Myth # 1. Carbohydrates are the “flour.”

This is the first myth we need to collapse, it is not entirely true. While it is true that most of the meals containing carbohydrates, also found in sweets, grains (beans, lentils, maize) and cereals (like oatmeal). In addition, there are carbohydrates in certain vegetables and certain fruits are high in starch and fructose (fruit sugar) such as carrot, apple, banana or banana, among others. And even the same milk and dairy products contain carbohydrates.

Can it really be so bad all these foods? Read on to find out.

Myth # 2. Carbohydrates are fattening.

Do not be unfair! When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates for sugar, its main source of energy. But do not think that is the same as sugar to sweeten your coffee. The body sugar called glucose and is like fuel.

Clearly, sugar and foods that provide calories to your body, should be eaten with caution. But it’s not fair to label all foods that are fattening as carbohydrates or blaming our overweight. The blame is ourselves we do not know what to eat, how much and how.

First, it is important to differentiate carbohydrates “healthier” from the “less healthy”. Second, if you eat lots of carbs but keep a sedentary lifestyle, what do you think will make the body with energy and the extra calories? Obviously accumulate! And thirdly, are often not the fattening carbs, but how do you prepare and accompany, like fries with catsup (ketchup) or the cake with sweet cream on top.

Myth # 3. No healthy carbohydrates.

False! Unfortunately we know that more carbohydrates or more accustomed to eat, are the least likely bring benefits, it only provide your body with sugar and lack of fiber and other nutrients. These are the refined carbohydrates like white flour or white rice and refined sugar that many desserts are prepared.

But it is possible to choose carbohydrates “healthy.” These are carbohydrates that are composed primarily of fiber, such as grains and whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Fiber is extremely healthy for your diet and also because it gives you a feeling of satiety that prevents you from overeating. In addition, whole grains and fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals are very beneficial for your body.

Myth # 4. If you stop eating carbohydrates, losing weight immediately.

This may be true, but it happens only with carbohydrates. When you stop eating any food rich in calories weight come down safely. The same goes for diets low in fat or vegetarian diets, for example.
If you usually eat lots of carbohydrates usually to disappear completely from your diet, your body will feel his absence and begin looking for other sources of energy reserve in your body as stored fat. As a result you will lose weight. But … at what cost? The next myth will help you understand the risks of not eating carbohydrates.

Myth # 5. Stop eating carbohydrates is healthy.

It all depends. In fact, eating carbohydrates in excess, or eat only refined carbohydrates or processed, it increases unhealthy levels in your blood sugar faster than others, and gives you extra calories your body burns and making you accumulate gain weight.

But, stop eating carbs completely is not. According to the Institute of Medicine, carbohydrates should be between 45% and 60% of the calories you eat each day (between 6 and 11 servings), to meet the nutritional requirements of your body. When you stop receiving that amount, your body you may lack nutrients and fiber it needs to function properly, especially the limitation of fruit (which are also carbohydrates) and that could cause you digestive problems like constipation.

Also, did you know that athletes have a diet based on carbohydrates? Yes! Many athletes have a diet high in carbohydrates before endurance competition, since they fill them with the energy they need to perform your best. If athletes do, it must be because they are not as bad as many think, is not it?

Reduce consumption of carbohydrates will help you lose weight, but not be so advisable to lower cholesterol, says a new study.

People who followed a diet low in carbohydrates, but relatively high in fat, lost weight in six weeks as much as those who made a diet rich in carbohydrates.

But levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or “bad” increased significantly in the group with a low-carbohydrate diet, whereas in the other group down.

High levels of LDL are a risk factor for heart disease because they are associated with clogged arteries.

Low-carbohydrate diets are increasingly popular and their advocates say they reduce cholesterol and the risk of developing diabetes, said in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Team Dr. Teri L. Hernandez, of the University of Colorado at Denver, Aurora.

But little is known about what effects, unlike the high-carbohydrate diet.

The team told the obese adults randomly to 32 for six weeks to make a diet low in carbohydrates (20 grams or less per day) or with 55 percent of calories derived from this component.

Both groups lost weight about 6 kilos. But patients who followed a low-carbohydrate diet experienced an increase of about 12 milligrams per deciliter in LDL levels, from 109 milligrams per deciliter (less than 100 is optimal).

In the group treated with high-carbohydrate diet, LDL dropped 7 milligrams per deciliter, from 102 milligrams per deciliter.

In the participants who followed low-carbohydrate diet increased significantly more levels of free fatty acids, which are released into the blood when the body destroys the stored fat.

Having high levels of free fatty acids more difficult work of the liver to store glucose, which raises blood sugar levels. This increase defines diabetes.

“The data suggest that high-fat diet would have adverse metabolic effects during weight loss,” the team concluded.