May 15, 2024 • 34 mins
Ever found yourself questioning the true impact of carbohydrates on your health, or weight gain? Do you blame carbs and feel that you are addicted to them? In this episode I help to debunk some of the biggest myths around carbs, the questions that I get asked the most from clients, and how you can rest easy when you know what carbs are good to eat, and why.
I cover the debate around fruit, insulin resistance, carb addiction and the impact carbohydrates have on weight. We'll navigate through the maze of misinformation and emerge with a clear understanding of how to manage portions, select the right fruits for blood sugar sensitivity, and why insulin resistance needs to be part of this conversation.
As we peel back the layers on carbohydrate addiction, we move beyond simple explanations and into the intricate relationship between food cravings, emotional eating, and neurochemistry. Listen as we untangle how the brain's dopamine pathways might be conspiring to keep you reaching for that extra slice of pie. Armed with strategies and insights into transitioning to complex carbohydrates, this episode promises to equip you with the tools necessary to break free from the addictive cycle of high-glycemic eating. By the end, you'll be ready to make informed choices for a healthier lifestyle with newfound wisdom and a sense of control over your dietary decisions.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everybody and welcome back to the Real Food
Stories podcast.
I have been into a few weeks ofmy Nutrition 101 series because
I am on my own personal missionto clear up as many
misconceptions as I can aboutfood and health, particularly
weight gain, because I know thatis why most people gravitate
(00:21):
towards sometimes outlandishdiets and get starstruck by
wellness influencers that make alot of false promises.
Honestly, eating is not thatdifficult.
It's what we do with all theinformation about food that
makes it so confusing sometimes,and when you are confused, it
(00:44):
is easy to try ways of eatingand diets that make a lot of
promises for quick weight lossand health.
Women in midlife are at aparticularly vulnerable time
because we have so much going onhormonally that it can really
affect our body composition andour health, only adding to the
(01:05):
massive confusion anddiscouragement that we might be
feeling.
Today I wanted to continue myconversation about carbohydrates
and if you did not listen tolast week's episode, I strongly
encourage you to do that.
First, because on that episodeI shared all about what exactly
carbohydrates are the great andthe not so good so you can gain
(01:30):
clarity about this extremelyimportant macronutrient.
We cannot live withoutcarbohydrates, so tune in to
that last episode.
We don't need to fearcarbohydrates.
We rather just need to make ourbest choices, and today I
wanted to talk about some mythsaround carbohydrates and the
(01:54):
truths about carbohydrates thatconsistently circulate around
the internet and social media,so you can be well-prepared to
eat your best.
Social media so you can be wellprepared to eat your best.
These are some of the biggestquestions I get asked all the
time, and hopefully they canhelp you too Now.
I mentioned this briefly inlast week's podcast, but I
(02:16):
wanted to drive this one homeagain, because this is my number
one most asked question Isfruit bad for me?
Fruit is in the carbohydratefamily.
We know that it has fructose,which is a fruit sugar.
So is fruit bad for me?
And here is my answer to thatGenerally, overall, fruit is not
(02:40):
bad for you.
Actually, fruit is really,really healthy for you and it is
part of your healthy diet.
It offers a wealth of essentialnutrients, vitamins, minerals
and that all-important fiberthat, again, I talked about last
week.
However, how much and whattypes of fruit you should
(03:00):
consume can vary based on yourindividual health goals, your
conditions and your dietaryneeds.
So let's take a little deeperlook at the benefits of fruits
and some considerations to keepin mind.
Let's talk about nutrition first, fruit.
Almost all fruit is packed withessential and important
(03:22):
vitamins like vitamin C, vitaminA, folate, as well as minerals
like potassium and magnesium.
Most people are deficient insome of these minerals.
These nutrients are vital formaintaining many of our bodily
functions, including our immunesystem, our health, our vision,
blood pressure regulation thelist goes on.
(03:43):
Fruit is full of fiber, dietaryfiber, which helps promote
regular bowel movements, ithelps lower your cholesterol
levels and it regulates yourblood sugar levels.
Fiber also can aid in weightmanagement and weight loss by
helping you feel fuller longer,reducing the overall number of
(04:05):
calories consumed.
Fruit is also very high inwater content right, think
watermelon making them ahydrating choice that can
contribute to overall fluidintake, which is essential for
maintaining hydration andsupporting metabolic function.
So if you are not drinking alot of water just plain water
(04:26):
fruit is a water source.
Now the things that we want tojust consider and some of the
misconceptions.
Like I said before, fruitcontains natural sugars,
fructose, which can be a concernfor people with certain medical
conditions like diabetes.
(04:46):
However, the effect of fruit onblood sugar levels is generally
not the same as that of refinedsugar and because fruit also
contains fiber, it helps to slowdown that rush of blood sugar
and it contains water, whichactually dilutes the sugar a lot
, so we don't have to beconcerned about the fructose in
(05:11):
whole fruits.
A lot of people wonder if thecalories in fruit are too much,
and fruit in general is just notvery calorically dense.
Eating fruit in largequantities can contribute to
excessive calorie intake, ofcourse, but when are you ever
(05:32):
going to eat two dozen bananasor five pounds of blueberries?
It's important to consider yourportion sizes, of course and
we're going to get into that inanother podcast especially if
you're monitoring your calorieintake for weight management.
But I think fruit reallyoverall is not the thing that
(05:54):
you need to worry about.
The one thing and I mentionedthis last week again is that we
want to take into considerationis whole fruit versus fruit
juice.
Is that we want to take intoconsideration is whole fruit
versus fruit juice?
Whole fruits are far morebeneficial than fruit juices,
which are often super high insugar and lack all the fiber of
whole fruits.
(06:15):
Juices can contribute to rapidspikes in blood sugar levels and
provide fewer satiety signalsthan whole fruit, so it can be
filling.
Every once in a while it's okayto drink a nicely squeezed,
fresh glass of orange juice, butI would not make this the rule.
This is the exception ratherthan the rule.
(06:35):
Sometimes fruit juices havemore sugar than regular soda, so
I would really rather you havethe whole fruit, with all its
fiber and water, than have thefruit juice.
Now, if you have diabetes, or ifyou are pre-diabetic, you might
want to consider focusing onfruits that are lower on the
(06:59):
glycemic index.
The glycemic index is themeasurement of how much your
blood sugar is getting raised,so fruits like berries, cherries
, apples, pears have a muchslower impact on your blood
sugar.
Other fruits, like bananas,pineapple grapes, have a little
(07:22):
bit more of a influence on yourblood sugar levels, but
otherwise, if you are a healthyperson, you don't need to worry
about that.
Okay, so are we good on this?
In conclusion, fruits are ahealthful part of your diet for
the majority of people.
They provide essentialnutrients and compounds and
fiber.
They help to fill you up, theytaste good, they're full of
(07:47):
nutrients, so please do not fearfruit.
The next thing I wanted to talkabout in relationship to
carbohydrates is insulinresistance.
A lot of people ask me aboutinsulin resistance, the just
(08:08):
effect of insulin and howexactly that works.
Now again, I talked about thisa little bit last week in the
other podcast on carbohydrates,but I want to just reiterate a
couple of things here andexactly what insulin resistance
is.
Insulin resistance is aphysiological condition where
the body cells become lessresponsive to the hormone
(08:31):
insulin, which plays a vitalrole in regulating blood glucose
levels.
Insulin, which is produced bythe pancreas, helps cells absorb
glucose from the bloodstream touse as energy or store it for
future use.
So you eat something, you eatsome kind of a carbohydrate.
(08:52):
It gets into your bloodstream.
Insulin is released.
It's like the key that goesinto the lock.
It unlocks it, it grabs theenergy and it brings it to every
cell in your body, literallyevery cell in your body.
We cannot live withoutcarbohydrates.
When we have too manycarbohydrates, when we are just
(09:13):
flooding our bloodstream withlots of sugars, simple sugars it
becomes harder for insulin tokeep up the pace.
Then the process becomes almostinefficient to keep up the pace
.
Then the process becomes almostinefficient and, as a result,
the pancreas is prompted toproduce more insulin to achieve
the desired effect of loweringyour blood glucose and it gets
(09:35):
worn out in a sense.
The bottom line of insulinresistance isn't totally fully
understood, but several factorsare known to increase the risk,
including excess body weight,especially around our abdomen, a
sedentary lifestyle, a diethigh in sugars and refined
(09:56):
carbohydrates those simplerefined carbohydrates that are
found in a lot of desserts andsnack foods and junk food and
sometimes just genetic factorssuch as polycystic ovarian
syndrome, hypertension andnon-alcoholic fatty liver
disease are also associated withhigher levels of insulin
(10:19):
resistance.
Now, if we keep up this paceand insulin resistance
progresses, the body's abilityto compensate by producing
additional insulin all the timecan start to diminish.
It starts to get worn out andit leads to an accumulation of
glucose in our blood, and thatis known then as prediabetes.
(10:42):
And if that is left unchecked,this can eventually escalate to
type 2 diabetes, where the bodyeither doesn't produce enough
insulin or just can't useinsulin effectively.
And additionally, insulinresistance is linked to a
cluster of cardiovascular riskfactors, collectively known as
(11:02):
metabolic syndrome, whichincludes high blood pressure,
high cholesterol levels and alarge waist circumference.
The symptoms of insulinresistance are subtle and often
go unnoticed until a moresignificant health issue usually
arises.
Now some common signs mightinclude just fatigue you're
(11:25):
hungry all the time, brain fog,difficulty concentrating.
Now, that can be attributed tolots of different health issues
too, right?
I mean, we just go throughmenopause and we can feel
fatigued and brain fogged andhungry and, you know, difficulty
with, like, memory things, butit can have something to do with
insulin resistance.
(11:52):
Managing insulin resistanceinvolves a multifaceted approach
focused on improvingsensitivity to insulin.
The first and foremost thing todo is to concentrate on our
lifestyle.
Lifestyle changes are thecornerstone of management and
prevention, includingmaintaining a healthy weight,
engaging in regular physicalactivity and adopting a balanced
diet, rich in here it goesfiber, complex carbohydrates,
(12:17):
whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fats, lean proteins, while
limiting our intake of sugar andrefined carbohydrates.
So do we see a pattern here?
It's not the carbohydrates thatare to blame for everything.
It's the sugars, the refinedcarbohydrates, those simple
(12:38):
carbs.
So I wanted to just addressinsulin resistance and clear the
air, because it's not all carbsthat contribute to insulin
resistance.
It is primarily those simpleand refined carbs.
Now, for a lot of women goingthrough menopause, insulin
(13:00):
resistance can suddenly show upor can be something to be
concerned about.
You might have gotten someblood work where you are
pre-diabetic, so you have gonepast the insulin resistance
stage.
Why is this?
Basically, menopause marks theend of a woman's reproductive
years, accompanied by a declinein the production of hormones,
(13:24):
particularly estrogen.
Estrogen plays a crucial rolein regulating metabolism and
body weight, and its declineduring menopause can directly
impact insulin sensitivity.
So lower levels of estrogenhave been linked to an increase
in insulin resistance, partlydue to changes in our body
composition, such as increasedabdominal fat, which is known to
(13:49):
contribute to decreased insulinsensitivity.
That drop in be responsible forheart health.
And I talked about metabolicsyndrome before.
So women face a higher risk ofdeveloping metabolic syndrome
because our blood pressure cango up, we might have high blood
(14:09):
sugars, you might have someexcess body fat around your
waist and start having risingcholesterol levels.
Each of these factors, like Isaid before, are associated with
increased insulin resistance.
Now I talked about thosesymptoms of brain fog and
concentration and fatigue beforejust around insulin resistance,
(14:31):
which I said can also just bemenopause in general.
So it's hard to distinguishwhat is insulin resistance and
what is just menopause symptoms,but long-term, the insulin
resistance associated withmenopause can lead to type 2
diabetes, cardiovascular diseaseand other health issues.
(14:54):
Now how do we want to manageinsulin resistance.
Then in menopausal women.
I said before, lifestylemedications first and foremost.
I mean that's a given.
We want a balanced diet that'srich in fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, lean proteins,healthy fats, which I'll talk
about next week.
(15:14):
We want to be regularlyphysically active and that
includes both aerobic exercises,cardio and strength training,
which is crucial for muscle mass.
I talked about that in myprotein podcast two weeks ago.
All these activities helpdecrease body fat, build muscle
mass and increase the efficiencyof insulin usage in our bodies.
(15:38):
One other thing to consider isthe role of hormone replacement
therapy.
Now I have talked a lot abouthormones in other podcasts.
If you want to see them, I'llput some links in the show notes
about that so you can referback to that.
Not everyone is a candidate forhormone replacement therapy,
but the more research has beendeveloping, the more that
(16:03):
studies suggest that hormonereplacement therapy can really
really benefit the symptoms ofmenopause and reduce the risk of
developing insulin resistance.
Your heart issues, your boneissues, cholesterol levels
Estrogen is responsible for somuch.
So hormone replacement therapyinvolves supplementing estrogen
(16:29):
and progesterone to helpmitigate the effects of
decreasing hormone levels.
Deciding to take hormonereplacement therapy is
definitely a personal choice andit's a conversation that you
need to have with your doctorand hopefully your doctor is
well-educated in using hormonesso they can have a good
conversation with you.
(16:50):
But it's definitely somethingthat you need to consult with
your doctor about the potentialrisks and the benefits benefits.
(17:10):
Okay, another really importantthing that I hear women question
is wondering if they areaddicted to carbs.
I hear this all the time.
I'm so addicted to carbs Ican't eat them.
I have to stay away from them.
I'm addicted and I sometimeslaugh because we now know that
carbohydrates are not just sugarand cupcakes and cookies and
bread, but carbohydrates arealso carrots and celery and kale
(17:33):
and apples.
So I doubt that anyone isaddicted to kale.
But this is what I am talkingabout when I say that there's so
much confusion aroundcarbohydrates.
We now know there's simplecarbohydrates and those are the
candies, cookies, junk food,white bread, white pasta.
(17:53):
We know that there are complexcarbohydrates and those are the
whole grains brown rice, andthose are the whole grains brown
rice, quinoa, farro, and fruitsand vegetables, kale, apples,
and the list goes on.
We already know this.
So are carbs addictive?
Because we need to eat food.
(18:15):
So you know when you saysomething like I'm addicted to
alcohol or I'm addicted to drugs.
I mean, it's more complicatedthan this, but we can just stop
taking those things right and wewill still live.
But we can't stop eating food.
So can you be addicted to carbs?
(18:36):
Carbohydrates the simple and therefined ones that I've been
talking about can lead toaddiction-like behaviors in some
individuals due to their impacton the body's neurochemical
processes.
Understanding the biochemicaland psychological mechanisms
behind this phenomenon canprovide insights into why some
people feel a seeminglyuncontrollable urge sometimes to
(18:59):
consume high carb foods,sometimes on repeat.
So let's talk about some of theneurochemical responses to
carbohydrates.
First one I want to talk aboutis the dopamine release.
Dopamine is a neurochemical.
It's like the feel-goodchemical in our brains.
So when you eat carbohydrates,especially those that are sugary
(19:22):
or highly refined, like whitebread, pastries, soda they are
quickly broken down into glucoseand absorbed into your
bloodstream.
This rapid absorption leads tothat quick spike in blood sugar
levels which stimulates therelease of dopamine, which I
said is a neurotransmitterassociated with pleasure and
(19:44):
reward in our brain.
So this dopamine release issimilar to the response
triggered by addictivesubstances, sometimes like
alcohol or cocaine, or I meanjust any other drugs that people
can get that rush from drugsthat people can get that rush
(20:05):
from, and when we eat thesehighly processed carbohydrates
and junk food, it can providethat same sort of high that your
brain learns to seek out togive you some kind of pleasure.
Now the human brain is wired torepeat activities that stimulate
dopamine production,reinforcing behaviors that are
necessary for survival, such aseating.
(20:27):
However, when this rewardpathway is overstimulated by
repeated consumption ofhigh-carb foods, it can lead to
the development of habit-formingbehaviors, much like those seen
in drug addiction.
So over time, this can resultin cravings and a compulsion to
(20:49):
eat carbs, even in the absenceof hunger.
So let's talk about thepsychological and emotional
factors, then.
Of these habits of eatinghigh-processed carbs, first one
I want to talk about is justthis comfort eating.
Many people turn to high carbcomfort foods in response to
(21:10):
stress, anxiety or depression.
I certainly can relate to thisone.
I have my stories that arerooted back in childhood about
eating cookies and candies andcupcakes to relieve a lot of
stress that I had been goingthrough.
I have another one of thosepodcast episodes and that is all
the way at the beginning of mytime here.
(21:31):
I will link that in the shownotes.
These foods can temporarilyboost your mood and relieve
negative feelings by increasingyour serotonin levels.
That's another neurotransmitterthat promotes feelings of
well-being and happiness.
However, the subsequent drop inblood sugar after consuming
(21:52):
high-carb foods can lead to moodswings, fatigue, renewed
cravings, just creating a cycleof binging behavior.
Sometimes Now, eating behaviorsare also influenced by
conditioning and habit formation.
So if the consumption ofcarbohydrates is regularly
paired with certain activitiesor feelings such as eating sugar
(22:16):
when you're stressed out, orcelebrating with a sugary cake,
or sitting down at nighttime infront of the TV to relax with a
couple of cookies, theseassociations can strengthen over
time and this conditioningmakes it really challenging
sometimes to break that cycle ofcraving carbs under specific
(22:38):
circumstances or emotionalstates, and I can say
confidently that most of us havebeen there, that we have gone
through something stressful andwanted to sit down and just eat
something with sugar in it.
Or you wanna relax and havesomething with sugar, or you
want a glass of wine, or youwant something that is just
associated with some kind of anemotion.
(23:00):
So let's talk about thephysical responses to eating
some of these highly processed,refined carbohydrates and then
their withdrawal, the one thingthat is most important and I've
mentioned is blood sugarfluctuations.
Now, the spike and subsequentfall in blood sugar levels that
occur after eating high glycemicor highly processed foods like
(23:26):
sugar cakes, candies, cookiescan mimic withdrawal symptoms
similar to those experiencedwith addictive substances.
Now, symptoms like irritability, fatigue and headaches may
develop as glucose levels drop,driving you to want to consume
(23:46):
more carbs to alleviate thisdiscomfort.
And, over time, regularconsumption of high-carb foods
like this can lead to tolerance,where more of the same food is
needed to achieve the previouseffects of satisfaction and
pleasure.
This pattern can escalate thequantity of carbs consumed and
worsen the cycle ofaddiction-like behavior.
(24:08):
Now, if you feel like you areaddicted to carbs or you really
have a strong pull with thesesimple refined carbohydrates
simple refined carbohydratesthere's a couple strategies that
you can think about to kind ofget off of the highly addictive
(24:29):
carb train.
One of them is to just startincorporating more complex
carbohydrates in your life.
Now, I know those seem muchless appealing when you are
mostly eating highly processed,refined carbohydrates.
Going from white rice to brownrice doesn't seem that much fun,
(24:50):
but if you understand thebenefits of switching to complex
carbohydrates like whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits and
vegetables can help stabilizeyour blood sugar levels, can
take away some of thosewithdrawal symptoms and reduce
that rapid rush of dopamine thatspikes and can contribute to
(25:11):
that addictive-like behavior.
You might feel motivated tojust start incorporating some of
these more complex carbs.
Another strategy to kind of getover this carb addiction is to
start practicing mindful eating.
Being mindful of our eatinghabits, recognizing triggers for
(25:35):
carb cravings and learning todistinguish between true hunger
and emotional hunger orconditioned eating really can
help manage and eventuallyreduce the dependency on high
carb foods.
Now, mindful eating is a wholepractice and it is very, very
effective, but it is a practiceand it's one that we want to
(26:01):
develop over time.
Another way to just get overyour carb addiction is to really
make sure that you balance yourdiet and have regular meals
through the day.
Eating balanced meals thatincludes proteins, fats and
fiber can slow carbohydrateabsorption and minimize those
(26:21):
blood sugar fluctuations andhelp maintain steady energy
levels and mood.
If you're feeling like yourcarb cravings feel out of
control and are leading tosignificant distress for you,
you might want to considerconsulting someone like me a
nutritionist, a dietician, evena therapist, who knows something
(26:43):
about food addiction.
So the last thing I wanted totalk about is carbohydrates in
relationship to weight gain.
There are many, many diets outthere that are carb-averse if
(27:05):
you want to call it that, theyshun all carbohydrates.
I mean the most extreme beingsomething like the carnivore
diet, where there is no grainscarbohydrates whatsoever.
That's kind of insane to me.
Or something that's a littlemore in the middle, like the
paleo diet, which allows you tohave some vegetables but it's
(27:25):
mostly protein.
Or the keto diet, which ismostly fat, and their philosophy
is that carbohydrates arereally bad for you and
contribute to all sorts ofhealth issues and weight gain.
Now, we've talked about acouple of the health issues,
right, and we know now that it'smostly these simple
(27:45):
carbohydrates that contribute tothat.
But what about weight gain?
Do carbohydrates and weightgain go hand in hand?
So let me give you a littlenutrition 101 about what
carbohydrates exactly are forcalories and everything.
Carbohydrates provide fourcalories per gram, which is the
same as protein, but less thanhalf the calories provided by
(28:07):
fats, which contain ninecalories per gram.
However, we know this now, thetype of carbohydrates consumed
plays a crucial role in theirimpact on weight gain.
Simple carbohydrates likesugars and refined grains can
cause quick spikes in bloodsugar and insulin levels.
Insulin is the hormone thatpromotes the conversion of
(28:30):
excess glucose into fat forstorage, particularly if the
energy consumed exceeds theenergy expended.
I talked a little bit beforeabout the glycemic index and I
wanted to just highlight itsrole on appetite.
So foods that are high inrefined carbs typically have a
(28:52):
high glycemic index, which meansthat they lead to a rapid
increase in blood sugar.
These spikes are followed bysharp drops, which can then
trigger hunger and overeating.
In contrast, complexcarbohydrates you probably know
what I'm going to say such aswhole grains and vegetables,
have lower GI values, lowerglycemic index values, so they
(29:17):
produce more gradual increasesin blood sugar and are
associated with longer lastingsatiety.
Now what about protein andweight management and fat and
weight management?
I talked in my protein podcastthat protein is highly effective
at reducing appetite andhelping us stay fuller longer,
(29:42):
because protein has a higherthermic effect than
carbohydrates or fats, meaningthat it requires more energy for
digestion, absorption anddisposal.
This increased metabolic ratecan contribute to weight loss or
maintenance when proteins areconsumed in appropriate amounts.
Protein is also essential formuscle repair and growth.
(30:05):
Also essential for musclerepair and growth, maintaining
or increasing muscle mass iscrucial, especially with women
who are going through menopauseand midlife, because muscle
tissue burns more calories thanfat tissue, even at rest.
So diets adequate in proteinsupport muscle maintenance,
which can prevent the metabolicslowdown often associated with
(30:25):
weight loss.
I'm going to talk quickly aboutfats, but I'm going to get into
much more detail next week in myfat podcast.
But fat is more energy dense,right, it's nine calories per
gram versus four calories pergram for carbohydrates and
protein.
The high caloric density meansthat high-fat foods can lead to
(30:48):
a significant weight gain ifthey're consumed in large
quantities without adequatephysical activity to offset the
increased calorie intake.
So I think the takeaway here isto make sure that we balance
our macronutrients for weightmanagement right.
We want to choose our carbswisely.
We want to opt for whole grains, legumes, beans, fruits,
(31:11):
vegetables instead of processedfoods and sugars, because
complex carbohydrates providethose essential nutrients and
fiber which help manage ourblood sugar levels and increase
satiety.
We definitely want toprioritize protein a moderate
amount at each meal for satiety,for muscle maintenance and to
(31:31):
increase our metabolism and wewant to monitor our fat intake.
Again, I'm going to talk aboutthat next week, I think.
In conclusion, with weight gainand carbohydrates.
It's not necessarily thecarbohydrates that are to blame.
It's the type of carbohydratesand we have to consider the
(31:52):
amount of calories we are eating.
That is a must.
I know I'm going to talk aboutcalories in a different podcast
because it's really importantand the misconceptions are huge,
but we need to just be mindfulof how many calories of all our
foods we are eating.
Okay, I think that about wrapsit up for me and our talk on
(32:16):
carbohydrates and somemisconceptions around
carbohydrates.
If you have any questions aboutcarbs, please don't hesitate to
reach out to me.
Send me an email heather atheathercarycom.
I will definitely get out to me.
Send me an email heather atheathercarycom.
I will definitely get back toyou.
I'm happy to answer any otherquestions, because you might
have different questions that Ididn't answer today, but
hopefully I cleared up some ofthe bigger misconceptions.
(32:38):
Thanks so much, have a greatweek and I'll see you next week
to talk about fats.
Hello everybody and welcome back to the Real Food
Stories podcast.
I have been into a few weeks ofmy Nutrition 101 series because
I am on my own personal missionto clear up as many
misconceptions as I can aboutfood and health, particularly
weight gain, because I know thatis why most people gravitate
(00:21):
towards sometimes outlandishdiets and get starstruck by
wellness influencers that make alot of false promises.
Honestly, eating is not thatdifficult.
It's what we do with all theinformation about food that
makes it so confusing sometimes,and when you are confused, it
(00:44):
is easy to try ways of eatingand diets that make a lot of
promises for quick weight lossand health.
Women in midlife are at aparticularly vulnerable time
because we have so much going onhormonally that it can really
affect our body composition andour health, only adding to the
(01:05):
massive confusion anddiscouragement that we might be
feeling.
Today I wanted to continue myconversation about carbohydrates
and if you did not listen tolast week's episode, I strongly
encourage you to do that.
First, because on that episodeI shared all about what exactly
carbohydrates are the great andthe not so good so you can gain
(01:30):
clarity about this extremelyimportant macronutrient.
We cannot live withoutcarbohydrates, so tune in to
that last episode.
We don't need to fearcarbohydrates.
We rather just need to make ourbest choices, and today I
wanted to talk about some mythsaround carbohydrates and the
(01:54):
truths about carbohydrates thatconsistently circulate around
the internet and social media,so you can be well-prepared to
eat your best.
Social media so you can be wellprepared to eat your best.
These are some of the biggestquestions I get asked all the
time, and hopefully they canhelp you too Now.
I mentioned this briefly inlast week's podcast, but I
(02:16):
wanted to drive this one homeagain, because this is my number
one most asked question Isfruit bad for me?
Fruit is in the carbohydratefamily.
We know that it has fructose,which is a fruit sugar.
So is fruit bad for me?
And here is my answer to thatGenerally, overall, fruit is not
(02:40):
bad for you.
Actually, fruit is really,really healthy for you and it is
part of your healthy diet.
It offers a wealth of essentialnutrients, vitamins, minerals
and that all-important fiberthat, again, I talked about last
week.
However, how much and whattypes of fruit you should
(03:00):
consume can vary based on yourindividual health goals, your
conditions and your dietaryneeds.
So let's take a little deeperlook at the benefits of fruits
and some considerations to keepin mind.
Let's talk about nutrition first, fruit.
Almost all fruit is packed withessential and important
(03:22):
vitamins like vitamin C, vitaminA, folate, as well as minerals
like potassium and magnesium.
Most people are deficient insome of these minerals.
These nutrients are vital formaintaining many of our bodily
functions, including our immunesystem, our health, our vision,
blood pressure regulation thelist goes on.
(03:43):
Fruit is full of fiber, dietaryfiber, which helps promote
regular bowel movements, ithelps lower your cholesterol
levels and it regulates yourblood sugar levels.
Fiber also can aid in weightmanagement and weight loss by
helping you feel fuller longer,reducing the overall number of
(04:05):
calories consumed.
Fruit is also very high inwater content right, think
watermelon making them ahydrating choice that can
contribute to overall fluidintake, which is essential for
maintaining hydration andsupporting metabolic function.
So if you are not drinking alot of water just plain water
(04:26):
fruit is a water source.
Now the things that we want tojust consider and some of the
misconceptions.
Like I said before, fruitcontains natural sugars,
fructose, which can be a concernfor people with certain medical
conditions like diabetes.
(04:46):
However, the effect of fruit onblood sugar levels is generally
not the same as that of refinedsugar and because fruit also
contains fiber, it helps to slowdown that rush of blood sugar
and it contains water, whichactually dilutes the sugar a lot
, so we don't have to beconcerned about the fructose in
(05:11):
whole fruits.
A lot of people wonder if thecalories in fruit are too much,
and fruit in general is just notvery calorically dense.
Eating fruit in largequantities can contribute to
excessive calorie intake, ofcourse, but when are you ever
(05:32):
going to eat two dozen bananasor five pounds of blueberries?
It's important to consider yourportion sizes, of course and
we're going to get into that inanother podcast especially if
you're monitoring your calorieintake for weight management.
But I think fruit reallyoverall is not the thing that
(05:54):
you need to worry about.
The one thing and I mentionedthis last week again is that we
want to take into considerationis whole fruit versus fruit
juice.
Is that we want to take intoconsideration is whole fruit
versus fruit juice?
Whole fruits are far morebeneficial than fruit juices,
which are often super high insugar and lack all the fiber of
whole fruits.
(06:15):
Juices can contribute to rapidspikes in blood sugar levels and
provide fewer satiety signalsthan whole fruit, so it can be
filling.
Every once in a while it's okayto drink a nicely squeezed,
fresh glass of orange juice, butI would not make this the rule.
This is the exception ratherthan the rule.
(06:35):
Sometimes fruit juices havemore sugar than regular soda, so
I would really rather you havethe whole fruit, with all its
fiber and water, than have thefruit juice.
Now, if you have diabetes, or ifyou are pre-diabetic, you might
want to consider focusing onfruits that are lower on the
(06:59):
glycemic index.
The glycemic index is themeasurement of how much your
blood sugar is getting raised,so fruits like berries, cherries
, apples, pears have a muchslower impact on your blood
sugar.
Other fruits, like bananas,pineapple grapes, have a little
(07:22):
bit more of a influence on yourblood sugar levels, but
otherwise, if you are a healthyperson, you don't need to worry
about that.
Okay, so are we good on this?
In conclusion, fruits are ahealthful part of your diet for
the majority of people.
They provide essentialnutrients and compounds and
fiber.
They help to fill you up, theytaste good, they're full of
(07:47):
nutrients, so please do not fearfruit.
The next thing I wanted to talkabout in relationship to
carbohydrates is insulinresistance.
A lot of people ask me aboutinsulin resistance, the just
(08:08):
effect of insulin and howexactly that works.
Now again, I talked about thisa little bit last week in the
other podcast on carbohydrates,but I want to just reiterate a
couple of things here andexactly what insulin resistance
is.
Insulin resistance is aphysiological condition where
the body cells become lessresponsive to the hormone
(08:31):
insulin, which plays a vitalrole in regulating blood glucose
levels.
Insulin, which is produced bythe pancreas, helps cells absorb
glucose from the bloodstream touse as energy or store it for
future use.
So you eat something, you eatsome kind of a carbohydrate.
(08:52):
It gets into your bloodstream.
Insulin is released.
It's like the key that goesinto the lock.
It unlocks it, it grabs theenergy and it brings it to every
cell in your body, literallyevery cell in your body.
We cannot live withoutcarbohydrates.
When we have too manycarbohydrates, when we are just
(09:13):
flooding our bloodstream withlots of sugars, simple sugars it
becomes harder for insulin tokeep up the pace.
Then the process becomes almostinefficient to keep up the pace
.
Then the process becomes almostinefficient and, as a result,
the pancreas is prompted toproduce more insulin to achieve
the desired effect of loweringyour blood glucose and it gets
(09:35):
worn out in a sense.
The bottom line of insulinresistance isn't totally fully
understood, but several factorsare known to increase the risk,
including excess body weight,especially around our abdomen, a
sedentary lifestyle, a diethigh in sugars and refined
(09:56):
carbohydrates those simplerefined carbohydrates that are
found in a lot of desserts andsnack foods and junk food and
sometimes just genetic factorssuch as polycystic ovarian
syndrome, hypertension andnon-alcoholic fatty liver
disease are also associated withhigher levels of insulin
(10:19):
resistance.
Now, if we keep up this paceand insulin resistance
progresses, the body's abilityto compensate by producing
additional insulin all the timecan start to diminish.
It starts to get worn out andit leads to an accumulation of
glucose in our blood, and thatis known then as prediabetes.
(10:42):
And if that is left unchecked,this can eventually escalate to
type 2 diabetes, where the bodyeither doesn't produce enough
insulin or just can't useinsulin effectively.
And additionally, insulinresistance is linked to a
cluster of cardiovascular riskfactors, collectively known as
(11:02):
metabolic syndrome, whichincludes high blood pressure,
high cholesterol levels and alarge waist circumference.
The symptoms of insulinresistance are subtle and often
go unnoticed until a moresignificant health issue usually
arises.
Now some common signs mightinclude just fatigue you're
(11:25):
hungry all the time, brain fog,difficulty concentrating.
Now, that can be attributed tolots of different health issues
too, right?
I mean, we just go throughmenopause and we can feel
fatigued and brain fogged andhungry and, you know, difficulty
with, like, memory things, butit can have something to do with
insulin resistance.
(11:52):
Managing insulin resistanceinvolves a multifaceted approach
focused on improvingsensitivity to insulin.
The first and foremost thing todo is to concentrate on our
lifestyle.
Lifestyle changes are thecornerstone of management and
prevention, includingmaintaining a healthy weight,
engaging in regular physicalactivity and adopting a balanced
diet, rich in here it goesfiber, complex carbohydrates,
(12:17):
whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fats, lean proteins, while
limiting our intake of sugar andrefined carbohydrates.
So do we see a pattern here?
It's not the carbohydrates thatare to blame for everything.
It's the sugars, the refinedcarbohydrates, those simple
(12:38):
carbs.
So I wanted to just addressinsulin resistance and clear the
air, because it's not all carbsthat contribute to insulin
resistance.
It is primarily those simpleand refined carbs.
Now, for a lot of women goingthrough menopause, insulin
(13:00):
resistance can suddenly show upor can be something to be
concerned about.
You might have gotten someblood work where you are
pre-diabetic, so you have gonepast the insulin resistance
stage.
Why is this?
Basically, menopause marks theend of a woman's reproductive
years, accompanied by a declinein the production of hormones,
(13:24):
particularly estrogen.
Estrogen plays a crucial rolein regulating metabolism and
body weight, and its declineduring menopause can directly
impact insulin sensitivity.
So lower levels of estrogenhave been linked to an increase
in insulin resistance, partlydue to changes in our body
composition, such as increasedabdominal fat, which is known to
(13:49):
contribute to decreased insulinsensitivity.
That drop in be responsible forheart health.
And I talked about metabolicsyndrome before.
So women face a higher risk ofdeveloping metabolic syndrome
because our blood pressure cango up, we might have high blood
(14:09):
sugars, you might have someexcess body fat around your
waist and start having risingcholesterol levels.
Each of these factors, like Isaid before, are associated with
increased insulin resistance.
Now I talked about thosesymptoms of brain fog and
concentration and fatigue beforejust around insulin resistance,
(14:31):
which I said can also just bemenopause in general.
So it's hard to distinguishwhat is insulin resistance and
what is just menopause symptoms,but long-term, the insulin
resistance associated withmenopause can lead to type 2
diabetes, cardiovascular diseaseand other health issues.
(14:54):
Now how do we want to manageinsulin resistance.
Then in menopausal women.
I said before, lifestylemedications first and foremost.
I mean that's a given.
We want a balanced diet that'srich in fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, lean proteins,healthy fats, which I'll talk
about next week.
(15:14):
We want to be regularlyphysically active and that
includes both aerobic exercises,cardio and strength training,
which is crucial for muscle mass.
I talked about that in myprotein podcast two weeks ago.
All these activities helpdecrease body fat, build muscle
mass and increase the efficiencyof insulin usage in our bodies.
(15:38):
One other thing to consider isthe role of hormone replacement
therapy.
Now I have talked a lot abouthormones in other podcasts.
If you want to see them, I'llput some links in the show notes
about that so you can referback to that.
Not everyone is a candidate forhormone replacement therapy,
but the more research has beendeveloping, the more that
(16:03):
studies suggest that hormonereplacement therapy can really
really benefit the symptoms ofmenopause and reduce the risk of
developing insulin resistance.
Your heart issues, your boneissues, cholesterol levels
Estrogen is responsible for somuch.
So hormone replacement therapyinvolves supplementing estrogen
(16:29):
and progesterone to helpmitigate the effects of
decreasing hormone levels.
Deciding to take hormonereplacement therapy is
definitely a personal choice andit's a conversation that you
need to have with your doctorand hopefully your doctor is
well-educated in using hormonesso they can have a good
conversation with you.
(16:50):
But it's definitely somethingthat you need to consult with
your doctor about the potentialrisks and the benefits benefits.
(17:10):
Okay, another really importantthing that I hear women question
is wondering if they areaddicted to carbs.
I hear this all the time.
I'm so addicted to carbs Ican't eat them.
I have to stay away from them.
I'm addicted and I sometimeslaugh because we now know that
carbohydrates are not just sugarand cupcakes and cookies and
bread, but carbohydrates arealso carrots and celery and kale
(17:33):
and apples.
So I doubt that anyone isaddicted to kale.
But this is what I am talkingabout when I say that there's so
much confusion aroundcarbohydrates.
We now know there's simplecarbohydrates and those are the
candies, cookies, junk food,white bread, white pasta.
(17:53):
We know that there are complexcarbohydrates and those are the
whole grains brown rice, andthose are the whole grains brown
rice, quinoa, farro, and fruitsand vegetables, kale, apples,
and the list goes on.
We already know this.
So are carbs addictive?
Because we need to eat food.
(18:15):
So you know when you saysomething like I'm addicted to
alcohol or I'm addicted to drugs.
I mean, it's more complicatedthan this, but we can just stop
taking those things right and wewill still live.
But we can't stop eating food.
So can you be addicted to carbs?
(18:36):
Carbohydrates the simple and therefined ones that I've been
talking about can lead toaddiction-like behaviors in some
individuals due to their impacton the body's neurochemical
processes.
Understanding the biochemicaland psychological mechanisms
behind this phenomenon canprovide insights into why some
people feel a seeminglyuncontrollable urge sometimes to
(18:59):
consume high carb foods,sometimes on repeat.
So let's talk about some of theneurochemical responses to
carbohydrates.
First one I want to talk aboutis the dopamine release.
Dopamine is a neurochemical.
It's like the feel-goodchemical in our brains.
So when you eat carbohydrates,especially those that are sugary
(19:22):
or highly refined, like whitebread, pastries, soda they are
quickly broken down into glucoseand absorbed into your
bloodstream.
This rapid absorption leads tothat quick spike in blood sugar
levels which stimulates therelease of dopamine, which I
said is a neurotransmitterassociated with pleasure and
(19:44):
reward in our brain.
So this dopamine release issimilar to the response
triggered by addictivesubstances, sometimes like
alcohol or cocaine, or I meanjust any other drugs that people
can get that rush from drugsthat people can get that rush
(20:05):
from, and when we eat thesehighly processed carbohydrates
and junk food, it can providethat same sort of high that your
brain learns to seek out togive you some kind of pleasure.
Now the human brain is wired torepeat activities that stimulate
dopamine production,reinforcing behaviors that are
necessary for survival, such aseating.
(20:27):
However, when this rewardpathway is overstimulated by
repeated consumption ofhigh-carb foods, it can lead to
the development of habit-formingbehaviors, much like those seen
in drug addiction.
So over time, this can resultin cravings and a compulsion to
(20:49):
eat carbs, even in the absenceof hunger.
So let's talk about thepsychological and emotional
factors, then.
Of these habits of eatinghigh-processed carbs, first one
I want to talk about is justthis comfort eating.
Many people turn to high carbcomfort foods in response to
(21:10):
stress, anxiety or depression.
I certainly can relate to thisone.
I have my stories that arerooted back in childhood about
eating cookies and candies andcupcakes to relieve a lot of
stress that I had been goingthrough.
I have another one of thosepodcast episodes and that is all
the way at the beginning of mytime here.
(21:31):
I will link that in the shownotes.
These foods can temporarilyboost your mood and relieve
negative feelings by increasingyour serotonin levels.
That's another neurotransmitterthat promotes feelings of
well-being and happiness.
However, the subsequent drop inblood sugar after consuming
(21:52):
high-carb foods can lead to moodswings, fatigue, renewed
cravings, just creating a cycleof binging behavior.
Sometimes Now, eating behaviorsare also influenced by
conditioning and habit formation.
So if the consumption ofcarbohydrates is regularly
paired with certain activitiesor feelings such as eating sugar
(22:16):
when you're stressed out, orcelebrating with a sugary cake,
or sitting down at nighttime infront of the TV to relax with a
couple of cookies, theseassociations can strengthen over
time and this conditioningmakes it really challenging
sometimes to break that cycle ofcraving carbs under specific
(22:38):
circumstances or emotionalstates, and I can say
confidently that most of us havebeen there, that we have gone
through something stressful andwanted to sit down and just eat
something with sugar in it.
Or you wanna relax and havesomething with sugar, or you
want a glass of wine, or youwant something that is just
associated with some kind of anemotion.
(23:00):
So let's talk about thephysical responses to eating
some of these highly processed,refined carbohydrates and then
their withdrawal, the one thingthat is most important and I've
mentioned is blood sugarfluctuations.
Now, the spike and subsequentfall in blood sugar levels that
occur after eating high glycemicor highly processed foods like
(23:26):
sugar cakes, candies, cookiescan mimic withdrawal symptoms
similar to those experiencedwith addictive substances.
Now, symptoms like irritability, fatigue and headaches may
develop as glucose levels drop,driving you to want to consume
(23:46):
more carbs to alleviate thisdiscomfort.
And, over time, regularconsumption of high-carb foods
like this can lead to tolerance,where more of the same food is
needed to achieve the previouseffects of satisfaction and
pleasure.
This pattern can escalate thequantity of carbs consumed and
worsen the cycle ofaddiction-like behavior.
(24:08):
Now, if you feel like you areaddicted to carbs or you really
have a strong pull with thesesimple refined carbohydrates
simple refined carbohydratesthere's a couple strategies that
you can think about to kind ofget off of the highly addictive
(24:29):
carb train.
One of them is to just startincorporating more complex
carbohydrates in your life.
Now, I know those seem muchless appealing when you are
mostly eating highly processed,refined carbohydrates.
Going from white rice to brownrice doesn't seem that much fun,
(24:50):
but if you understand thebenefits of switching to complex
carbohydrates like whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits and
vegetables can help stabilizeyour blood sugar levels, can
take away some of thosewithdrawal symptoms and reduce
that rapid rush of dopamine thatspikes and can contribute to
(25:11):
that addictive-like behavior.
You might feel motivated tojust start incorporating some of
these more complex carbs.
Another strategy to kind of getover this carb addiction is to
start practicing mindful eating.
Being mindful of our eatinghabits, recognizing triggers for
(25:35):
carb cravings and learning todistinguish between true hunger
and emotional hunger orconditioned eating really can
help manage and eventuallyreduce the dependency on high
carb foods.
Now, mindful eating is a wholepractice and it is very, very
effective, but it is a practiceand it's one that we want to
(26:01):
develop over time.
Another way to just get overyour carb addiction is to really
make sure that you balance yourdiet and have regular meals
through the day.
Eating balanced meals thatincludes proteins, fats and
fiber can slow carbohydrateabsorption and minimize those
(26:21):
blood sugar fluctuations andhelp maintain steady energy
levels and mood.
If you're feeling like yourcarb cravings feel out of
control and are leading tosignificant distress for you,
you might want to considerconsulting someone like me a
nutritionist, a dietician, evena therapist, who knows something
(26:43):
about food addiction.
So the last thing I wanted totalk about is carbohydrates in
relationship to weight gain.
There are many, many diets outthere that are carb-averse if
(27:05):
you want to call it that, theyshun all carbohydrates.
I mean the most extreme beingsomething like the carnivore
diet, where there is no grainscarbohydrates whatsoever.
That's kind of insane to me.
Or something that's a littlemore in the middle, like the
paleo diet, which allows you tohave some vegetables but it's
(27:25):
mostly protein.
Or the keto diet, which ismostly fat, and their philosophy
is that carbohydrates arereally bad for you and
contribute to all sorts ofhealth issues and weight gain.
Now, we've talked about acouple of the health issues,
right, and we know now that it'smostly these simple
(27:45):
carbohydrates that contribute tothat.
But what about weight gain?
Do carbohydrates and weightgain go hand in hand?
So let me give you a littlenutrition 101 about what
carbohydrates exactly are forcalories and everything.
Carbohydrates provide fourcalories per gram, which is the
same as protein, but less thanhalf the calories provided by
(28:07):
fats, which contain ninecalories per gram.
However, we know this now, thetype of carbohydrates consumed
plays a crucial role in theirimpact on weight gain.
Simple carbohydrates likesugars and refined grains can
cause quick spikes in bloodsugar and insulin levels.
Insulin is the hormone thatpromotes the conversion of
(28:30):
excess glucose into fat forstorage, particularly if the
energy consumed exceeds theenergy expended.
I talked a little bit beforeabout the glycemic index and I
wanted to just highlight itsrole on appetite.
So foods that are high inrefined carbs typically have a
(28:52):
high glycemic index, which meansthat they lead to a rapid
increase in blood sugar.
These spikes are followed bysharp drops, which can then
trigger hunger and overeating.
In contrast, complexcarbohydrates you probably know
what I'm going to say such aswhole grains and vegetables,
have lower GI values, lowerglycemic index values, so they
(29:17):
produce more gradual increasesin blood sugar and are
associated with longer lastingsatiety.
Now what about protein andweight management and fat and
weight management?
I talked in my protein podcastthat protein is highly effective
at reducing appetite andhelping us stay fuller longer,
(29:42):
because protein has a higherthermic effect than
carbohydrates or fats, meaningthat it requires more energy for
digestion, absorption anddisposal.
This increased metabolic ratecan contribute to weight loss or
maintenance when proteins areconsumed in appropriate amounts.
Protein is also essential formuscle repair and growth.
(30:05):
Also essential for musclerepair and growth, maintaining
or increasing muscle mass iscrucial, especially with women
who are going through menopauseand midlife, because muscle
tissue burns more calories thanfat tissue, even at rest.
So diets adequate in proteinsupport muscle maintenance,
which can prevent the metabolicslowdown often associated with
(30:25):
weight loss.
I'm going to talk quickly aboutfats, but I'm going to get into
much more detail next week in myfat podcast.
But fat is more energy dense,right, it's nine calories per
gram versus four calories pergram for carbohydrates and
protein.
The high caloric density meansthat high-fat foods can lead to
(30:48):
a significant weight gain ifthey're consumed in large
quantities without adequatephysical activity to offset the
increased calorie intake.
So I think the takeaway here isto make sure that we balance
our macronutrients for weightmanagement right.
We want to choose our carbswisely.
We want to opt for whole grains, legumes, beans, fruits,
(31:11):
vegetables instead of processedfoods and sugars, because
complex carbohydrates providethose essential nutrients and
fiber which help manage ourblood sugar levels and increase
satiety.
We definitely want toprioritize protein a moderate
amount at each meal for satiety,for muscle maintenance and to
(31:31):
increase our metabolism and wewant to monitor our fat intake.
Again, I'm going to talk aboutthat next week, I think.
In conclusion, with weight gainand carbohydrates.
It's not necessarily thecarbohydrates that are to blame.
It's the type of carbohydratesand we have to consider the
(31:52):
amount of calories we are eating.
That is a must.
I know I'm going to talk aboutcalories in a different podcast
because it's really importantand the misconceptions are huge,
but we need to just be mindfulof how many calories of all our
foods we are eating.
Okay, I think that about wrapsit up for me and our talk on
(32:16):
carbohydrates and somemisconceptions around
carbohydrates.
If you have any questions aboutcarbs, please don't hesitate to
reach out to me.
Send me an email heather atheathercarycom.
I will definitely get out to me.
Send me an email heather atheathercarycom.
I will definitely get back toyou.
I'm happy to answer any otherquestions, because you might
have different questions that Ididn't answer today, but
hopefully I cleared up some ofthe bigger misconceptions.
(32:38):
Thanks so much, have a greatweek and I'll see you next week
to talk about fats.
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