Speaker #0Hello everyone, and welcome to the Blueness Guide, the ideal nutrition guide for humankind. Today, we're going to talk about carbohydrates, how to consume them, a list of foods rich in carbohydrates, and their definition. Carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source. In other words, when given a choice, these are the nutrients the body draws energy from most quickly and efficiently. They are converted by the body into glucose to produce energy molecules known by the lovely name of adenosine triphosphate or ATP. The efficiency of this process depends greatly on the vitamins and minerals present in the carbohydrates. That's why foods high in bad carbs and lacking in natural vitamins and minerals, like processed sweets, lead to poor energy production. depending on the length of their chain Carbohydrates are classified as follows. There are monosaccharides, which include glucose, fructose, the sugar found in fruit, and galactose, which is the sugar in milk. There are disaccharides, which contain sucrose, the industrial sugar made up of glucose and fructose, both of which belong to the first group. And still among the disaccharides, we find lactose, which is the carbohydrate present in the milk of mammals. Next, there is the group of oligosaccharides. This is mainly raffinose, which is made up of one unit of galactose, one unit of glucose, and one unit of fructose. And finally, polysaccharides, also called complex carbohydrates, which include amylopectin, so, plant starch, glycogen, which is animal starch, and inulin, which is produced by many types of plants. and these polysaccharides are actually sugars of the fructose type linked together. The first three groups of carbohydrates, monosaccharides, disaccharides, and oligosaccharides, belong to the family of simple carbohydrates. And the last group, the polysaccharides, belong to the family of complex carbohydrates. Before we understand the difference between these two types of carbohydrates, Let's pause for a moment to address the confusion between sugars and carbohydrates. There is a real confusion among consumers these days between the term sugar and the term carbohydrate. We often tend to mix up the two for two reasons. First of all, sugar, in the strict sense of the word, belongs to the carbohydrate family, but not all carbohydrates are sugars, strictly speaking. It's a matter of belonging, not equivalence. Next, some people tend to refer to all carbohydrates as sugar to make things simpler, without necessarily seeing it as a mistake. Because in this specific case, sugars don't necessarily refer to everything that tastes sweet, but simply to carbohydrates, which are actually combinations of sugar molecules that don't always taste sweet, like starch, for example. So, let's clear things up and refer to what's written on the labels of the products we buy at the supermarket on these well-known labels sugar is defined as the smallest link in a chain of carbohydrates that is simple carbohydrates as opposed to complex carbohydrates on these labels the term carbohydrates indicates the total amount of carbohydrates which includes both simple and complex carbohydrates And there's this note, of which sugars, right below the carbohydrates line, and the above which sugars note only refers to the amount of simple carbohydrates. So, you might be wondering what the difference is between simple and complex carbohydrates. So, simple carbohydrates are also called fast sugars, and complex carbohydrates are more commonly known as slow sugars in everyday language. So, simple carbohydrates, also called sugars on those labels I mentioned, are small molecules that have a sweet taste. They include glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, galactose, and sucrose. They generally have a pretty bad reputation, but it's important to distinguish between them. You need to differentiate between simple carbohydrates that come from fruit, which are present in relatively small amounts and simple carbohydrates that come from processed foods. Simple carbohydrates are also called fast sugars because consuming them leads to very rapid absorption in the body, causing a spike in blood sugar, which triggers insulin secretion to regulate sugar levels and results in storage of reserves, which can lead to weight gain in the medium and long term. We'll come back to this a little later. Because of how quickly they're absorbed by the body, fast sugars are sometimes used during intense physical activity to boost the body's performance, or simply because people really enjoy their taste. That's why it's common to give students sugary drinks or chocolate and sweet bars during exams to support mental effort or during physical exertion. But as we'll see later in the Blueness Guide, this method is increasingly being questioned in the field of nutrition. So, what foods are rich in simple carbohydrates or fast sugars? You can find them in almost all fruits through fructose, so apples, cherries, kiwis, melon, oranges, and so on, but also in sweets and pastries, like sugar, cakes, cookies, jam, chocolate, candy, sodas, and so on. Now let's move on to complex carbohydrates, also known as slow sugars. Complex carbohydrates are very large molecules that don't have a sweet taste, including maltodextrins, fructooligosaccharides, starch, cellulose, and pectins. Complex carbohydrates are also called slow sugars because they are absorbed by the body more slowly than simple carbohydrates. Therefore, they provide a more consistent energy supply throughout the day. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates are mostly whole grain products, such as breads, whole grain breads, oats, muesli, and whole grain rice. So, this includes bran, wheat germ, barley, corn, buckwheat, semolina, oats, pasta, brown rice, potatoes, root vegetables, whole grains, high-fiber breakfast cereals, muesli, cassava, peas, beans, and lentils. To put it simply, simple carbohydrates or fast sugars like glucose, fructose, or sucrose are easily found in fruits and sweets. This is sugar in the common sense of the word, as we know it and often call fast sugars. Complex carbohydrates, better known as slow sugars, are made up of several simple carbohydrates joined together and are generally found in grains, starchy foods, and side dishes commonly eaten all over the world. You can find the list of foods directly in the Blueness Guide. So, let's now talk about the glycemic index of carbohydrates. You've probably heard of the glycemic index or glycemic value. This value system ranks carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 based on how quickly glucose enters the bloodstream. The higher the glycemic index value, the faster glucose enters the blood after eating. Now, Our body will react to such a spike in blood sugar by secreting a hormone called insulin. This hormone is responsible for moving glucose into our cells in order to lower the amount of sugar circulating in the blood. In fact, the body can only tolerate a certain level of sugar in the blood, which is what we call blood glucose or glycemia. And so it's a hormone, insulin, that is responsible for getting the sugar circulating in the blood into the cells. in order to bring blood sugar levels back down to normal for the body. However, over time, the repeated occurrence of this process can contribute to reducing the body's sensitivity to insulin and therefore decrease its effectiveness at sending glucose into the cells. This is a first step toward type 2 diabetes or even obesity. Moreover, overconsumption of carbohydrates could promote inflammation, paving the way for chronic diseases as well as fat storage. That's why official nutritional guidelines recommend consuming carbohydrates with a low or moderate glycemic index, which do not cause large insulin spikes. So, among these low or moderate glycemic index carbohydrates, you'll find fruits, tubers like quinoa, buckwheat, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, whole grains, especially basmati rice, as well as legumes like lentils or chickpeas, which are considered the star carbohydrates for health because they fit the Mediterranean diet and have a very low glycemic index. We'll come back to this a little later. By the way, here's a little tip. If you eat carbohydrates along with fiber, it will slow down their absorption. We'll actually talk more about fiber in the next podcast. To find the list of carbohydrates ranked by their glycemic index, from low to high, including medium, you just need to check out the Blueness guides. So, what is the recommended daily intake of carbohydrates? You should know that carbohydrates are stored in the body in two ways, either as glycogen in the liver, which accounts for about one-third, or in the muscles, which accounts for about two-thirds. These glycogen reserves are used by the body as an energy source during physical activity and are then replenished through a diet rich in carbohydrates. But be careful, again, to keep things simple. If there's no physical or even mental effort, the carbohydrates you consume may end up being too much for your body, which will then try to convert this excess into stored fat, just in case, as a reserve. Which, unless you're trying to gain weight for a movie role, is probably not your goal, neither from an aesthetic nor a health perspective. Therefore, the recommended daily intake of carbohydrates will depend on several factors. Your eating habits and your lifestyle. What kind of diet have you chosen? Your beliefs and your diet, whether you're vegetarian, vegan, carnivore, your metabolism, your tendency to feel sluggish after eating carbs, your addiction to processed sugar, your compatibility with a more or less moderate carb intake. In short, a lot of factors. You should know that public health authorities recommend consuming them at about 50%. They recommend prioritizing complex carbohydrates, meaning polysaccharides, which are found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and well-known starchy foods like rice, wheat, potatoes, and cereals. On the other hand, simple carbohydrates found in refined sugars, processed sweets, and sodas should be reduced according to official recommendations. As we mentioned earlier in the podcast about macronutrients in general, your carbohydrate intake will often depend on your goal. Are you looking to build muscle? Are you just trying to maintain your current state in general? Or are you trying to lose weight? Your carbohydrate intake will also depend on your metabolism, meaning your tendency to gain body fat are not based on your calorie intake. To better understand how macronutrients are distributed, it's helpful to look at what is generally practiced or recommended in the world of fitness or nutrition, depending on the desired goals. This will give us a clearer idea of how carbohydrates have been consumed since the mid-20th century, beyond just their enjoyment factor. In this regard, there are three main known ways to distribute macronutrients. You'll find, in fact, you'll find the diagram in the Blue's Guide, right in the Carbohydrates chapter. These three main distributions are the ones that are more or less known to the general public, depending on sports goals or lifestyle. These aren't necessarily the distributions we'll recommend later in the Blue's Guide. but it's important to understand this common logic in order to move forward and find your own way of distributing nutrients in general athletes and people who aren't sedentary those with very physically demanding jobs throughout the day tend to choose a diet that's mostly made up of carbohydrates this is actually what public health authorities recommend and not just for athletes which is why it sparks debate Proteins obviously make up an important part in such cases, since they affect muscle tissue, while fats are a minority. On the other hand, people who are maintaining their weight or are semi-sedentary and only exercise occasionally will go for a balanced distribution among the three macronutrients, along with physical activity that, again, is more or less occasional. Finally, people who are overweight and want to lose body fat generally choose a diet high in protein. low in carbohydrates, and with a significant amount of fat, ideally combined with some physical activity. Again, even though every case is unique, we're going to simplify things as much as possible. If you're looking to build muscle, it's often recommended to consume a large amount of carbohydrates, especially on the days you work out. But we'll come back to this specific case a bit later in a podcast dedicated to low-carb diets for athletes. If you're already in good shape and just want to maintain your current physique, you'll often be advised to have a balanced diet. This term, which is fairly generic and often doesn't mean much, really makes sense here. It means getting your share of carbohydrates in roughly equal amounts with everything else. Finally, if you're the type who tends to gain weight easily and, despite all your efforts, you still have excess fat and are looking to get leaner, reducing your carbohydrate intake might be something to consider, especially if you've been a big eater of sugar and carbs in in the past, which could have affected your insulin sensitivity. Regarding the high carbohydrate intake for athletes, sedentary people living in urban environments are used to consuming hundreds of grams of carbohydrates per day. Between breakfasts made up of bread, jam, sometimes chocolate spread, cereal, orange juice, and so on. Then lunch, which is often a sandwich or a dish with a large portion of starchy foods like rice, fries, and so on. And finally, with takeout dinners or homemade spaghetti. We end up, often without realizing it, consuming between 300 and 600 grams of carbohydrates per day, if not more, not to mention the beer after work. However, meal plans designed for athletes looking to gain muscle mass generally revolve around 300 to 500 grams of carbohydrates per day. This intake is intended for someone who will then engage in intense physical activity, often, sometimes even close to weightlifting, or sometimes with cardio or interval training. So the question to ask is this. Is it normal that the amount of carbohydrates we usually eat as someone who is mostly sedentary and only exercises occasionally, like on weekends, is almost the same as the carbohydrate intake planned for someone who does bodybuilding? What about the consequences when we consume such a large amount of carbohydrates without burning them off in the hours that follow? This is an issue we will come back to very soon as part of the Blues Diet. In the meantime, let's determine how much energy carbohydrates provide. In terms of calories, just like proteins, 1 gram of carbohydrates equals 4 kcal, compared to 9 kcal for 1 gram of fat. So fats are more energy dense than carbohydrates. This is an important concept to keep in mind when we look at how many calories to consume and burn each day, and when considering a low-carb diet. Next. we have the special case of fiber. Fiber, which is mostly found in vegetables, is a type of carbohydrate, in this case, a complex carbohydrate. They're so complex that the body doesn't absorb them. They simply slow down the absorption of other carbohydrates, allowing for a more steady energy distribution, while not providing any calories themselves. So, you might ask, what's the point of eating them? To answer that question, Let's dive into the podcast dedicated to them. That will actually be the topic of the next podcast. See you soon in the Blues Guide, the guide to the ideal diet for humankind.
