Carbohydrates: Their Impact on the Body

Carbohydrates provide one of the controversial platforms for elite diets. The priority of carbs is to provide the body with a quick source of fuel for both physical and mental work. Each gram contains about 3.75-4 calories while carrying absolutely nothing that is essential to the body.
Because carbs are used as a quick source of fuel, they are burned prior to the body choosing fat for fuel. Again, this becomes a problem because there are no essential carbohydrates. The more carbs you eat the more the body stores these carbs as fat, and it will not burn fat if carbs are available. Eating carbs is fine if your body is able to metabolize sugars but judging by America’s severe obesity problem, it is generally not the case for most individuals.
High levels of blood sugar and insulin are the enemy of fat loss. When an individual eats carbs, blood sugar levels are elevated which stimulates insulin release. Insulin is positive in that it helps drive protein and carbs into the muscle if increased following a workout. The negative side is that insulin also assists with stimulating fat storage. As long as insulin levels are elevated under normal tension, the body cannot be stimulated to release fatty acids from the fat storage. Fat loss is impossible as long as insulin levels remain high.
One way to understand the impact of certain carbs/food has on blood sugar levels is by studying the glycemic index and glycemic load. Glycemic load is much more intricate in its approach and quite accurate. GL measures the impact of the carb on your body based off of portion size. This is figured out by finding the GI, multiplying that by the grams of carbs in the portion and then dividing it by 100. Any number below 10 is low and will release insulin at sustainable levels. In regards to training, these numbers are not crucial but anyone with a low metabolism should stay away from anything with a significant impact.
The GL is used to measure the rate at which the carb elevates blood sugar levels. The higher the number the faster it raises your insulin. The more your insulin is raised, the quicker you store glucose and it turns into fat. Every single carb from pure sugar to the hallowed whole grains turns into glucose.
Grains are an incredibly large portion of the American diet. Grains have only been in the human diet for about 10,000 years and up until the 20th century, they were used minimally. They cause a lot of problems for a lot of people which is evident in our populations sensitivities to gluten and the fact that 1 out of 133 individuals has celiac disease (http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/163/3/286). There are minimal nutrients with next to no gain in grains. They contribute to elevated insulin levels and thus, obesity.
Back to basics. Carbs have no essential means in a diet. Yes, glucose fuels the brain but if no carbs are available, the body turns essential fats into energy for the brain. What it comes down to is this: if two groups were stuck in the great white north of Canada and one only ate carbs while the other group ate fats and proteins, the carb eating group would be dead within months.
Some individuals do recommend eating carbs in the morning to halt the catabolic state of sleep. However, overeating of carbs can add too much unneeded fuel. Simply drinking a glass of raw milk will provide enough carbs to trigger and wake up your body. Carbs are not necessary at breakfast. The only time carbs can truly pose a positive point in a diet is when they are eaten immediately following a workout. The insulin spike will deliver nutrients to the muscle and spark recovery, also aiding in fighting off the effects of cortisol. A recommendation of a small seasonal fruit or honey mixed in with a serving of quinoa is perfect for training. This is ideal after a workout because it triggers the insulin and quinoa is the only grain in the world with all essential amino acids, providing a base for recovery. Following this quick snack, a meal of grass fed meats would be a sound foundation for muscle rebuilding.
As Weston Price found out in his studies, the extent of indigenous humans carb intake was based around wild berries and seasonal fruits. A diet consisting of only 10% to 25% carbs is incredibly possible, healthy and the way humans lived throughout most of history. The body adapts and uses fats as its energy source and is filled with essential nutrients and amino acids. Avoid the carb craze.