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Would High Carbohydrate Intake Lead To Heart Disease?
 

Carbohydrate is an organic compound that is produced by photosynthetic plants and consists only of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio of 1:2:1. Carbohydrate, which includes sugars, starches and celluloses, serves as a major source of energy.

Starches, sugars and fiber are the 3 main types of carbohydrate. Sugars can quickly be converted into glucose in the body and are also known as “simple carbohydrates”. Examples of this include fructose (fruit sugar) and the sugar added to make a cookie. On the other hand, starches and fiber are termed as “complex carbohydrates”. Common sources of starch include rice, corn and. Fiber can be found in nuts and whole grains.

Most complex carbohydrates are digested more slowly, which helps control overall blood sugar levels. They also contain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that can rarely be found in simple carbohydrate.

However, according to a statement published in the website of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, simply division of carbohydrates into simple and complex cannot adequately show how the food is processed by the body.

For instance, white bread is classified as a complex carbohydrate due to its starch content, yet the body converts starch in white bread to blood sugar nearly as fast as it processes pure glucose. Kidney bean, which is also a complex carbohydrate, is digested more slowly causing a more subtle change of blood sugar levels.

Diabetics have to pay extra attention on carbohydrates as foods containing carbohydrate can raise blood sugar. To have control on the blood sugar level, diabetics should understand how carbohydrate works in the body and what type of carbohydrate they should consume more. Remember this, diabetics have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, kidney failure and even heart disease.

A study, published on April 12, 2010 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, reported that women, who ate the most high-glycemic carbohydrates like white bread, white rice, and other foods that can cause blood sugar to spike, had more than twice the risk of having heart disease as those who ate the least.

The researchers from the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, a national institute for cancer research in Milan, Italy, collected data from about 48,000 Italian adults regarding their diets: amount and types of carbohydrates they regularly consumed. People with diabetes were not included in the study.

Interestingly, same association was not found in men. Men who also eat excessive amounts of high glycemic foods do not have the same increased risk. Perhaps men’s bodies process carbohydrates differently, according to the researchers.

The new finding is certainly not an endorsement of low-carbohydrate dieting. It merely suggests that the increased risk for heart disease is not caused by a diet high in carbohydrates, but by a diet rich in rapidly absorbed carbohydrates. The researchers encourage people to choose foods with a lower GI value.

Foods that spike blood sugar are also referred to as high glycemic. Glycemic Index (GI) is an indicator of how carbohydrate works. It divides food into 3 levels: low, medium and high. In general, carbohydrates having a GI value of 55 or less are low; those between 56 and 69 are moderate, and those 70 and above are high.

Low GI foods, such as oatmeal and most types of beans and legumes, are digested slowly and gradually release glucose into the bloodstream. They are also known as slow-release carbohydrates. Foods like French fries and white bread are termed as high GI foods, which can cause a spike in blood sugar level.

Nevertheless, not all low GI foods are good. For instance, chocolate has a low GI value yet it has little nutritional value. Similarly, many nutritious foods have a higher GI value than their nutritionally poorer counterparts. A chocolate bar has GI value lower than parsnips, carrots and oatmeal.

Therefore, use of GI should also be balanced with basic nutrition principles, like choosing a variety of healthy foods and eating foods that are less nutritious in moderation.

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