Carbohydrates in a normal healthy diet

In more recent years carbohydrates have been somewhat demonized in diets and society. Now most diet plans simply call for a cutting of the amount of carbohydrates in a persons diet in an enough to loss weight however there are other diets that try to minimize the amount of carbohydrates to be as close to zero as possible. Most of these diets express that one should eat a high amount of protein while controlling carbohydrates. These diets range from Atkins (a) to South Beach (b) to a multitude of variations [Google "low carb diets"]. The purpose of this post is to explain that while reducing certain food items in one’s diet is an intelligent and safe approach to weight loss; cutting out all types of carbohydrates and cutting out carbohydrates to an extreme extent can be dangerous unless certain precautions are not taken [e.g. scurvy or vitamin deficiencies]. So let’s begin.

Carbohydrates large role in a “typical” diet.

The estimated calorie requirement for a male aged 19-30 years old ranges from 2400 calories to 3000 calories depending on the males activity level. For females in this same age group the recommended caloric intake is 2000 calories to 2400 calories (c). According to the Institute of Medicine’s 2002 report adults should get 45 to 65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent from fat, and 10 to 35 percent from protein (d). There are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate, 4 calories per gram of protein, and 9 calories per gram of fat (e). So using this information we can estimate that a male aged 19-30 should have between 270 grams [45% of 2400 calories= 1080 calories divided by 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate= 270] to 487.5 grams of carbohydrates [65% of 3000 = 1950 calories divided by 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate = 487.5 grams].For females in the 19-30 age group these numbers range from 225 grams to 390 grams. Now this is all well and good but what is the point of this? Well the point is that there is a large amount of calories coming from carbohydrates in the estimated calorie requirements in a typical diet.

Weight lose

A safe method for weight loss is generally viewed as about a pound or two per week. To lose a pound a week one needs to burn 3500 calories more than calories consumed (f). This can be done by cutting calories, increasing exercise, or a combination of the two. So if one burns 500 more calories per day more than they consume they should lose about a pound each week while they have body fat. Now with 1080 calories to 1950 calories coming from a carbohydrates in a “typical” diet for males one can see how cutting carbohydrates is a reasonable option for weight lose.

The source matters

While I agree with the idea of cutting some of one’s calories from one’s diet as a method of weight lose I must stress a point which is that not all calories are equal. Now what do I mean by this? What I mean is that foods have value beyond just calories in that they also contain nutrients [read vitamins and minerals] that help one’s body function properly. So a tablespoon [about 12 grams] of granulated sugar [white sugar] is about 48 calories (g), whereas 12 grams of raw broccoli is 4 calories (h) [30.9 calories/91 grams equals 0.340 multiplied by 12 grams is 4.08 calories]. Within the 12 grams of sugar basically one gets the 48 calories and not much else, whereas with Broccoli one has the benefits of vitamins A and C with a little bit of calcium and iron.

Balance is key

Now by no means am I telling you to lose weight with broccoli. I am not even telling you to lose weight as that decision should be made by you, and should be for improving your health. Please do not go and only eat broccoli or any other food exclusively. I imagine that anyone that does that seriously hates her/himself and wishes to punish him/herself in a cruel and unusual manner. The key here is balance in one’s diet. It is perfectly acceptable for an average person of average health to have sugar, to have cookies, to have love as some would say. Essentially I am saying is it is okay to have high-calorie high-carbohydrates foods so long as it is in moderation. [note: eating four dozen chocolate chip cookies in a sitting is not moderation despite my desire for this to be true].

A final word about this

If you are a person looking to lose weight. I highly recommend that you see a nutritionist to help design a weight-loss plan that is:

1. Enjoyable [if you enjoy something you are more likely to do it making it easier for you to keep to your diet]
2. Sane [no “I’m just going to eat this one food for 3 months”]
3. Plausible [if you know that you are going to need to eat a specific food at least once in a while or end up doing unspeakable things {e.g. breaking into a chocolate factory and swimming in liquid chocolate, trying to have coffee through an IV, etc.} work it into your diet, but please don’t reward yourself with food it seems sad]
4. Healthy [eat food that is good for you. As the saying goes “Good in, good out”]

A good nutritionist will be able to tailor make a diet plan with you, to fit you and your lifestyle including determining a more precise amount of calories you should have in a day, suggestions of exercises, and ways to alter foods to make them more healthy.

(i)

References

(a)<http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/weight-loss/in-depth/atkins-diet/art-20048485>

(b)<http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/weight-loss/in-depth/south-beach-diet/art-20048491>
(c)<http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/estimated-calorie-requirement>
(d)<http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Energy-Carbohydrate-Fiber-Fat-Fatty-Acids-Cholesterol-Protein-and-Amino-Acids.aspx>
(e)<http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_gram.php>
(f)<http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/weight-loss/cutting-calories-safely.htm>
(g)<http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/many-calories-one-tablespoon-sugar-2094.html>
(h)<http://calorielab.com/foods/broccoli/143>
(i)<http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_loss0pvaXE1qewacoo1_r1_500.jpg>