Low Carbohydrate Net

Even though you might not know it, there are carbohydrates in alcohol. Alcohol, when consumed into the human body, is converted to carbohydrates—and, just like everything else we eat and drink, should be consumed in moderation. Too much or too little of anything is by and large a bad idea. A regular 12 fluid ounce beer has about 13g of carbs in it, while a light beer of the same portion provides you with about 4.5g of carbs. Contrary to what many people think, there are very few, if any, carbohydrates in alcohols such as gin, rum, vodka, and whisky.

Now, seeing as how carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of fuel, this should make drinking alcohol good, right? Wrong. Just like refined sugar, the carbohydrates in alcohol are simple carbs—ones that are easily and quickly passed through our system and generally contain more fat than complex carbs. Other carbs, such as complex carbs, provide us with more fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Neither types are bad for us—actually, both are necessary—we just need many more complex carbs in order to function properly. Simple carbohydrates are not just found in alcohol and sugar; they are present in many types of food. They are contained in milk, and the vitamins and minerals found in milk are nutritionally necessary for a healthy body. The simple carbs in milk are a good thing, where a simple carb like sucrose and alcohol isn’t quite as important. Drinking alcohol also generally tends to cause your blood sugar levels to be quite unstable, which can make you feel hungry and crave sweet-tasting food. This can lead to such problems as obesity.

There is some good news for you alcohol-loving, diet-conscious people out there. Lately the major brewers of beer have noticed consumers’ fixations on carbohydrates in alcohol, and have been producing low-carb beer. Molson, Labatt, Sleeman, and Big Rock, among others, have taken notice of the trendy Atkins diet and have made beer to suit it. Big Rock’s Jack Rabbit has one of the lower carbohydrate counts, with only two grams per 355-ml can. Companies claim to preserve the taste of their original brews, but be careful, it may or may not be too good to be true. Nicholas Pashley, author of Notes on my Beermat, declares a deficiency in taste and a watery consistency are often problems with low-carb beers. Even with the potential downfalls of this new beer, they’re still an innovative way to watch your weight without cutting out all of life’s little pleasures.

Yes, the low-carb revolution has begun. Evidence of such a notion is prevalent. America’s top brewers, Anheuser-Busch, Miller, and Coors, have changed their football game ads. No longer boasting bold flavours and gorgeous women, brew companies are raving about their low amount of carbs in alcohol. It seems that they newest way to enthral young men is to tempt them with abs and buns of steel. Perhaps this is the way to tempt young people into becoming more knowledgeable on their own nutrition practices.

This new found knowledge and popularity of lowering levels of carbohydrates in alcohol is making it easier for people everywhere to watch what they are consuming more closely. Awareness of complex and simple carbs is heightened, and that attitude is being reflected in the producers of alcohol. Consumers are realizing that they can’t just count calories and fat, but have to factor in other elements like carbohydrates. People are becoming more educated on what is entering their bodies, and hopefully our latest development of becoming overweight and having unhealthy habits will cease to exist, or at least fade a little. The road to complete healthiness is a long and winding one, but steps like becoming informed of the carbohydrates in alcohol are helping to make progress.

Carbohydrate in Foods

Carbohydrates in food are the human body’s ideal resource for energy. They should generally make up about half of the energy we take in each day. There are two key forms of carbohydrates—complex and simple.

Carbohydrates, in foods such as bread, potatoes, and pasta, are one of the major groups of nutrients that provide calories; protein and fat provide us with the rest of the energy we need. Carbs are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. That’s why they’re called carbohydrates. “Carbo” indicates carbon, and “hydrate” indicates water, which results from a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. Each gram of carbohydrate provides about four calories of energy. Complex carbohydrates in foods should be the main source of our carbs. These include such foods as starchy “fillers” like bread, potatoes, pasta, and rice. Also included are cereals, crackers, corn, peas, lima beans and legumes like chickpeas, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and lentils. Complex carbohydrate foods tend to be quite substantial, so consuming them makes for a filling meal. They can also be rich in nutrients necessary for good health, and are relatively low in calories in comparison to their mass. Besides providing energy, foods containing complex carbohydrates are often rich with vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytochemicals. Complex carbs stimulate our muscles and brain, and provide the energy for vital body behaviours like breathing and heart functions. With too few carbs in our diet, our body has to rely on alternate, less effective energy systems that eventually leave us weak, tired and woozy. Choosing wholegrain varieties whenever possible is a wise decision, as these also contain more fibre. The rest of our carbohydrate intake comes from simple carbs. Foods and drinks that contain sugar, including fruit and vegetables, milk, sugar, and soft drinks, are filled with simple carbs. Simple sugars that are found in foods include sucrose (table sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), and lactose (milk sugar). So foods that contain mainly these simpler forms of carbohydrates are known as simple carbs. They are known as white sugar, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and molasses. Also included in the simple carb listing are fruit juice, milk, yogurt, candy, cookies and pastries, because they’re made primarily from sugar. These foods should be eaten less often, as they are quickly converted into glucose. They can aide one in becoming obese or out of shape.

Carbohydrates in food can rarely be avoided. Most foods contain at least a small amount carbohydrate. That being said, there are no carbohydrates in food such as fats, meat, milk, and yogurt. Everything else has some quantity of carbohydrates, because they originally came from a plant source. The reason every food that came from a plant contains carbohydrates is that carbs are originally a plant’s own food source. Most people would benefit from an increased diet of starchy, complex carbohydrates in food. This type of diet tends to result in a diet that is lower in fat, and higher in dietary fibre, especially if wholegrain varieties of bread are chosen. It is also a good idea to get into the habit of eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. There is significant proof that eating fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of getting a disease, including some cancers and heart disease. In any case, they can be filling, low in calories, and high in fibre. As a general rule, foods that are processed less hang on to more of their natural nutrients, and are healthier to eat. White bread, which is heavily processed, is much less healthy than whole grain bread, which is less processed and retains more nutrients. Fresh fruit is less processed than fruit juice and a baked potato is less processed than french fries. It is almost always better to choose less-processed or whole grain foods whenever possible, while still gaining a balanced diet.

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