It’s not hard to guess why so many people jumped on the low-carb bandwagon. Yes, low-carb diets do help you lose weight, but at what cost? The truth is carbohydrates are necessary. Don’t believe it? Do you think that man was simply put on this planet to eat meat? Then you may want to look at the following facts. Here are just a few reasons why your body really does need carbohydrates.

Whole Grains Can Help Lower Cholesterol

Do you know what leads to high cholesterol? The answer is saturated fats. Where are saturated fats found? In meat. Those that load their bodies down with high protein diets risk the build-up of plaque in their arteries due to high LDL cholesterol. If you want to prevent build-up in the arteries, it is recommended that you consume whole grains – AKA carbs. The fiber in these whole grains helps clear your bloodstream and remove the plaque from the arteries.

High-Fiber Foods Help in Digestion

Fiber is nature’s broom and helps keep us regular. Without enough fiber in your diet you may experience constipation, greasy stools and a number of other gastrointestinal issues. In order to get the proper amount of fiber in your diet, you must consume carbohydrates that are high in fiber, such as whole grain bread and oatmeal.

There Are Healthy Carbs

Not all carbohydrates are bad. Yes, white flour and refined sugars are unhealthy, but whole grains, fruits and vegetables are good sources of healthy carbs. Your diet should include these foods at each meal in order for you to stay healthy.

Carbohydrates Offer Energy

Marathon runners often sit down to a large serving of pasta the night before a big race. Why? Carbohydrates offer energy that is quick to obtain. Carbs are easier for the body to breakdown and use immediately or store in the liver for later use.

Complex Carbs May Help Prevent Diabetes

There is a reason some carbs are good and some bad. Bad carbs break down too quickly and cause a spike in blood sugar. Overtime, these spikes can cause glucose intolerance. However, complex carbs take longer to break down due to the presence of fiber. This means that blood sugar levels rise steadily, rather than spiking, thus avoiding glucose intolerance.

It doesn’t matter how much weight you can lose, it isn’t worth your health. Our bodies need carbohydrates in order to function. Carbs aid in digestion, energy and complex carbs may even prevent diabetes.

About the Author: Ernesto Sagoes works as an EKG technician and enjoys studying nutrition in his spare time. He highly recommends speaking to a nutritionist about any type of diet or eating plan you choose to try.

Today, the typical American is surrounded by sugary foods.  Sweets are found at the grocery store, gas station and plenty of restaurants—fast food or not.  And for most of you, it’s probably true that you’re surrounded by sugar in your own home.

Because of the negative health affects sugar has on our health, many people choose to go “sugar-free.”  Seeing your favorite treat with those words on it may be music to your ears, or it may scream “stay away” because of the several claims that have been made about the safety of artificial sweeteners.

Sugar free foods have not lost their sweetness because they are sweetened with sugar substitutes.  There are many brands, and they’re all similar to sugar.  Except for the fact that they contain no calories and have little glycemic response.

Artificial sweeteners are FDA approved.  This means that they go through several studies by the Food and Drug Administration to assess their safety.  The FDA also establishes ADIs (Acceptable Daily Intakes) for every artificial sweetener.  They figure out the largest amount of the substance a person would have to ingest before receiving health problems.  Here is an example for aspartame:  To reach the ADI, a 150-pound adult would have to consume 20 cans of diet soda in a single day.  Hopefully, for most of us that’s pretty difficult to do, and it shouldn’t be a problem to avoid.

It has been said that sugar substitutes can play a role in obesity, from both sides.  An overweight individual who replaces high sugar foods with sugar substituted foods may end up losing weight.  However, artificial sweeteners can mess with appetite control.  They make your body think you’re eating sugar, therefore you crave it more which can lead to overeating.  So if you’re going to use artificial sweeteners, do so with caution.  Make sure you’re controlling your appetite with a  healthy diet and regular exercise. 

People who are diabetic may benefit from sugar substitutes because they do not affect blood sugar.  However, always consult with a doctor before significantly changing your diet.  They can help decide what is best for your condition. 

There have been several claims that artificial sweeteners cause health problems such as mood disorders, headaches, multiple schlerosis…even cancer!  Yet there is no proof of any of these claims.  So, if you choose to use artificial sweeteners, don’t be afraid.  Incorporate them into a healthy, balanced diet and you will not have any problems.

Remember that all approved artificial sweeteners, including acesulfame-potassium, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose have gone through numerous studies to prove their safety.  If they weren’t safe, the FDA wouldn’t approve them.  They can help with weight loss but also cause the opposite affect if you aren’t paying attention to the rest of your diet and exercise habits.  Artificial sweeteners are beneficial for diabetics, obese and health conscious individuals.  In order for sugar substitutes to cause problems, you would have to consume extremely large amounts of it on a daily basis, something that is nearly impossible for most people.

Brianna Elliott is a third year dietetics student at the University of Wisconsin – Stout.  She also contributes regularly to a health and nutrition website called PSCLife.com.  This site carries a wide variety of health and nutritional supplements including sugar free products like Fiber Choice Sugar Free Chewable Tablets.  She thinks it’s important for people to know the truth about artificial sweeteners because there is so much misinformation in the world about them.

Many people do not realize how much their health is related to the health of their colon.  If your colon is not healthy and is getting clogged up you will have side effects you will not even realize are associated with your colon.

The colon’s main job is to keep the body healthy by being the main organ for keeping all of the toxins and waste out of the body.  By removing wastes it keeps your body in tip top shape.  When these toxins and wastes are not exiting your body, they are causing illness inside of you.   Over a period of time this can cause disease, constipation and other physical problems.   Getting a good colon cleanse may just solve a lot of the other health problems you are having.

There are all kinds of home remedies for getting a colon cleanse yourself, and it does not have to cost you a lot of money.   Sometimes it will just be best to change your diet, but you still have to flush out that old undigested junk in your system.  Just a few changes in the nutrition you eat can make a big difference and your colon will start cleansing itself the natural way.

Getting a lot of water to drink should be the first part of every colon cleanse to help stimulate the undulation of your colon.   A general rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces, so if you weigh 200 pounds you should drink 100 ounces of water in a day.  This may seem like a lot, but it will give you a good start to your cleanse.  You would be amazed how much this amount of water will make you feel when all is said and done.