CARBOHYDRATES AND ADDED SUGARS!

Many people rely on quick, convenient, and processed foods for their daily caloric intake. Our diet must have all three macronutrients that are Protein, Fats, and Carbohydrates. According to the Canadian Food guide, half of our plate should be fruits and vegetables, one quarter with protein, and the remaining part must be carbohydrates(1). We will be discussing the differences between foods that are high in carbohydrates and foods with added sugar. Carbohydrates are sugars that fall into two categories simple and complex sugars. The added sugars are generally present in packaged foods. Carbohydrates that are processed are known as refined carbohydrates. The reason carbohydrates with added sugars are bad for our health is because these refined carbohydrates contain a lot of added sugars like maltodextrin, sucrose, etc. Upon its consumption, they can spike glucose levels abruptly.

We also need to know what is a whole grain. According to the Canadian food guide(3), whole grain foods include all parts of the grain. Research from the website of Harvard nutrition, all whole grain kernels contain three parts: the bran that is rich in fiber, vitamin, and minerals; the germ that is rich in healthy fats and vitamins and antioxidants; and the endosperm that is the interior layer that contains macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and small amounts of some vitamin B and minerals(4).

Current nutrition research shows that added sugars should be limited to 10% of our overall caloric intake per day. There are various negative health effects of eating too many added sugars in our diet. Some of them are at risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. It may cause weight gain. Increased consumption of added sugars has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer(5). To reduce these adverse effects and live a well-balanced lifestyle, we must include whole grains in our diet. Following this would help to suffice our daily fiber needs. In turn, this helps in digestion and maintaining our blood sugar levels. Common varieties of whole-grain include wheat berry, bulgur, whole rye, millet, quinoa, sorghum, oatmeal, etc... "Some people are intolerant or allergic to wheat, rye or barley, etc. hence they can opt for whole grains which are gluten-free, some examples are amaranth, oats, buckwheat and rice" (Jennings, 2019) (6).

I would also like to share an example where we can view carbohydrate sources, where one has added sugar, and two examples of whole grain. These are the carbohydrates sources that are present in my home almost at all times.

Here is the example of a carbohydrate with added sugar and the added sugar in this case is called maltodextrin.

So, these are two sources of carbohydrates : Oats and whole wheat flour. These have no added sugar and we can verify it from the nutrient label.

I'd also like to share a personal recipe which is a simple oatmeal topped with blue berries and sugar-free syrup and I have been eating this breakfast dish almost everyday for the past

months.

The recipe is as follows:

Oats 30 gms

Milk 2% 100 ml

blueberries 20 gms

sugar free syrup 1 tbsp

Method:

Add oats and milk together and put it in the microwave for two minutes or cook in small saucepot for 3-4 minutes. Once, the oats are cooked add blueberries and sugar-free syrup. You can also add a scoop of whey protein to increase the protein content of the dish.