Good Carbohydrates And Avocados #103

What are good carbohydrates, bad carbohydrates, and how do they effect heart patients?    I researched most of this information through articles by Dr. Anthony Komaroff and The Harvard School of Public Health.  Carbohydrates are molecules of oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen.  They are a major source of food and a key form of energy for our bodies.  Carbohydrates are normally sugars or starches of which forms are glucose, galactose, or fructose.  Most carbohydrate foods have a high starch content, such as breads, pasta, beans, potatoes, rice, bran, and cereals.   Carbohydrates are not considered essential nutrients for our bodies, we could gain all our needed energy from protein and fats.  However our brain requires the energy from glucose we receive through eating carbohydrates.  Our digestive systems breaks down food carbohydrates to glucose which enters the bloodstream raising blood sugar levels.  When the glucose levels rise the pancreas releases insulin, which triggers our body's cells to absorb blood sugars for immediate energy or storage for later use, dropping blood sugar levels.  Over a period of time if blood sugar levels continually rise too rapidly and too often the cells fail to absorb and store the glucose which can result in the pancreas failing to produce sufficient amounts of insulin.  This leads to weight gain, higher blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, and lowers good HDL cholesterol levels.   These combined consequences can lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

How quickly or slowly glucose from carbohydrates is digested and absorbed into our blood is known as, and measured by the glycemic index.  Carbohydrates digested and absorbed quickly are high glycemic or "bad carbs."  Digested and absorbed slowly, are low glycemic or "good carbs."  Some foods which are low glycemic and better for you.  Oats, wild rice, whole grain breads, salads, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt, and cheese.  Some high glycemic carbs are white rice, potatoes, sweetened soft drinks, processed snack foods as sweet cakes, pastries, candy, cookies, and white bread.  

As with many other food nutrients that we have discussed concerning healthy eating, it is a complex subject and normally follows the same theme.  Too much or more of a natural substance or nutrient than our bodies can regulate lead to unpleasant health problems.  Sort of a domino effect.  Too many bad carbohydrate foods, to high blood sugar levels, to weight gain, to cholesterol problems, to high blood pressure, to heart disease, or diabetes, or both.  Your body is designed to regulate a needed amount,  but there is always a tipping point and once past that, normally health problems follow. 

In doing this research I did read from several sources where remaining active and regular daily exercise is a key in offsetting the problems caused by high glycemic carbohydrates. 

Avocados are a fruit which mature on the tree, but ripens off the tree.  You may have to stop and read that again. Mature and ripen are not the same.  Avocados will not ripen until they fall from or are removed from the tree.  They are picked hard and green and kept cool until reaching the consumer. They are high in calories, a typical medium avocado containing 250 calories.  Avocados are a favorite food of ours and they contain zero cholesterol. Cindy and I very frequently add sliced avocados to our salads.   They assist your body in the absorption of powerful antioxidants.  Increasing absorption up to 400 %.  The greatest concentration of avocado nutrients are found in the dark green flesh just below the avocado skin.  Avocados are high in anti-flammatory properties which help lower blood pressure and they lower cholesterol levels.   Cindy makes a great avocado sandwich.  We each just had one for lunch.   She toasts some rye bread.  Adds lettuce, thinly sliced green peppers, some cheddar cheese, and avocado slices.  I add some raspberry vinaigrette over my avocados for the final touch.  Try it you may enjoy having the "Cindy special" veggie sandwich.

I finally got my cholesterol test levels report.  HDL 43,  LDL 52, Triglycerides 42, for a total cholesterol level of 103.  My cholesterol levels remain good however I am sure my lack of eating enough omega-3 rich fish is one reason for my HDL not being better.

Next we will talk about cardiovascular health benefits of a very healthy fruit.