Cookies or Carrots?

If you have read the previous two posts you may be asking the question, “If losing weight is as simple as calories in versus calories out, does it matter if I eat cookies or carrots as long as I maintain my appropriate calorie levels?” The short answer is yes, it matters.

Now for the long answer.

There are a few reasons why overeating sugar and simple carbohydrates (white bread, white pasta, etc.) can drastically hamper ones ability to lose weight and can lessen a persons overall health:

1. Eating foods high in sugar starves your body of essential nutrients. 1000 calories of soda, candy, and cake have virtually no nutritional value. Your body is an amazing machine and it realizes that even though it just ate 1000 calories it still doesn’t have enough of the proper nutrients to survive. To combat this, your body will increase your appetite in hopes that you will give it more nutrients. This is where the term “empty calories” come from. Eating sugary foods can actually leave you feeling hungrier, which can cause you to eat more sweets, which can cause you to feel hungrier, which can…you get the idea. In addition, when your body lacks proper nutrients your energy level will be low making it that much more difficult to motivate yourself to exercise.

2. Even though a calorie is a calorie, sugars make it harder for your body to burn fat. When you eat sugars and simple carbs your body produces insulin as a way to lower blood sugar levels. High levels of insulin in your blood stream suppress the production of glucagons in your body. Glucagons are important hormones that contribute to the metabolizing of carbs and the burning of fat.

3. Sugar and simple carbs, or rather the lack of complex carbs, can also make you appear fatter. Fiber found in vegetables and whole grain foods clean out excess bile found in your intestines. When allowed to remain in your internal organs, this built up bile can make you appear to be bloated. This build up can also lead to colon and intestinal problems.

4. Simply put, sugar is bad for you. High sugar and simple carb diets can lead to many health problems, such as: diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems, high cholesterol, etc. The list goes on and on. This type of diet can also lower your immune system and make you more prone to physical injuries. It can also affect your moods and can lead to psychological disorders.

The bottom line is, too much sugar and simple carbs are bad for you. Whether your goal is to lose weight, feel better, or be healthier, lowering your intake of (or eliminating) sugars and simple carbs is essential to your success.