I keep reading that the problem with modern bread is that the flour is over-processed. Is bread made from freshly-ground grain "better" than using store-bought flour? Do you know of a reference on the web I can check out?Your question goes directly to the heart of this dilemma, and the answer will help you and others to feel much better about what this is and why it works.. But I caution you and everyone starting on this or any diet, it doesn't always work the same in everyone the same as others. No one should start a major change in their exercise and/or eating habits, without consulting a real Doctor, not just moi, who played one on TV.. LOL
If you really want to understand the differences read what one study, that I happen to find credible, has to say..
The USDA food guide pyramid groups all carbs together as being good for you. The low carb proponents lump practically all types of carbs as being bad for your health and weight. It turns out that carbohydrates per se are not the problem but rather the form they come in that causes health and weight difficulties.
Carbohydrates are classified as complex or simple. Complex carbs are called such because they are made up of several "strings" or units of sugar. Examples of complex carbohydrates are grain products like bread, rice, and pasta, which can be further classified as whole grains or refined flour. Starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn are also sources of complex carbs. Beans, meanwhile, are a source of both complex carbohydrates as well as protein. Fruits and vegetables are usually placed by nutritionists in a category by themselves but they are technically carbohydrates. Vegetables are complex carbohydrates, while fruits contain simple carbs.
A simple carbohydrate has only one or two sugar units. Examples are table sugar, honey, fructose (sugar in fruits) and lactose (sugar in milk).
In the past, it was believed that all complex carbohydrates were broken down more slowly than simple sugars, which quickly turn into glucose or blood sugar. But the process is not as straightforward as that. Over the years, scientists found out that refined complex carbs like white bread or white rice are almost as easily broken down into glucose as white sugar.
The process of refining a whole grain into fine flour removes fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. It raises blood sugar levels quickly, which triggers the pancreas to release the hormone insulin. This, in turn, lowers blood sugar levels just as quickly, which activates the hunger response.
A diet high in refined carbohydrates isn't just an obesity problem since it makes you hungry quickly and encourages overeating but it can also raise your risk of getting diabetes and heart disease. Constantly eating plenty of refined carbs forces your pancreas to work double time in producing insulin to deal with high blood sugar levels. Over time, this can lead to insulin resistance and adult-onset diabetes. The extra insulin can also hurt your heart because it increases triglyceride levels (amount of fat circulating in your blood), lowers your HDL (good cholesterol) and increases the tendency of your blood to form clots.
Researchers at Harvard found that people whose diets were high in refined carbohydrates doubled their risk of heart disease. Dr. Gerard Reaven, a leading researcher in the field of diabetes and Metabolic X Syndrome, classifies heart disease as "old" and "new." The old heart disease or the type that was commonly seen before was caused mainly by high levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). The new kind of heart disease that is becoming more common these days is the type caused by insulin resistance and diabetes, which is partly a result of a diet high in refined carbohydrates.
People like farmers and construction workers who are physically active for eight to 10 hours a day can eat large amounts of refined carbs like white rice without gaining weight or increasing their risk of diabetes or heart disease because they use up the glucose in their blood quickly. This means their pancreas does not have to work overtime to release insulin. Sedentary people or even moderately active people need to watch their intake of refined carbohydrates to avoid the unnecessary insulin response.
Whole grains, on the other hand, contain fiber that keeps you full longer, are slow to digest, do not raise blood sugar levels rapidly, and are loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that are heart-healthy.
Processed foods made with simple carbohydrates like table sugar are just as unhealthy for you as refined complex carbs. Examples are sweets, high-sugar jams, soft drinks and fruit drinks made with sugar and artificial fruit flavors.
Fruits may be high in simple sugars but should not be put in the same category as a candy bar. Fructose, the type of sugar found in fruits, does not raise blood sugar levels the same way. In fact, apart from some exceptions, many fruits are low in the glycemic index scale (a measurement of how fast a food elevates glucose levels). Besides, fruits contain a whole array of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals as well as fiber. And since they probably contain many yet undiscovered micronutrients, it's foolish to disregard their nutritional value. Just don't overdo them if you don't want to gain weight. One mango is okay; a whole basket is not.
Willett puts potatoes at the top of his pyramid because they act like refined carbs. Eating a potato once in a while will not give you heart disease or diabetes but consuming huge quantities day in and day out (translation: French fries and chips) will do the trick.
Beans are good sources of carbohydrates because they contain soluble fiber, which not only keeps your stomach full and your blood sugar at normal levels but also helps lower cholesterol.
The anti-fat movement of the '90s led many consumers to buy processed low-fat and nonfat products thinking they could eat as much as they wanted and not gain weight. Unfortunately, many of these products are high in sugar and refined flour.
Now, because of the high-protein bandwagon effect, low-carb products are the new diet food. Dr. Robert Atkins, author of "The Atkins Diet Revolution," now sells low-carb cakes, breads, cookies, etc. Other diet companies are quickly cashing in on the trend and producing their own low-carb products.
Most of these products are made with soy flour, which is high in protein but low in carbohydrates. And because low-carb proponents are not concerned about calories coming from fat, the products are usually high in fat. Some obesity experts are worried that the public will make the same mistake with low-carb products that they made with low-fat ones, which is a license to overeat. They are also apprehensive about the long-term effects of eating large quantities of soy flour.
For now, the simplest rules to follow are to eat mostly "straight-from-the-earth" carbohydrates like whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans and to remember that calories still count. It is the total number of calories you consume compared to your physical activity that matters in the battle against obesity, not just whether the calories come from fat or carbohydrates.