The Link between Carbohydrates and Obesity

There is a popular belief that overweight people eat more carbohydrates than those without weight issues. But on the contrary, it’s the kind of carbohydrates you consume, not how much, that matters when it comes to weight management.

The results of a study on obesity showed that people with a higher body mass index – which takes into account both a person’s height and weight – tend to eat carbohydrates with a higher glycemic index.

Glycemic index ranks carbohydrates based on how they affect our blood sugar levels. Low GI foods only cause small fluctuations in our blood sugar and insulin levels while high GI foods do the opposite.

The height and weight of around 600 healthy participants were measured and they were asked to record the kind of carbohydrates they ate for a year.

The researchers noted two key findings: 1. as mentioned earlier, those with a higher body mass index ate more carbohydrates with a higher glycemic index; and, 2. the amount of carbohydrates they ate did not influence body mass index.

The results of the study suggests that a low-carb diet like the Atkins diet, which asks dieters to cut back on all carbohydrates, is missing the mark, when it’s actually the kind of carbohydrates you eat that determines your risk of obesity.

That’s because not all carbohydrates are created equal and because one-third of Americans need a high-carb diet.

Dr. Joseph Mercola explains that your body prefers the carbohydrates found in vegetables rather than grains because they are converted into simple sugars slower and decreases your insulin level.

However, if you’re addicted to refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta and sugar-rich processed foods, don’t be surprised if you don’t like what you see when you step on the weighing scale.

How Refined Carbohydrates Increase Your Obesity Risk

Everyone needs to eat a certain amount of carbohydrates but your body’s ability to store carbohydrates is limited, so if you consume more carbohydrates than what you need, they are converted, through insulin, into fat and stored as fat, thereby increasing your risk of obesity, bloating, depression, fatigue, frequent sleepiness, and almost all chronic degenerative diseases.

Eating a meal or snack high in grain and sugar carbohydrates will typically generate a spike in blood glucose. Your pancreas compensates for this surge by secreting insulin into your bloodstream, which lowers your blood sugar. Increased insulin levels will suppress two other important hormones – glucagon and growth hormone – which are responsible for burning fat and sugar and promoting muscle growth.

While many dietitians consider the glycemic index to be an important tool, Dr. Mercola explains that is not very reliable because it contains many exceptions that render it ineffective.

For example, if you would follow the index standards, you will find that fructose is acceptable because it has a very low glycemic index, when in reality, fructose (especially in the form of high fructose corn syrup) is one of the main reasons why people are overweight. If your goal is weight loss, you should also avoid other low-glycemic-index foods like apple juice, chocolate and cherries.

The glycemic index is not a reliable method to lose weight or improve your health. One of the best ways to prevent your insulin levels from going overboard and your body from storing too much fat is by eliminating grains and sugars, which you can achieve through the no-grain diet.

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