Fructose, lactose, starch... Which sugars should be preferred in your diet ?
Accused of making you fat, carbohydrates have a bad press. The French don't eat enough of them anymore and they don't eat the good ones!
Between the saccharose used to sweeten coffee, the fructose from fruits, the lactose from milk, the fibers from fruits and vegetables, and the starch from starchy foods (potatoes, lentils ...) or cereals (semolina, flour, pasta ...), there is no shortage of sugars in our diet!
And yet: while they should represent 55% of our daily caloric intake, they actually constitute only 43%, which is detrimental to our health.
They are in fact the ones that supply the body with energy. They are the fuel for our muscles and, above all, our brain (the biggest consumer of sugars). Depriving ourselves of them means condemning ourselves to idle, even more so if we do sports or exercise physically!
Second observation: not only do we not eat enough, but we don't eat the right ones! Because there are sugar and sugar...
Learn how to choose the right sugars
Traditionally, a distinction is made between so-called simple carbohydrates, because they are composed of one or two molecules (sucrose, fructose, and lactose), and complex carbohydrates, composed of several molecules (starch and fiber).
It was long believed that complex carbohydrates were digested slowly, which prevented the spikes in blood sugar levels that are responsible for increased insulin production. As a reminder, insulin helps turn sugar into fat to bring blood sugar levels back to normal.
Conversely, simple sugars, which are quickly absorbed, used to be blamed for all kinds of problems: weight gain, insulin resistance, diabetes... Today we know that complex sugars, such as mashed potatoes or bread, even wholemeal, are absorbed as quickly as sucrose.
Beware of added sugars
This is how the concept of the glycemic index (GI) came into being. A high glycemic index (between 70 and 100) corresponds to food that raises blood sugar and insulin levels strongly and rapidly.
When it is between 55 and 70, the GI is said to be moderate. Below 55, it is considered low.
But while they should represent only 10% of the 55% of carbohydrates recommended each day, high GI foods are currently the most consumed: white bread, refined cereals, potatoes, white flour, breakfast cereals?
What's more, the number of products to which the food industry adds glucose, fructose, or other sucrose to improve the taste is endless.
This is the case for sodas, confectionery, and dairy desserts, but also many ready meals! As a result, more than half of the carbohydrates we absorb come from added sugars.
Emphasizing fibers
Under these conditions, how can you stay slim and healthy? On the one hand, by limiting our consumption of processed products. On the other hand, by inviting foods with a low glycemic index to our table. Thus, let's focus on fruits and green vegetables, legumes (lentils, dried beans, peas...), or whole grains (quinoa, bulgur, barley...).
The fibers they contain have the particularity of slowing down the passage of carbohydrates in the blood. The only exception: wholemeal bread. The wheat bran from which it is made contains mainly insoluble fibers, which do not slow down the digestion of starch and therefore have almost no impact on blood sugar.
On the contrary, barley, oats, and rye are much richer in soluble fiber. The bread that contains whole seeds (wheat, millet, quinoa, or flaxseed, for example) is also a safe way to lower the glycemic index, as is sourdough bread making.
As for rice, the basmati variety, which is tastier and has a much lower glycemic index than traditional white rice, is preferable. Do you love potatoes? Bad luck: contrary to popular belief, they are one of the high GI foods. But don't worry: simply combine them with a green vegetable or raw vegetable to limit the damage!
Play the preparation mode
Also, be careful about how you cook your food because heat changes the composition of the sugars. For example, the glycemic index of a carrot triple when cooked. In general, therefore, prefer to cook vegetables and starchy foods "al dente".
You should also know that thanks to its acidity, which slows down digestion, a drizzle of lemon can lower the blood sugar level of an entire meal by 30%.
And that cinnamon has very interesting hypoglycemic properties to limit the production of insulin. To incorporate at will in cakes, tea, desserts, fruit salads...
Beware of fructose syrup!
Industrially produced from corn starch, fructose syrup is adulated by the food industry in the United States for its sweetness superior to sucrose and its low cost. It is particularly found in sweetened beverages.
However, this syrup is decried by scientists because it is not assimilated like other carbohydrates by the body.
Consequence: it would be responsible for an increase of triglycerides in the blood and would disturb the secretion of hormones regulating the appetite, which would push to eat more.
In short, it would promote obesity. Although little used in France, it is now beginning to be found in some preparations.
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