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Macronutrients: Carbs



Carbs. Most love them and equally hate them.
But I am here to tell you that
carbs are not your enemy. Yep, I said it. Carbs ARE NOT your enemy! Did you know that the only energy source that can cross the blood-brain barrier is glucose? What does that mean? Carbs are the only energy source used by the brain. So when you get that sluggish, low energy feeling at work or when cramming for a test and you feel like sleeping, just eat some carbs! Ok, now I am not talking about having a donut or something like that. I am talking about good ole healthy or "good" carbs. What are those? Glad you asked! I have provided a great visual informational picture for you------------------------->

TIP: You will notice on some packages and product labels the terms "low carb" or "net carbs". The FDA does NOT regulate these terms so do not fall for for this nonsense.

One of the most important tools for managing your carb intake is the glycemic index. If you have a strict diet or diabetes, chances are you are already familiar with this tool, so you can skip this. If not, keep on reading!

The glycemic index (GI) is a carb ranking system. It ranks carbs on how quickly the sugars can be broken down and enter the bloodstream. Rule of thumb, we want foods with a score of 55 or lower (slower to breakdown) to avoid shocking the bloodstream with high levels of glucose (sugar). This is typically foods To learn more about what this does to you body, clink this great link!

 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 45-65% carbs for daily calories. If you are a high endurance athlete (marathon/ultramarathon perhaps) then this number will be higher. SO if you eat 2000 calories a day, you should plan on eating 900 to 1300 calories from carbs (2000 x .45 = 900 and 2000 x .65 = 1300).

So what is the bottom line on carbs? Well, truthfully, each persons needs are different. Athletes and highly active people need more whereas sedentary people need fewer. There are several resources out there to determine what your needs are. And it just so happens I have included a few for you!

1. Here is a great article from Healthline.
2. This USDA regulated site has information about Carbs and other nutritional information as well as food and activity trackers. There are so many resources and great info on their website.
3. Nutrition.gov has some great information!
4. Eatright.org too!

Hope you guys can use this little bit of information and feel free to add information!

Thanks guys.
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