Carbohdrates 'in Nutritionb Ron Kenn` edv M anta Rosa California`

Carbohydrates come in two basic forms: complex and simple. Simple Garbs are one, two, or at most threeunits of sugar linked together in single molecules. Complex Garbs are hundreds or thousands of sugarunits linked together in single molecules, Simple sugars are easily identified by their taste sweet,Complex carbs, such as potatoes, are pleasant to the taste buds, but not sweet.

There are two groups of complex Garbs: high fiber and low fiber. High-fiber, complex carbs are notdigestible, at least not by human beings, because we do not have the enzyme to.do the job, Cows havethat e yme that is why they can get calories out of grass, and we cannot. The main stuff in high-fiber,complex carbs which is indigestible by humans is called "cellulose " .,, /.,High-fiber (high-ceUulose) veget`able foods are the healthiest hos for human nutrition, and t |these foods is associated with lowered incidences of hypertension, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, etc.Exam.flies are lettuce and broccoh. Examples of low-fiber, complex Garbs are banana, tomato, squash andall cereals .an"d grains (therefore bread and pasta), potatoes and rice.

_ . ~It tr hot if a Garb is simple or complex. After digestion, it a i he circulatory system in thesimple form, as glucose, on its way to the cells where it is used for energy. To be transformed into simple

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Simple sugars and low-fiber, complex carbs represent a `at to`health when they are consumed ininappropriate amounts such as may occur in low-soy, vegetarian diets where they are being eaten toreplace the calories which woId ordinarily come from protein,

Processing of plant food s b` way itsher and/or vitamin content, A simple example of processing iscutting an orange in two pieces, pressing the juice into a glass and ..the fiber.

e it is true that fiber is an important part of your diet, even ne ssary to protect you from somediseases, carbohydrates themselves are not necessary. There are "essential" fatty acids and "essential"amino acids (from protein), however there are no known essential carbohydrates.

Most of our carbohydrates come from cereals and graiS2 b oI;h products of the ag;ricultural revolution.

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approximately 3/4 of the `population which simply cannot ha:irdle tm large loaiGarbs Increased insulinoutput from the Pancreas, over the years, results in hyperinsulinism, insulin resistance and the resultingdiseases mentioned above: hypertension, dyslipidernia, atherosclerosis and heart disease.

.., I,_,_';;.`;, ,Complex Garbs with lots of fiber should be consumed in proper proportion for maximum health andvitality. Complex cars, with lots of fiber are rich sources of necessary~vitarrtins and minerals aS well asenzyme$ when,in the state. The problem happens when carbohydrates are altered by processes which'provide" calories stripped of much of their original food value,

I should also mention the relationship between simple sugars and mucus formation. The biochemical` /

name for mucus is mucopolysaccharide. This literally means "mucus of many sugars," and it tells us how

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mucus is formed through the linking together of sugar molecules If you havea condition, Such as asthmaor emDhvSema,` in which mucus is part f the problem, you` can do yOurSelf a l8.t good by stopping yourinikf siinple Sugars and lo y`our intke of cFlex carbo ydrates (which convert to simplesugars upon digestion) Unfortunately, this means such wonderful sweet fruits as'Plums, Peaches apples,etc., must go along with breads, pastas and pastries.

The most healthy form of sugas the complex carbohydrates present in high-fiber vegetables however, itis certainly acceptable to spi b 6 .diet in moderation with simple sugars in the form of whole fruits unless, of course, you are tryi`Hg`aoius formation. Eat your fruits, do not juice tem and

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with twice the recommended amount of water, so as to get the taste without overdosing on Simple, ,,,` ~ ~wj .,sugars ` " ̀ `.." `-

The Res ult of Excess Carbohydrate Intake

Excess carbohydrates also causes generalized vascular disease. The high-carbohydrate diet which is nowso popular causes the pancreas to produce large amounts of insulin, and.if this happens for many years ina genetically predisposed person, the insulin receptors throughout the body become resistant to insulin.Because insulin'S action is to drive glucose into the ceUs, this results in chronic hyperglycemia, also called"high blood sugar. " A large portion of this sugar is stored as fat resulting in obesity. Excess insulin alsocauses hypertension and helps initiate the sequence of events in the arterial wall'which leads toatherosclerosis and heart disease.

Adult onset diabetes is known to be greatly benefited by the adoption bf a low carbohydrate diet,moderate in fat, which stresses the importance of a regular intake of sufficient protein, You will not hearthis advice from the American Diabetes Association, (or from most doctors) since they are still operatingon the research as it was twenty years ago. ..; ' ,

Many cancers, such as breast, colon and lung cancer, apparently have a hereditary tendency. However, itmay be that nutritional habits are passed on from one generation to the next, thus accounting for thefamilial tendency toward cancer.

Excess fats damage the immune system through irradiation by free radicals during peroxidation of fats,Excess carbohydrates upset the hormonal system mentioned above .(known as the "eico sanoids") andresults in an imbalance favoring the type of eicosanoid (known as "prostaglandins E-2" or "PGE-2")which also suppresSes the immune system, Thus obesity is associated with a.higher incidence of infection.

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