If you are on a low-carbohydrate diet, and cutting out large groups of vegetables, fruits and grains, you may not be getting enough vital nutrients to manage your weight effectively. Lower GI foods are less refined (or processed) such as wholegrains, legumes and fruit. They take longer to digest and can help us feel full. Carbohydrates with lower glycaemic indexes (GI) have a slower and flatter blood glucose response. Some carbohydrates are healthier than others. In fact, the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend 45 to 65% of energy needs to come from carbohydrates. The digestive system breaks down carbohydrates into glucose and the pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin to help glucose move from blood into the cells.Įating a potato, a bowl of pasta, or any type of carbohydrate-rich food won't automatically make you fatter. They are the body’s preferred energy source and fuel vital organs – including the brain, central nervous system and kidneys.Ĭarbohydrates are also an important energy source during exercise. Carbohydrates do not make you fatĬarbohydrates are essential for a well-balanced diet and healthy body. There are many common misconceptions about weight management – let’s debunk some of them. If you eat more energy (kilojoules) than you use, you will put on weight whether those kilojoules come from fats, carbohydrates or proteins. It is also critical to limit the amount of energy dense, nutrient poor foods to be a healthy weight. The important thing is to have a balanced diet and consume enough nutrient dense foods. whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.Our energy needs vary depending on factors such as: What matters is the type and amount of fat we consume. That’s not to say fats don’t form part of a nutritious diet, because they do. The macronutrients each supply a different amount of energy per gram:įat and alcohol supply much more energy per gram than both protein and carbohydrates – a 35g slice of bread has about 360kJ while 35g of butter has 1062kJ of energy (almost 3 times as much as the slice of bread!). (Calories (cal) is another measure of energy and is still used in some other countries, such as the USA). In Australia, kilojoules (kJ) are used to measure the amount of energy of a food or drink. This includes vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and energy from the macronutrients – carbohydrates, protein and fat.Īlcohol also supplies energy however, it is not essential for life – so is not considered a true macronutrient. When we eat, our bodies are supplied with different nutrients. If you’re overweight, the best way to lose and maintain your weight in the long term is to change the way you eat and increase your level of physical activity. To reduce your weight, make small, achievable changes to your lifestyle. There are no magical foods or ways to combine foods that melt away excess body fat. There are many unhealthy misconceptions about weight loss. This means that obesity-related disorders (such as coronary heart disease and diabetes), are also increasing. Around 75% of men and 60% of women are carrying too much body fat and 25% of children are overweight or obese. More Australians are overweight or obese than ever before, and the numbers are steadily increasing.
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