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"Carbs - A Necessary Evil?"
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"Carb Abuse Ravages North America"
by Chef Kevin Wagner
Or at least that's what the headlines should read.
As I stated in my last article, "To Carb or not to Carb", carbs are being blamed for a lot of problems these days. *See http://www.cooking-solutions.com/articles.html
But can we really put the blame solely on them?
Do we attribute the over-use of alcohol on the alcohol, or the user? Can you say "Prohibition"? :-)
Why are we so quick to judge carbs for the problems they "can" cause, then? Seems like people are using the same philosophy to label these poor little guys. Won't be long before the "carb crusaders" will be lobbying for a ban on bread and pasta, or consumer warning label explaining the evils this addictive substance.
Might sound a bit far-fetched, but you know how these things can snowball...
Let's look at some truths that the "Atkins Activists" don't tell you...
Carbohydrates are an essential part of our diet. Eating carbs produces a chemical in your brain called "serotonin", that elevates mood and suppresses appetite. When you stop eating carbs, your brain stops regulating serotonin. And only carbohydrate consumption naturally produces serotonin.
MIT researcher Judith Wurtman states: "When serotonin is made and becomes active in your brain, its effect on your appetite is to make you feel full before your stomach is stuffed and stretched. Serotonin is crucial not only to control your appetite and stop you from overeating; it's essential to keep your moods regulated."
Antidepressant medications are designed to make serotonin more active in the brain and extend that activity for longer periods of time to assist in regulating moods. Carbohydrates raise serotonin levels naturally and act like a natural tranquilizer.
It's a fact that women have much less serotonin in their brains than men (I'm not making this stuff up :-). A low carb diet will make women feel irritable, more so than men.
Also, a high-protein diet doesn't allow your brain to produce serotonin, which explains why some people can still feel hungry after eating a 16 ounce steak or a bag of beef jerky.
--------------------------------------------------------
*Sidebar
There is no "one diet fits all" program. If any diet you go on doesn't make
you feel better after a week or so, that's your body telling you it's not
right for you. Listen to it!
-------------------------------------------------------
Wurtman goes on to say: "There are people we call carbohydrate cravers who need to eat a certain amount of carbohydrates to keep their moods steady. These people experience a change in their mood, usually in the late afternoon or mid-evening. With this mood change comes a yearning to eat something sweet or starchy."
Been there... done that... got the T-shirt :-)
That being said, however, doesn't mean you need to eat three chocolate bars or a pound of pasta to satisfy these cravings. We have to take responsibility for our own actions. That's the hardest part. We have to blame the parent... not the child.
Those of us that are carb lovers/addicts, simply eat too many of them, or at least, too many of the wrong kinds.
Will power is still the hardest part, especially when there's a loaf of fresh, warm bread calling your name :-) Placing the blame on the bread ain't gonna help you after you eat half of it.
Let's just try to be reasonable before this whole "carb-o-mania" thing gets out of hand... if it hasn't happened already.
Remember, diets will come... and diets will go... but common sense will last you a lifetime.
Feel free to share this article with your friends, after all... everyone can use a little help :-)
Until next time.....
Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin
Copyright Cooking Solutions 2008
Kevin Wagner is Chef/Owner of Cooking Solutions, catering, teaching, and consulting services located in Bear River, Nova Scotia. Email: ChefKevin@cooking-solutions.com in response to this article or other questions.
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