The Crazy Thing About Carbohydrates

by Lisa P | More from this Blogger

18 Mar 2008 06:50 AM

The crazy thing about carbohydrates is that every molecule of carbohydrate likes to grab on to two molecules of water.

For instance, think about starchy carbohydrates like oatmeal or rice. They expand in water because they grab on to it and absorb it. Well, once they are cooked, they don't stop looking for water to grab on to. They'll do it in your system too. That is how seemingly light foods like starchy carbohydrates become the heaviest of all and that is how we gain weight at light speed after a fast like the Master Cleanse or a low carb diet.

Have you ever put rice into a soup? If you have, you know that it doesn't stop swelling once it has doubled it's size. It just keeps on absorbing water. Finally, it absorbs so much water that it splits in two. That's why rice in soups always looks like little Xs.

The cool thing about non-starchy, fibrous carbohydrates (vegetables) is that they have already absorbed all of the water they can possibly handle.

Consider as an example vegetables like lettuce and celery. They are full of water. Their water content is why they wilt if they aren't kept in an airtight container. In the case of celery, it will wilt if it isn't kept in a cold container of water! These vegetables are so full of water that the air around them, yes, even in the refrigerator, will dehydrate them.

When we eat non-starchy, fibrous carbohydrates like lettuce, celery, green beans, peas, broccoli, cabbage, spinach and the multitude of others, we take in the extra water that they are retaining in their leaves, stalks and pods and it helps our bodies to flush more water out rather than to retain water in.

The choice for you as the consumer is: Do I want to flush that extra water weight out or hold it in?

Another no-brainer if you ask me!

Learn more about Lisa P

Lisa used to be a freelance writer and Community Manager for Families.com, but she has finally made the jump to novelist.

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