Carbohydrates

Saccharides is Greek for sugar.

Monosaccharide is the basic unit such as glucose, galactose, and fructose. They store and transport energy. Most often referred to as simple carbs.

Disaccharides are two monosaccharides combined such as lactose and sucrose. Often found in milk. Most often referred to as simple carbs.

Polysaccharide is many monosaccharides joined together. Most often referred to complex carbs.

Carbohydrates do not need as much water to break down compared to fat or protein and they are the most common known as an energy source. A balanced diet plan should include carbohydrates because of their energy production, Fat and proteins can provide energy but are more important for tissue and muscle development. If you cannibalize protein for example you may not see the result from weight lifting even though you experience weight loss.

A reduction in the monosaccharide and disaccharide (simple) groups can produce a very quick weight loss. Cutting out sodas, reducing milk consumption reduces the carbohydrate intake. These types of sugars break down so fast because they are simple and they raise the blood sugar too quickly for the body to absorb the nutrients and burn that fuel for energy. So if the body can not burn the energy source it is stored for future use called fat. That is how sodas end up on the hips.

Sodas have enough sugar in them that they can change your weight dramatically. If every pound of your weight is worth 3500 calories and you drank one soda a day, without changing anything in your diet, you would find out that you gained 18 pounds in 1 year. That is significant.

If you are drinking a lot of soda every day, I promise that if you eliminate them from your daily diet you will see at least two astounding results. First you will lose at least 5 to 8 pounds that first 2 weeks of dieting and a mild aerobic regime like walking. The second is that after you have been away from sods for an extended period of time like a month or two, you would not enjoy a soda if you had one because it would be too sweet.

Lactose found in milk is vital for children to grow. Children need that extra sugar and calcium for their bones and body to develop. Children produce a lactose enzyme to help break down the sugar/lactose for their body to use. As you get older the body reduces its production of the lactose enzyme. That is why you may eventually become lactose intolerant and get an upset stomach from milk and milk products. Sometimes it is best to find other sources for calcium as we get older.

Do not eliminate carbohydrates completely from your diet plan for weight loss. Your body needs the energy for your aerobic and resistance exercises. Most importantly is that your brain’s functionality is depended on them. If you reduce the good sugars too much you can become lethargic which means your thought process will become slower and memory will be affected. So keep them in your diet, but limit them to more complex polysaccharides. Reduce the “free sugar” such as soda, glazed donuts, and ice cream and you will lose a lot of pounds in a short period of time.