Eating for Energy (Part 1)

Carbohydrate Power

There are three main types of carbohydrates – sugars, starches, and fibre. Starches and sugars are both high in energy value, while fibre keeps the gut healthy and helps to regulate digestion.

The most basic carbohydrates are sugars, which include glucose and fructose (sugars found in fruit, vegetables and honey), lactose (in milk), maltose (in sprouting grains) and also sucrose (table sugar). Eating in the form of whole foods, such as fruit and milk provides valuable vitamins, minerals and fibre as well as energy. Purer and more concentrated forms such as table sugar and honey, are less nutritious and easier to over-indulge in.

Starches and fibre – ‘complex’ carbohydrates - are found in many plant foods, such as rice, wheat, oats, and potatoes. Starches, like sugars, are broken down and absorbed in the intestine. On the other hand, although fibre acted on by bacteria, it has little nutritional value since few by-products enter the bloodstream. Nevertheless, it still plays a vital physiological role in keeping the digestive tract healthy.

Sugar or Starch?

It used to be thought that the small size of sugar molecules allowed them to be digested very quickly, while larger starch molecules took longer. Now, this situation seems more complex as the rate of digestion depends on many other factors as well, such as which foods are eaten at the time, how much fibre they contain, and which other nutrients are present.

After digestion, starches and sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream as simple sugars, raising your blood glucose level. The glucose is transported around the body and used as a fuel to power activity in the muscles, organs and cells. Excess glucose not needed immediately is stored in the muscles or liver as glycogen, or is converted into body fat.


Fast Fact:

Starchy foods are NOT fattening. Starchy foods acquired this reputation only because of the rich, fatty sauces that often accompany them. For instance, a typical helping of 7 oz (200 g) plain boiled potatoes provides around 150 calories, yet the same potatoes cut up and fried as chips will provide three times that amount. Starchy foods are not only relatively low in calories, but they are usually high in fibre, which helps to make you full and so discourages you from eating too much. To keep starchy foods healthy, serve them with low-fat dressings and garnishes. For example, have a baked potato with yoghurt, baked beans or cottage cheese instead of mounds of cheese, or try seasoning rice with herbs instead of butter.

Is Honey Healthier?

Unfortunately, no. Honey is a mixture of glucose and fructose. Like ordinary sugar, it is absorbed fairly fast into the bloodstream and has a similar effect on your body. in spite of its healthy image, honey contains only traces of vitamins and minerals, so apart from providing calories it makes a negligible contribution to diet.

Weight for weight, honey contains fewer calories (228 per 3 ½ oz (100 g)) than sugar (394 per 3 ½ oz (100 g)) since one quarter of its weight is water. Furthermore, it tastes sweeter than sugar, so you may need to use less if substituting for sugar in recipes. It is worth knowing that one tablespoon of honey weighs more than one tablespoon of sugar since it is denser – so substituting by volume (rather than weight) for sugar will in fact give you more calories.

One alternative you may want to try is fructose, or fruit sugar, sold in chemists and supermarkets. It has the same calorie count as sugar but is sweeter so you use less.

Too much honey = Big belly

(Trust me, you won't be as adorable)