrates maintain a positive energy balance throughout the night. Therefore, it is important to load slow carbohydrates along with for the night. This will avoid optimization processes.
And most importantly, slow carbohydrates are not stressful for the body, since they do not create energy jumps, which are characterized by further depletion without maintaining an appropriate energy level with food from the outside.
Summarizing
And yet, are slow carbohydrates really an ideal source of energy and protection from all troubles? Yes and no. Slow carbohydrates are not a panacea, despite all their benefits. A calorie surplus remains a calorie surplus, no matter where you get it from - from a sweet cake or from healthy buckwheat porridge.
If you consistently exceed the recommended calorie intake per day and do not spend excess energy, sooner or later the body will learn to redistribute reserves, replenishing not only glycogen, but also fat depot. The main danger is that slow carbohydrates form a complete fat cell, which is much more difficult to break down than a fast carbohydrate that is not completely associated with an alkaloid. This means that the fat gained on buckwheat porridge will be much more difficult to drive off, since not only a calorie deficit will be required, but also a special aerobic exercise. That is why all crossfit athletes do not look at the sources of carbohydrates, but monitor their amount.
If you study the list of foods with slow carbohydrates and follow it when compiling a diet menu, you can not only lose weight, but also maintain your weight. Refusing tasty but harmful ingredients, and including healthy food in the menu, you will be able to restore your health. During the diet, the feeling of hunger will not accompany, since foods with slow (otherwise they are called complex) carbohydrates allow you to get full for a long time.
How are slow carbohydrates arranged?
Saccharide is a constituent of carbohydrates. At the molecular level, they are made up of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. When broken down in the human body, carbohydrates are converted into glucose, which is later used to form energy. The part that turned out to be superfluous is deposited in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen, or fat is formed from it.
It takes a long time to digest complex carbohydrates, as well as high energy costs. They are practically not deposited in the reserve in the form of fat, but, on the contrary, they are forced to break down body fat for energy.
The list of products with "long-burning" carbohydrates includes most of the vegetables and fruits. They also contain a lot of fiber.
Especially for people with diabetes, the concept of "glycemic index" was introduced, indicating the rise in blood sugar levels after consuming one or another ingredient. A high GI indicates harm to human health.
Thus, we can conclude that slow carbohydrates have a positive effect on the performance of the human body. Due to saccharides, the production of serotonin, which is a hormone responsible for mood and maintaining the natural body temperature, increases. It is able to warm the body, so it is believed that long-digestible carbohydrates are especially useful in winter.
On a note! Ingredients with complex carbohydrates have a generally low GI, so they are suitable for weight loss and in the presence of diabetes. When they are used, glucose enters the bloodstream gradually, without leading to a strong jump.
It is advisable to eat foods rich in complex carbohydrates for breakfast or lunch, since glycogen is actively formed in the morning. If you eat them late in the evening, a long carbohydrate metabolism can interfere with the proper rest of the body.
On a note! Since complex carbohydrates are digested for a long time in the human body, they are not recommended to be consumed after sports activities, when the body needs to quickly replenish the energy expended. Before classes, they, on the contrary, are needed. For people leading a sedentary lifestyle, such products are recommended for use.
Varieties of slow carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are made up of the following monosaccharides:
- starch- characterized by the ability to slowly break down by digestive enzymes, contributes to the normalization of glucose levels;
- cellulose- brings great benefits to the human body, restores the functioning of the intestines, removes harmful components and, in general, is a natural cleanser for the digestive system;
- glycogen- is able to convert into glucose, with a deficiency of carbohydrates, this monosaccharide is formed from fats and proteins;
- insulin- reserve carbohydrate of some plant foods, converted from fructose, present exclusively in ripe fruits.
List of low carb foods
There are many foods that contain complex carbohydrates. Usually it's starch. The main feature of such ingredients is a neutral taste, the absence of pronounced sweetness. In other words, the complete opposite of foods with a lot of simple carbohydrates.
The list of products consisting of slow carbohydrates is quite wide. The main ingredients are:
- pasta made from durum wheat;
- cereals;
- legumes;
- bread baked from wholemeal flour;
- beans;
- cookies without added sugar;
- Brown sugar;
- dried apricots;
- grapefruit, orange, cherry and other fruits and berries;
- shelled barley;
- spinach;
- peppers, cauliflower and many other types of vegetables;
- mushrooms and other ingredients.
Products from the above list should be present in the daily diet of any person. They not only contribute to getting rid of excess weight, but also help improve the functions of the digestive system and overall health.
Table of products with slow carbohydrates
To understand which ingredients include a lot of slow carbohydrates, a complete list of products is compiled in the table. It also contains the glycemic index.
|
Product, 100 g |
Glycemic index |
The amount of slow carbohydrates, g |
|
Cereals and flour products |
||
|
Rye bread |
||
|
White rice |
||
|
Durum wheat pasta |
||
|
Barley grits |
||
|
Pearl barley |
||
|
soy flour |
||
|
Greens and vegetables |
||
|
Bulb onions |
||
|
Bell pepper |
||
|
fresh tomato |
||
|
Berries and fruits |
||
|
Red Ribes |
||
|
Gooseberry |
||
|
strawberries |
||
|
Black currant |
||
|
Strawberry |
||
|
Dried fruits |
||
|
Prunes |
||
|
Legumes |
||
|
Green pea |
||
|
Lentils |
||
|
Dairy |
||
|
Nuts and seeds |
||
|
Walnuts |
||
|
sunflower seeds |
||
|
Peanut, hazelnut |
||
And although dairy products are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, they are also included in the table. After all, they are beneficial and also contribute to weight loss.
The most saturated with slow carbohydrates are cereals. That is why cereals are an important part of the daily diet. They fill with strength, energize and help get rid of extra pounds. However, for weight loss, you will have to cook them without sugar, which is the main source of "harmful" carbohydrates. And they are known to promote the deposition of fat.
As for flour products, although some of them contain slow carbohydrates, they should be eaten with caution. Many bread products are far from harmless and contribute to the accumulation of fat. Most flour products contain fast carbohydrates.
Potatoes and corn contain a lot of starch, but have a high glycemic index. During the period of dieting for the purpose of losing weight, these products are best consumed with caution, limiting their number on the menu. Porridges are considered more successful sources of starch. The advantage is on the side of buckwheat, oatmeal and barley.
When determining the content of complex carbohydrates, it is important to take into account the fact that after heat treatment, some of them tend to turn into fast ones. Wheat is an example:
- raw- the product is rich in fiber, it contains the maximum amount of slow carbohydrates;
- peeled wheat- no fiber, GI more than raw wheat;
- wheat porridge- contains slow carbohydrates, but the GI is much higher than that of a raw product;
- wholemeal wheat flour- complex carbohydrates have turned into simple ones, but the fiber content is still significant;
- products baked from wholemeal flour- a dietary product, but contains fast carbohydrates;
- fine wheat flour- contains a large amount of fast carbohydrates, leads to the accumulation of body fat;
- fine flour flour products- a high-calorie product, has a high glycemic index, the product is not recommended for use in weight loss and the presence of diabetes.
The above example proves that most of the slow carbohydrates are in raw wheat. If it is crushed to a state of flour, the product becomes unsafe for the figure. The degree of grinding is important. There are practically no slow carbohydrates in finely ground flour. And under the influence of high temperatures, they completely turn into fast ones.
Daily rate
With a decrease in the norm of slow carbohydrates, the material metabolism in the body may be disturbed. In addition, the lack of these substances often leads to a weakening of the immune system, a deterioration in the functioning of brain activity, and a decrease in physical activity. A person may experience symptoms such as weakness, excessive fatigue. Therefore, it is recommended to eat enough foods with complex carbohydrates.
As for the rate of slow carbohydrates, opinions differ on this. According to some nutritionists, to lose weight per 1 kg of weight, a person needs 4 g of carbohydrates per day. However, it is necessary to lead a fairly active lifestyle. Other nutritionists are of the opinion that the body needs up to 2 g daily for every kilogram of body weight. But at the same time, you can afford to enjoy a tasty and not very healthy dish once a week.
However, there is another opinion regarding fast and effective weight loss, the essence of which is the absence of physical activity, but the observance of a low-calorie diet. In this case, the rate of slow carbohydrates is 2 g per 1 kg of human weight.
By reviewing your diet and including in it a lot of foods with slow carbohydrates, you can lose weight and restore health. The main bet should be made on cereals. As for vegetables and fruits, they are best eaten raw. No less useful are legumes and dairy products, which enrich the human body with vegetable and animal protein.
With a lack of carbohydrates in the body, the intensity of the training falls, strength indicators and body tone decrease.
For weight training, slow (or, as they are otherwise called, complex) carbohydrates are especially important, which can energize the body for a long time.
Slow carbs
According to the chemical structure, slow carbohydrates belong to the group of polysaccharides, and their molecule contains a large number of fructose, glucose, and many other monosaccharides.
Monosaccharides are involved in many processes that take place in the human body, in particular, they help process proteins and fats, improve liver function.
Food rich in slow carbohydrates, experts recommend eating in the morning, while carbohydrate metabolism in the body has not slowed down.
Sugars are absorbed by the body in the form of glucose. It is on the rate of conversion of saccharides into glucose that the division of carbohydrates into fast and slow depends. The rate of splitting measures a special indicator - the glycemic index. In slow carbohydrates, this index is low. Foods containing slow carbohydrates increase blood glucose gradually, rather than abruptly.
The very process of digestion of products with a low glycemic index is also very important, which begin to be absorbed even in the process of chewing under the influence of a salivary enzyme.
In winter, the importance of slow carbohydrates increases. When it's cold outside, saccharides help produce a special hormone - serotonin, which helps the body warm up and affects mood.
So, the main feature of slow carbohydrates is a low glycemic index, and, accordingly, long absorption. Slow digestion of complex carbohydrates does not cause a surge of insulin, which is responsible for processing excess carbohydrates into fat cells.
Taking slow polysaccharides after training is not recommended. The body at this time needs a sharp influx of glucose in order to quickly restore energy balance. Slow carbs will do it for a long time.
The ideal time to eat a meal rich in slow carbohydrates is immediately after waking up, when glycogen is actively produced in the body.
Types of slow carbohydrates
As already mentioned, complex carbohydrates consist of several molecular chains with a huge amount of monosaccharides in them.
There are a lot of types of slow carbohydrates: starch, chitin, glycogen, glucomannan, dextrin, cellulose. The molecules of these compounds contain many thousands of monosaccharides, which is why their breakdown and assimilation takes a long time, with a slow return of energy to the body.
Carbohydrates should make up at least 50% of a person's daily intake in terms of total kilocalories consumed. Slow carbohydrates are advised to be taken before starting strength training. The dose for admission is not less than forty grams. Assimilated slowly, carbohydrates evenly supply the blood with glucose, providing the necessary level in the athlete's blood. Medical studies have shown that under the influence of slow carbohydrates, fat is burned much faster, and endurance increases.
Sustained and constant energy levels - this is the main function of slow carbohydrates. A person does not feel hunger for a long time, which, accordingly, allows you to reduce the amount of calories consumed.
One of the main types of slow carbohydrates is, of course, starch. Starch is broken down in the gastrointestinal tract slowly, gradually turning into glucose, and maintains the concentration of monosaccharide in the blood. Sources of starch are cereals, legumes.
Another type of slow carbohydrates, glycogen, is broken down into glucose in the liver, and without the participation of additional enzymes.
When carbohydrates are deficient in food, glycogen is synthesized in the liver from fats and proteins. The largest amount of glycogen is found in beef or pork liver.
Lots of glycogen in seafood, crayfish and yeast cells.
Fiber is practically not digested in the body, however, it is necessary. The fact is that, passing through the digestive tract, fiber cleanses the body, removes metal salts, toxins and cholesterol from the intestines. In addition, it enhances the feeling of fullness due to increased bile secretion. The breakdown of fiber in the intestine does not allow putrefactive processes to develop.
Another polysaccharide, inulin, is a by-product of the breakdown of fructose. Inulin is found in plants such as chicory and artichoke. Inulin is used in diabetes as a sugar substitute.
Complex carbohydrates are very rich in fiber, so they have a positive effect on the digestive processes. Gradually supplying the blood with glucose, slow carbohydrates maintain a constant energy balance in the body and maintain a feeling of fullness for a long time.
Slow carbohydrates for weight loss (porridge diet)
The slow digestibility of complex carbohydrates is actively used in the development of various diets for weight loss.
Cereal diets are the use of a variety of cereals, with the exception of semolina. It is permissible to add to porridge: fruits, nuts, cheese, berries, honey.
The benefits of cereals lie not only in the content of slow carbohydrates in them, in addition, cereals contain fiber that cleanses the intestines. To date, two types of diets on cereals are actively used in the fitness industry. The first diet is designed for ten days, the second - for seven. Both diets are quite effective if you follow some rules.
The weekly diet, despite the fact that it lasts seven days, was called "Six cereals." Porridge from a certain cereal is eaten daily. So, on Monday - this is wheat porridge; on Tuesday - oatmeal; on Wednesday - millet; on Thursday - barley; on Friday - barley; on Saturday - rice.
On Sunday, they use any of the above cereals, or you can cook a dish from all the cereals combined. You need to cook porridge in water without salt. A few days before the diet, you should give up fried, spicy foods, fast food and alcohol. The amount of porridge eaten is not limited.
A ten-day diet on slow carbohydrates involves the exclusion from the diet of meat, sugar, fish, butter, poultry, pastries, dairy products, bread, potatoes. These days you can eat any porridge (with the exception of semolina), cooking on water without adding salt, sugar or oil. Before eating, you need to drink a glass of water.
It is permissible to add a little honey, fruits or nuts to cereals. The choice of cereals and the amount of cereal eaten completely depends on your desire.
With a ten-day diet, you need to additionally consume vitamins so that the body does not feel a shortage in them. A diet on slow carbohydrates is permissible to carry out no more than once every six months. The exit from the diet is done gently, with the gradual introduction of other foods into the diet.
The main sources of slow carbohydrates
Slow carbohydrates are found in large quantities in cereals, cereals, bread products, and pasta. All these products mainly contain such a type of complex carbohydrates as starch, which, when it enters the body, undergoes hydrolysis, which leads to its breakdown into glucose and other monosaccharides.
Long-term assimilation of starch becomes possible due to the special structure of its molecules.
When using bread products, you need to be especially careful. For example, white bread contains compounds with a high glycemic index. Pasta and bakery products should be prepared from coarse grains, that is, they should undergo as few processing procedures as possible.
Natural sources of starch - corn and potatoes have a high GI, so they cannot be considered sources of slow carbohydrates. It is better to give preference to cereals and all kinds of cereals. Oatmeal, buckwheat and barley have the greatest value in terms of the presence of slow carbohydrates. These cereals have the lowest glycemic index, so the energy charge from one serving of barley, oatmeal or buckwheat porridge will last for the longest time.
Legumes and nuts are high in fiber and low in starch. But fiber is essential for digestion.
Grocery list
Slow carbohydrates contain many foods. In most cases, the polysaccharide contained in the products is starch. The taste of products, as a rule, is neutral, unsweetened, unlike those that contain fast carbohydrates.
All people want to be healthy and beautiful. But not everyone knows how to achieve this. Our first action is to analyze your diet. It's not for nothing that they say: "We are what we eat." Carbohydrates are the direct fuel for the human body. But how to choose the right and useful? What are they? What products contain?
The biological role of carbohydrates
The human body is a kind of perpetual motion machine that requires a constant supply of fuel. The last is food, or rather, carbohydrates (sugars or saccharides) contained in it. As a result of the oxidation of one gram of it, a little more than 4 kcal of energy and 0.4 g of water are released. This is enough for 1 second of running at maximum speed. In general, it is believed that the vital activity of an average person requires from 1500 to 1700 kcal per day. But the energy function of carbohydrates, although the most important, is not the only one.
Saccharides regulate the osmotic pressure of the blood. This is manifested in the fact that it contains more than 100 mg /% glucose (the simplest form of carbohydrates).
These organic substances are part of the complex molecules involved in building DNA. And they perform a plastic function.
Cellular receptors responsible for the perception of external stimuli are formed from carbohydrates.
As for the support function, in the human body their proportion ranges from 2-3% of body weight. For comparison, the dry weight of plants is 80% carbohydrates. That is why the main source of these organic substances for humans is plant food.
Classification of carbohydrates
The indivisible structural units of each carbohydrate are saccharides. Depending on their number, there are:
- monosaccharides, or monomers (contain one structural unit);
- disaccharides (contain two monosaccharides);
- oligosaccharides (contain from two to ten structural units - monosaccharides);
- polysaccharides (contain more than ten monosaccharides).
In addition, according to the ability to split into the smallest components, all types of saccharides are divided into slow and fast carbohydrates or simple and complex. Oligo- and polysaccharides are classified as slow, and mono- and disaccharides are classified as fast.
The most famous monosaccharides are glucose and fructose, disaccharides - sucrose (ordinary sugar), polysaccharides - starch and cellulose (a component of the cell membranes of higher plants).
Glycemic index: the rate at which carbohydrate foods are converted into glucose
Chemical processes in the body convert any type of carbohydrate into the end product of digestion - glucose. In order to characterize the rate of its production from foods containing sugar, the concept of the glycemic index (GI) was introduced.
For glucose, it is equal to the maximum, that is, 100. As for the rest of the products, the higher the GI, the faster the blood sugar level rises after they are consumed. And vice versa. It is customary to share three gradations of the glycemic index:
- low (10-40);
- medium (40-60);
- high (60-100).
For people, it is preferable to consume foods with slow carbohydrates, that is, with a low GI. Unfortunately, domestic producers do not care about what GI their products have, but on the packaging of European food products this index can be found quite often.
Slow carbohydrates - the basis of the food pyramid
The food pyramid (or food pyramid) developed by nutritionists suggests that the food that forms its base should make up the majority (about 65%) of a person's daily diet.
At the very bottom of this pyramid are three food groups, namely fruits, vegetables, and grains. As we already know, the aforementioned plant food sources provide a person with such desirable slow carbohydrates that smoothly saturate the blood with glucose. This ensures a measured supply of energy between regular meals. In this case, the processing of proteins and fats occurs without failure, and the pancreas does not overdo it, since there is no need to produce excess insulin to “process” glucose.
Carbohydrate food is best absorbed by the body in the morning - for breakfast and lunch. Dinner is recommended protein food.
To facilitate the formation of a rational menu, you can make a list of food products containing slow carbohydrates. The list of such products is a kind of cheat sheet, having which before your eyes every day, it will not be difficult at all to prepare a varied and nutritious menu. Over time, choosing the right food will become a habit.
Slow carbohydrates: a list of products
Vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains are sources of complex sugars.
For the smooth functioning of the body, the products of each of the above groups are recommended to be consumed for breakfast and lunch. The ratio of vegetables and fruits is taken equal to 3:2. One serving is 150 g, so you need to eat about 450 g of vegetables and 300 g of fruit per day.
Let us consider in more detail the list of food products containing slow carbohydrates. The food list is a table that includes not only the relevant food sources, but also their glycemic index. To the right food, we rank those food products that have a low and medium GI, because they do not lead to sharp jumps in blood sugar.
Healthy vegetables and fruits
Possessing a low GI level, vegetables and fruits supply the body with vitamins, minerals, trace elements and fiber, which contributes to the efficient functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Such products quench appetite, give little energy and thereby stimulate the body's resources to break down existing fats. By eating fruits and vegetables together, you can reduce the calorie content of foods with a high glycemic index.
Product | Glycemic index |
Parsley, basil | |
Mushrooms, garlic, leaf lettuce, lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, raw onions, fresh cabbage, broccoli, greens | |
Brussels sprouts, sautéed squash, stewed and sauerkraut, boiled cauliflower, green onion, leek, red pepper, radish, turnip, black currant, soybeans, asparagus, stewed cauliflower, spinach | |
Fresh apricots, cherry plum, cranberries, cherries, sweet cherries, crushed yellow peas, grapefruit, blackberries, sea kale, fresh cucumbers, plums, soybeans, blueberries, prunes, lentils | |
Dried apricots, oranges, green bananas, black beans, white currants, dry green peas, pomegranate, pear, germinated rye grains, figs, cauliflower, strawberries, red currants, raspberries, young peas, raw carrots, nectarine, sea buckthorn, green beans , apples | |
Grapes, blueberries, canned green peas, green beans, green peas, strawberries, strawberries, coconut, gooseberries, tangerines, white beans, | |
Bananas, sweet potato, canned sweet corn, mango, papaya, persimmon |
Healthy cereals
Cereal products can be called the “golden mean” among food products, since they provide a lot of energy, but at the same time saturate the body with it rather slowly.
But it should be remembered that instant cereals and flavored cereals lose their "useful" properties due to the presence of simple sugars and excessive grinding of the grain.
Product | Glycemic index |
Barley porridge on the water, rice bran | |
Quinoa, maize | |
Buckwheat porridge, oatmeal viscous on water, raw oatmeal, wheat groats, barley groats | |
Buckwheat porridge on the water, brown rice, oatmeal cookies, bran, pearl barley porridge, millet viscous and friable porridge on the water, wild rice, barley porridge |
Fast Carbs - Potential Fat
The tip of the iceberg called the "nutrition pyramid" consists of food ingredients that should be consumed extremely rarely, as they say, on holidays. And these foods are rich in fast carbohydrates, which contribute to weight gain. Yes, it turns out that 90% of body fat is formed by saccharides, and not fats from food, as we all used to think.
The harm of fast carbohydrates lies in the fact that they very sharply increase the level of sugar in the blood, provoking the release of an excessive amount of insulin, the main task of which is to reduce the concentration of glucose in the blood. At the same time, the pancreas begins to suffer, since excessive production of insulin exhausts it.
Insulin is also called the “weight hormone”. And not in vain. Having started working with glucose, it catalyzes its conversion into glycogen - a reserve carbohydrate that settles in the liver and muscles. If a new portion of fuel does not enter the body for some time, glycogen will again decompose into glucose and provide the person with the necessary energy. But constant overeating over time will provoke its transformation into fat, and weight gain is guaranteed.
To keep your "bad" carbs under control, keep a list of fast and slow carbs within easy reach.
Foods that contain fast carbohydrates
Foods with a high (above 60) GI include mainly white flour products (bakery and pasta), refined rice, confectionery, carbonated drinks, alcohol and ... potatoes, due to the high concentration of starch.
Product | Glycemic index |
Couscous, instant oatmeal, croissants, instant vermicelli, pasta, wheat flour, dried fruit compote, boiled potatoes | |
Semolina porridge, millet, millet, steamed white rice, pancakes, wheat bagel, biscuit cake, custard, shortbread, donuts, carbonated drinks, fried zucchini, beets | |
Popcorn, long loaf, rolls, muesli, tapioca, rice bread, corn flakes, boiled carrots | |
Instant rice porridge, white bread, hot dog bun, white fried croutons, rice flour, beer, fried potatoes, baked potatoes |
The Benefits of Fast Carbs
Despite the high GI, simple sugars still have some positive qualities. The most important thing is their ability to quickly fill the body with energy and provide a surge of strength. Athletes often use this property.
After exhausting workouts, glycogen stores in the muscles are depleted, which can lead to trembling in the arms and legs, general loss of strength and the appearance of cold sweats. Insulin surge will help to quickly replenish glycogen stores. As mentioned earlier, this can be provoked by a sharp increase in the concentration of sugar in the blood. Together with insulin, amino acids and other useful substances enter the muscles that contribute to the formation of protein - a building material. It is these features of carbohydrate metabolism that bodybuilders use to build muscle mass.
carbohydrate diet for weight loss
The principle of a carbohydrate diet is quite simple: it is necessary to control the amount of sugars consumed with food so as not to cause an excess of unused energy, which subsequently settles in the form of body fat.
In no case should you skip the main meals, since a prolonged lack of fuel will give the body a signal to store it for future use. And this, again, is overweight.
Choose more often products with low and medium GI, limit the use of ordinary sugar and other sweets, increase physical activity.
At first, a special table of fast and slow carbohydrates will help, and over time, taking care of your health will become an invariable part of a new life.
