Its not the quantity but the quality of calories that makes a
difference.
Low calorie regimes lead to the paradox that the less we eat,
the more our survival instinct drives our bodies to lay down fat
reserves for fear of malnutrition. Calorie intake has nothing to
do with fat storage. Hence, the quantity of calories consumed
don't make a difference, the quality does. For instance, the
carbohydrate from a potato does not metabolise (break down) the
same way in the body as carbohydrate from lentils (pulses).
A recent research led to the startling discovery that the key
factor in weight gain or loss was the metabolism of
carbohydrates in the body by insulin. So, just as there are good
cholesterol (polyunsaturated fatty acids - sunflower oil,
safflower oil, sesame seed oil, soya bean oil) and bad
cholesterol (saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids - coconut
oil, ghee, dalda, vanaspathy, palm oil, mustard oil, groundnut
oil), there are good and bad carbohydrates too.
All carbohydrates have a glycemic (sugar) index which is the
rate at which they are metabolized by the body into sugar. High
glycemic foods considered to be bad carbohydrates are - refined
white sugar, refined flour, white rice, white bread, semolina,
potatoes (all varieties) and cooked carrots. Normally, the
ingested foods rich in carbohydrates (other than those just
mentioned above) are converted to glucose, fructose and
galactose in the stomach and the intestines. It then passes to
the liver, where a greater part of the glucose and the entire
fructose and galactose are converted into glycogen. Liver acts
as a storage of glycogen.
Now, during the body's requirement of energy, this glycogen
from the liver is transported to the body muscles, cells and
tissues by the blood. Then, through the process of glycolysis,
occuring in the muscular tissues, the glycogen breaks down to
lactic acid which serves as the body's energy. If excess of
energy is produced, i.e. more than the body's requirement, it is
stored as fat in the adipose tissue. This is the body's normal
metabolism of carbohydrates. Now the glucose which is not
converted to glycogen, is carried to the blood and stored as
blood glucose in normal levels. When the blood glucose is high
(due to consumption of high quantity of carbohydrate foods),
muscles and tissues withdraw the glucose, convert and store it
as glycogen or depot fat, thus reducing the blood glucose. This
depot fat is stored in the adipose tissue finally leading to
overweight/obesity.
Ingested carbohydrate foods with a high glycemic index are
not entirely converted to glucose. These escape conversion of
glucose to glycogen in the liver. This glucose which cannot be
stored in the liver, is thrown into the blood stream. Since this
excess glucose in the blood is not required for the production
of body energy, it prompts the pancreas to produce insulin.
Insulin is the strongest hormone for lowering the blood sugar.
Now the resulting drop in blood sugar, caused by the insulin,
not only causes faintness, fatigue and mood swings but
conversely leads to more craving for food. This finally causes
more intake of food giving rise to overweight and obesity
problems. It also prompts the body to store fat as body fat.
Too much insulin or hyperinsulinism is another medical
explanation why some people are overweight and others are not,
even though they are consuming carbohydrate food of the same
quantity. The reason supports the explanation that consuming
high glycemic carbohydrate food, increases insulin secretion
which lowers blood sugar and increases craving for food. This
increases the body weight causing super obesity.
By contrast, foods with low glycemic content - lentils,
cereals, whole wheat bread, whole wheat flour, brown rice, brown
sugar, soya and soya products, raw carrots and most fruits and
vegetables are metabolized slowly by the body as glucose to
glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles. This glycogen
doesn't go into the body's storehouse of fat. As and only when
the body requires energy, this glycogen is released to form
energy.
It is believed that Indian diet is far too rich in saturated
fat and sugar which is why the upper and middle class (and their
children) suffer from excess weight problem. Whereas, the
traditional Indian diet, which is rich in lentils and
vegetables, are generally consumed by the lower middle class and
the poor but is far superior. Even buttermilk in which the milk
fat has been fermented/removed as in yoghurt, is non-fattening.
Thus the Green Revolution, has been bad in nutritional terms.
The diet regimes usually collapse in practice from an
unappetizing rigidity of rules. So it is high time that we think
and act as how to lead ourselves towards a better and healthy
lifestyle. The quality of food matters more than the quantity.
This should be a rigid rule for all mankind. Applying this in
everyday living only will Green Revolution find its benefit,
making the food more appetizing from a nutritive viewpoint.
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