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Welcome back. I am really excited about today's topic because I'm hoping that I can break down some myths for you about carbohydrates. I decided to record this episode after getting a couple of emails from clients and potential clients on carbohydrates and their thoughts about how they affected their body. The first email was from a client where she explained that she couldn't eat an fruits because it had sugar in it and it was bad for her. And the second email was from a client who is starting next week and she explained that she didn't ever eat carbs and she feared having carbs in the evening or even at dinner because they were bad for her.
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At dinner they would just sit in her stomach and make her gain weight. And both of these emails made me really sad because they're both wrong. They're a complete misconception and a lack of understanding of how the body uses carbs, how they can benefit the body and then just simply what to be aware of. The truth is a lot of the things we hear like this, there is some truth to it, but it is taken to an extreme and creating fear mongering around food that is ultimately good for us. So I wanted to clarify that today in a short and simple and sweet podcast episode explaining simple carbs, complex carbs when they are both beneficial for you and why you shouldn't fear either of them for different reasons.
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And if you find this episode helpful, I would love to hear from you. I want to give a shout out to Julia Long. This podcast has changed the way that I think about all things wellness. Thanks Andrea for breaking down and Champing Mamas and Women without being disparaging. As a wellness professional myself, it's important to keep learning and I just love learning from you.
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Thank you. Keep doing your thing. You're inspiring to the masses. Thank you so much Julia for the review. I really appreciate the views.
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If you enjoy the episode, don't forget to leave one. I read them every week. It helps me keep going and it just helps the podcast grow. And honestly, even if you want to tell me something you want to hear different or a new topic, I'm all down for that as well. And before we get into today's episode, I do want to say if you are someone who struggles with getting vitamins and minerals, pre and probiotics or anything else, I highly suggest AG one from athletic greens.
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It's become such an easy habit for me to add to my morning routine, and I've just really enjoyed it because I know there's so many benefits that I can guarantee I'm getting every day and not have to overthink my nutrients all the time. So if you want to take ownership of your health, today is a great time to start. Athletic Greens is giving you one free year of vitamin D and five travel packs. With your first purchase, go to Athleticgreens.com Simple. Again.
00:03:12
That's athleticgreens.com simple. Check it out. I know you're going to enjoy it. All right, let's get into today's episode. Let's break down simple carbs, complex carbs and when to have both.
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I want to try to keep today's topics really simple, so I'm going to give you some layman's terms on how to understand certain things. But I'm still hoping that it makes sense when we are discussing carbohydrates. Carbohydrate is a macronutrient. Macronutrients are what our body needs in masses, so they are fat, proteins and carbs. Carbohydrates are made up of three different components fiber, starch and sugar.
00:04:11
And based on those components, we label them as a simple carbohydrate or a complex carbohydrate. So let's first talk about simple carbohydrates. A simple carbohydrate is a sugar. It is made up of a short chain of molecules that are basically really quickly digested. Because it is already very simple, your body just basically gets it in the system, instantly digests it, and it is perfect for a burst of energy.
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When you need it fast, it creates this burst of energy because it creates a quick spike in your blood glucose, providing that quick source of energy. It's not long lasting, but it's going to be great for a moment when you need a quick pep in your step. As I mentioned, it is a shorter chain of molecules, so typically it's only one to two sugar molecules linked together. And some examples of a simple carbohydrate that you might recognize. The word is honey, which is a fructose table sugar, which is sucrose, and milk, which is lactose.
00:05:11
They all contain simple sugars. There are plenty of items that are simple sugars that are great for us and some that we just have because we enjoy bananas, mangoes, watermelons. They're all fruits that are simple sugars. Rice cakes, pasta, rice, and some milk products are also simple sugars. Now, often when we hear the word simple sugar, we assume, oh, that's bad for us.
00:05:33
That's a simple carbohydrate, that's a simple sugar. We shouldn't be having that. But I listed in those items some things that are amazing for us. For example, bananas are amazingly high in potassium, which our bodies need. Watermelon has a ton of betacarotene in it and vitamin C.
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Milk products, especially if you're not sensitive to them, contain calcium and vitamin D and some protein in them as well. So there are some benefits for sure to simple sugars. They're fast acting, they're going to get you that energy. But many simple sugars do have vitamins and minerals in them as well. Obviously, there's other simple sugars that aren't going to be as nutritious for us, but we will enjoy them like baked goods, white pastas, things like that.
00:06:15
Now, if a carbohydrate is not labeled as a simple carbohydrate, we would label it as a complex carbohydrate. A complex carbohydrate is simply a longer chain of molecules linked together and it's technically a longer chain of sugar molecules that is harder for our body to break down. This typically is because of the fiber in the molecules, which is more long lasting with the simple sugars. It is a quick your body digests it, you instantly have energy. With complex carbs, you might stay fuller, but it's going to take longer for your body to break it down.
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Complex carbs also help stabilize your blood sugar, so it can really help prevent those spikes that you get instantly and then all of a sudden a crash. This typically does happen because of that fiber intake. And I definitely want to explain there are two kinds of fibers. I'm going to explain these quickly. There's soluble and insoluble fiber.
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Soluble fiber simply is dissolved with water and it breaks down into like this gel like substance and then it is moved through the colon. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and it basically stays intact as it moves through the GI tract. And it can help add bulk to your stool. So soluble fiber and insoluble fiber are both great. Soluble fiber helps improve digestion, lowers blood sugar, and insoluble helps with constipation.
00:07:36
It helps you pass stools. So that is why you stay fuller longer typically with complex carbs. Some examples of complex carbs are whole wheat legumes, brown rice, mini veggies, and some fruits as well. So now that you know the difference between a simple carb and a complex carb, a couple of things I want to clarify in this and then give you the benefits of both. First, both a simple carb and a complex carb are both broken down and turned into glucose.
00:08:05
Or you can also call it blood sugar in the body and used for energy. The way that we get that energy varies. As I mentioned, the simple carb, you get it fast. The complex carb, it's more slow and controlled, there's no spike, but it's going to keep you fuller. So there are different circumstances when you want to have these different items, a simple carb or a complex carb based on your needs in that moment or for the day.
00:08:29
So when are simple carbs effective? Simple carbs are great to have right before a workout if you're needing a boost of energy, if you're going to be working out for an extended period of time. And they're also insanely effective right after a workout, to help you repair the muscle. So a couple of different examples. If you are training at a moderate to low intensity, so it's not going over 60 minutes, it's not super high impact, you probably don't need a carb before.
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Now, if you're hungry and you need some energy, go for that carb. I kind of talk about pre and post workout meals in episode 136, so that's going to be a great episode to go back to. But in general, if you're having a lower to moderate workout, you don't need carbs before. If you are doing a very high intensity over an hour, you might need your carbs before. And if you are working out for more than 90 to 120 minutes, like many endurance athletes, you're actually going to want a simple carb in the middle of your workout.
00:09:28
This is when you see people carrying the gel packs that is going to be a simple carb for them, or even one of those sports drinks which is going to have sugar to help keep them going. There are tons of studies explaining how simple carbs for your workouts can be very effective, especially if you are an endurance athlete. So one study found that cyclists burned less glycogen in their muscles during workouts when they had a simple carb before exercise, and then they could exercise for longer periods of time before fatiguing compared to those participants who didn't have a simple carb before working out. So if you are about to go on a long hike, a long bike ride, a long walk, and a really intense workout, having a simple carb before or during is going to help you fatigue at a slower rate. You're going to have energy for a longer period of time because you're having that spike of simple carbs.
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Your body can use those simple carbs that are already broken down during your workout. Right after your workout. A simple carb can be very effective because your muscle fibers have just been broken down and your body wants to rebuild them. So instantly, when you have a simple carbide after, especially a simple carb and a protein, you're giving your body quick building blocks to help rebuild that muscle. If you don't give your body those quick building tools to do that, it's not going to be as efficient in doing that, which is going to prevent your ability to build muscle, which is going to make your metabolism stronger.
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So after a workout, I highly suggest for all of my clients and for everybody to have a protein and to have a simple carb, which I explain in your pre and post workout meals in episode 136. So definitely go back and check that out. But it is a very effective window to have a simple carb. So you can't really demonize a simple carb because there is a great purpose for when we are being active and when we are trying to repair muscle. So let's talk about when we should have complex carbs.
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Complex carbs are fantastic for snacks because they help tide you over because of the fiber in them. They're going to help keep you fuller longer. They're going to prevent that spike of energy and then a crash. And they're also fantastic to truly have at every single meal. I've read mixed studies about which meal is best to have them and I kind of want to break that down and explain it isn't black and white.
00:11:48
There are benefits to both. There are a lot of studies that show that having your carbohydrates at different meals is going to be more beneficial than others or what meals not to have them at. But the truth is, this is not black and white. There is plenty of gray. So some people feel that having your carbohydrates first thing in the morning is going to be better because typically you're a little bit more active during the day and you're more sedentary at night.
00:12:13
Now, on the flip side, there are studies that show when people undereat their carbs or they fear having carbs for lunch or dinner or later in the day, that they tend to have more late night snacking and they would do better if they had just had a complex carb in their dinner. It would prevent that late night snacking or binging. Also, you have to remember that your body undergoes most of its metabolic repair and recovery when you are sleeping. So your body is utilizing protein and carbs as an energy source to repair your muscles as you're sleeping. So in my opinion, I feel like having a complex carb at most of your meals is going to be okay.
00:12:51
There is no rule that says if you have carbs at dinner, if you have any carbs, simple or complex, at dinner, you will not have success. That is not true. It's about moderation and it's about fueling your body for what you need. Especially if earlier in the day you didn't have enough carbs, then your body needs those no matter what time it is. So it's more about awareness of what your body needs.
00:13:17
So a complex carb is perfect for snacks to keep you full and perfect for most meals as long as you're making sure you're getting that variety of complex carbs to help keep you full, help you feel great at night, help you fall asleep easier and not overdoing them, which again, we're focusing on moderation. So that's okay. We more just don't want to fear things because then we can't be moderate if we fear things. For me, I typically make sure that my breakfast has a decent amount of carbs. And this is why I explained that I use a simple carb right after my workout to really fuel muscle.
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And then in my breakfast, I make sure I have a mix of a complex carb and a simple carb to continue to give my muscle that needed glucose it needs to rebuild. And that can happen through instantly, obviously, that simple carb. And then also through the next couple of hours from that complex carb. Breaking down this also I feel helps set me up for a stronger day. I can have a good solid breakfast, I can move on, and 2 hours later I'm not hungry because I made sure to include a variety of carbs and then also, of course, fat and protein to really set myself up to feel great throughout the day.
00:14:29
At dinner, I just choose my carbs more wisely. I obviously will do some complex carbs throughout the day, making sure I'm getting enough fiber. But at dinner I just make sure that I'm having what is going to help me feel good and strong. Something that I've noticed with clients is often sometimes we go through the motions because we are eating dinner and we do things out of habits. It's important for us to choose wisely and be aware.
00:14:53
And I'm going to give you an example of this. Sometimes at dinner, I will choose to have a whole grain with my dinner. Sometimes I will feel like, you know what, I actually had a ton of carbohydrates, complex or simple for breakfast and lunch. At dinner, I'm going to have like a more moderate or I'm going to shoot for a non starchy calm or I'm going to shoot for just vegetables at night, which are technically a complex carb, but they are non starchy. There's just a little bit less bulk to them, basically.
00:15:23
So I will pay attention to what I've had throughout the day. I don't need to fear what I'm having at dinner. I just want to be aware and choose wisely. So as you are choosing to have carbohydrates at dinner, just think through the day, what have you had, what have you not had? You might need to add more carbs to your dinner or you might feel like, you know what, I had plenty at lunch and breakfast.
00:15:43
I'm just going to have just some moderate carb intake with some vegetables or salad or whatever else it is. I want you to also think about, as I mentioned, going through the motions for years and years. I think that sometimes I would be somewhere for dinner and they would have rolls and I would grab a roll because I was like, oh, you just eat rolls with dinner. And then literally probably six or seven years ago, I was like, I don't even like rolls. I kind of just eat a roll because that's what people have with dinner.
00:16:10
And I actually stopped eating rolls, not because I feared bread or not because I thought rolls were terrible for me, but I realized I wasn't truly enjoying that carbohydrate and I wanted to have a carbohydrate I truly enjoyed. Now, I am someone who probably won't pass up a cookie when I'm in the mood, but I pick and choose where I want my carbs to come from, whether that is a simple carb or a complex carb, I don't demonize either of them. I look at what I actually enjoy and make sure I'm having a variety of both based on what I enjoy. So I want you to think about your meals. What are you possibly eating just because you're told you have to eat that, or because you're used to eating that?
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Maybe you're having spaghetti and you're like, I don't even really love pasta. So in that case, you might want to mix in some zucchini noodles with your pasta and it's not going to change the flavor. But if you don't really love noodles but you still kind of like them, it's going to kind of change up the feel of that meal. So as you pick, when you're thinking about your meals or having carbohydrates at dinner, it's not that they're bad by any means. It's that I just want you to think through the day, what you're having and see that there is beauty of having carbs at almost every meal.
00:17:29
And they can be beneficial. And it's more about the study of one. It's more about what is a fit for you. One last thing I want to point out, as I've explained what a simple carbohydrate is, I've explained when is a great time to have it. I've explained a complex carb, when a great time to have it is in general, labeling one of them as good and one of them as bad is not helpful.
00:17:50
As I mentioned, fruits are a simple carb. Not all of them, but many of them. Fruits, typically with skins on them, have more fiber, so they can be a little bit more complex. But as I mentioned, bananas, watermelon, mangoes, those are all simple carbs. But in general, fruits contain a ton of essential vitamins and minerals.
00:18:11
And many of them do have fiber, even though they have sugar in them. At the same time, there are many starches, which starches is just the bulk of where we get our carbohydrates. It's just a glucose molecule. But many of our starches are labeled as a complex carb. And when we think of a complex carb, we think, oh, that's always good for us.
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But the truth is, many things that are labeled that way can be stripped of fiber, like white bread or white pasta, and then they're not necessarily doing their job because they're not going to slow the digestion with the fiber. And they become refined carbs. But yet technically we label them as complex because of their molecules and kind of their makeup. So I want you to remember that in general, labeling one of them as good and bad doesn't make sense. It's more about figuring out what you need in that moment, what is going to be effective for that meal, for that snack, for that dinner, for that post workout meal, for your pre workout meal.
00:19:12
What does your workout look like? Do you need more carbohydrates to make your workout more effective? Are you trying to build muscle? Because then a simple carb is going to be great. Are you trying to make sure you keep a level blood glucose throughout the day so you're not having spikes and dips?
00:19:28
If so, adding more complex carbs with fiber is going to be great. It's more about understanding how simple carbs and complex carbs work for you and then truly picking the ones you love, enjoying them, and also, in general, not being upset with yourself when just because at dinner, you choose after dinner to possibly have a simple carb, maybe a treat. There's nothing wrong with that. It's all about moderation and seeing that the rest of the day, you know what? You had great complex carbs at dinner.
00:20:00
Maybe you had a great amount at lunch. You did great after your workout, had a simple carb. That tiny treat at the end of the day is not going to make a difference. It's not going to make or break your fitness journey. And if you think it's going to, you're going to overthink it and overdo it.
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So my goal for you is to help you stop overthinking the foods and the carbs that we put in our mouth and just start understanding that moderation is normal. The benefits of a simple carb when to have them, the benefits of a complex carb. And truly allowing yourself the freedom to pick and choose and mix and match and be the study of one and see what makes you feel good. All right, that's it for today. We'll chat next week, I promise.
00:20:41
You are doing so much better than you think you are. There really is is freedom in moderation and understanding how it works for you, not against.