Carbohydrates: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

Carbohydrates get a bad mark in weight loss. Since it is the primary source of energy for the body, a lot of people think that low-carb/no-carb diets are how you can trick your body into taking the fat storage as its primary source of energy.

Yes, there is some truth to that. But also, there is no reason to resort to low-carb because your body does need carbohydrates to function. So, let's go through the basics of carbohydrates.

*NOTE: If your doctor/dietitian has told you otherwise, please use their opinion over mine. This is for healthy adults, so those who may have had surgery or other health problems may not be able to follow this.

Who is carbohydrates for? Everyone. Just like protein, we need it to survive.

What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are an organic compound (meaning they only contain Carbon, Oxygen, and Hydrogen) in the form Cm(H2O)n. The simplest form of a carb is called a monosaccharide. Two monosaccharides are called disaccharides. These are what we usually hear about: lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, etc. 

Where do we get carbohydrates from? We get carbs from 4 different foods: starches, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Beans, fruits, and vegetables are always your good carbs (beans also have protein). Starches are where we see the separation of "good" carbs (complex carbohydrates) and "bad" carbs (simple carbohydrates). Your simple carbs are the white bread, pasta, refined sugar, and processed foods. Complex carbs are quinoa (also a complete protein), sweet potatoes, etc. 

When do we need to eat carbohydrates? Honestly, you can eat carbs with every meal. People will say no fruits after 3 pm. Others will say to cut out starches entirely. I agree that fruit after 3 pm is a bad idea because it will start to ferment in your stomach because it has to wait to be digested after your big lunch/dinner. Starches though are great as long as you eat the complex version (whole wheat) and in moderation.

Why do we need to eat carbohydrates? It is true that carbs aren't an essential nutrient for humans (meaning that carbs can by synthesized by the body). The body can get most, if not all, its energy from proteins and fats. Unfortunately, your brain cannot burn fat for energy and uses glucose as its energy source. Glucose is a disaccharide which is a carbohydrate. Therefore, for proper brain function, you need to provide your body with carbohydrates.

How much carbs do we need? 45-65% of your diet should be carbohydrate based. That doesn't mean you have to eat that many starches. Again, fruits and vegetables are also considered carbohydrates so incorporate those into your diet.

Protein: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How much?

The three food categories that make up our diet have been through a lot of turmoil. It is almost impossible to set exactly when to eat carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, let alone how much we should be eating. From the Paleo Diet, Dukan Diet, and Atkins, we see protein a lot. Everyone says that a high protein and low carb diet is what everyone should be eating.

In reality, only 10-35% of your daily caloric intake should be protein. That is when you are eating a balanced diet to maintain your weight. What if you are trying to lose weight? What if you are trying to build muscle? Diets become very complicated very fast. Here are the basics of what you need to know about protein in order to eat a balanced diet.

*NOTE: If your doctor/dietitian has told you otherwise, please use their opinion over mine. This is for healthy adults, so those who may have had surgery or other health problems may not be able to follow this.

Who is protein for? Protein is for everyone. We need it to survive.

What is protein? Proteins are a biochemical compound made up of polypeptides that are folded up into globular forms. A single polypeptide is made from a chain of amino acids that kind of act as DNA links: the order they are in determine what kind of protein that polypeptide will form into when it interacts with other polypeptides.

Where do we get protein from? Protein comes from meat, poultry, egg whites, beans, and quinoa. Other things like vegetables and nuts also have a bit of protein, but it isn't a complete protein.

When do we need to eat protein? The thing about protein is that you can eat it at every meal. When trying to maintain weight, protein can be eaten with any meal as long as it is only 10-35% of your daily caloric intake. When losing weight, protein is essential because it takes the body more energy (AKA calories) to digest it. Therefore, protein should be present in every meal and snack.

Why do we need protein? Your body needs proteins so that it can build new cells, maintain tissues, and make new proteins needed for specific basic bodily functions. For example, hemoglobin is a protein your red blood cells need so that your body can carry oxygen throughout itself.

How much protein do we need? Again, the recommendation is 10-35% of your daily caloric intake. If you are losing weight, one gram of protein per pound you weigh is more than enough to keep you going. Make sure you do not go over that amount because there is such a thing as too much protein.