CARBOHYDRATES

1. Basic Nutrition for Everyday Series: Lesson 6 CARBOHYDRATES GOOD OR BAD? Information provided to you by: JFHQ Occupational Health Office

2. Objectives: • What are Carbohydrates? • “Good” v. “Bad” Carbs • What are the types of Carbohydrates? • Dietary Fiber: How Much You Need. • Tips for Adding More Fiber • Tips for Avoiding Added Sugar • How Many Carbohydrates, Do I Need Daily?

3. What are Carbohydrates? • Definition: a biological compound containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that is an important source of food and energy • Your body uses carbohydrates to make glucose which is fuel that gives your body energy. • Glucose can be used immediately or stored. • Healthier foods high in carbohydrates are ones higher in dietary fiber without added sugar. • Carbohydrates can be found in the following: • Fruits • Vegetables • Breads, cereals, and other grains • Milk & milk products • Foods containing added sugar

4. “GOOD” CARBS V. “BAD” CARBS • “Good” Carbohydrates have more fiber and complex carbohydrates. • Guidelines recommend choosing fiber-rich carbohydrate choices. • Fiber-rich foods include: fruits, vegetables, & whole grain breads & pastas. • “Bad” Carbohydrates are referring to foods with refined carbohydrates. • Refined Carbohydrates are items that are made from white flour or added sugar. • Examples: white bread, cakes, & cookies

5. Two Types of Carbohydrates • Complex Carbohydrates: • Starch & dietary fiber • Starch is in certain vegetables like potatoes, dry beans, cereals, and corn. • Fiber is in vegetables, fruits, & whole grain foods. • There are two different types of fiber -- soluble and insoluble. Both are important for health, digestion, and preventing diseases. • Simple Carbohydrates: • Can be found naturally or as added sugars • Added sugars have fewer nutrients than foods with naturally-occurring sugars • Examples of ingredients as added sugar: brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, honey.

6. How Much Dietary Fiber Do I Need Each Day? • It is recommended that you get 14 grams of dietary fiber for every 1,000 calories that you consume each day. • If you need 2,000 calories each day, you should try to consume 28 grams of dietary fiber. • To find out how many calories you need each day visit mypyramid.gov and enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level in the My Pyramid Plan Tool.

7. Tips For a More Fibrous Diet • Choose whole fruits • Try to eat two vegetables with your evening meal. • Keep a bowl of veggies already washed. • Choose whole grain foods more often. • Make a meal around dried beans or peas instead of meat. • Start your day with a whole grain breakfast cereal.

8. Tips for Avoiding Added Sugar • Choose water instead of sugar-sweetened sodas. • Choose 4 fluid oz of 100% fruit juice rather than a fruit drink. • Have a piece of fruit for dessert and skip desserts with added sugar. • Choose breakfast cereals that contain no or less added sugar.

9. High Fructose Corn SyrupWhat’s the hype? • High-Fructose corn syrup is a popular ingredient in sodas and flavored drinks. • High-Fructose corn syrup is chemically similar to table sugar. • Research has shown that large amounts of any type of added sugar is linked to health problems as weight gain, dental cavities, poor nutrition, and increased triglyceride levels. • There is insufficient evidence to say that high-fructose corn syrup is less healthy than other types of added sweeteners. • American Heart Association recommends that women should consume no more than 100 calories a day from added sugar from any source, and men should consume no more than 150 calories a day from added sugar.

10. Drink For Thought • Coca Cola 12 oz (355 ml) CanSugars, total: 39g Calories, total: 140 Calories from sugar: 140 • 20 oz (590 ml) BottleSugars, total: 65g Calories, total: 240 Calories from sugar: 240 • 1 Liter (34 oz) BottleSugars, total: 108g Calories, total: 400 Calories from sugar: 400

11. Think About It! • 1 pound of sugar equals approximately 3500 calories. • If you drink 2, 12 oz cans of regular soda a day that is about 280 calories. • 280 calories x 7 days a week = 1960 calories/week • Two weeks = 3920 calories • You could lose over a pound in 2 weeks just by cutting out your consumption of regular soda!

12. How Many Carbohydrates, Do I Need Daily? • Follow a meal plan that gives you 45%-65% of the calories you consume as carbohydrates. • My Pyramid.gov or DASH • A diet plan that is based on no carbohydrates is not the healthy approach to weight loss. • Choose more complex carbohydrates and avoid food items with added sugar.

13. Just Move! • Now that you’ve started…. • Don’t Stop! • Make physical activity a lifetime habit • If you stop exercising you’ll rapidly lose the beneficial effects. • Maintaining good cardiovascular fitness is an ongoing process.

14. Low Fat Pumpkin Pie • 4 egg whites, slightly beaten • 16 ounce can pumpkin (or the meat from 1-lb pumpkin) • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 2 Tbsp molasses • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp cinnamon • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice • 12 oz can evaporated skim (fat free) milk • 9" unbaked pie shell Directions: Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine ingredients in above order. Mix well. Pour into pie shell (or into an au gratin dish for a fat-free dessert). Bake for 15 minutes at 425F. Then reduce temperature to 350F, and bake for 45 more minutes. Makes 8 serving. Each piece of pumpkin pie has 240 Cal, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, and 7 mg cholesterol. Without the crust, each piece would have 130 Cal, 0 fat, 0 saturated fat, and 2 mg cholesterol. For a low sugar version, use Splenda™ instead of brown sugar, and increase molasses to 3 tablespoons.

15. References • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • www.cdc.gov/nutrition • My Pyramid • www.mypyramid.gov • DASH • www.dashdiet.org • Mayo Clinic • www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fructose-corn-syrup