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Bad Carbs vs Good Carbs – What You Don’t Know IS Hurting You

Carbs are the most easily accessible source of fuel for our bodies, yet the Body Ecology Diet is a sugar-free/low-carb diet. Does this mean you won’t have any energy?

We’ve been led to believe that complex carbs, like whole wheat, high fiber, and whole grain breads and cereals are healthy, when in fact, in our modern day this may no longer be true.

No. The sugars The Body Ecology Diet leaves out are the simple sugars like sucrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, corn sugar, agave, honey, barley malt, and rice syrup. These sugars temporarily raise the sugar in your blood, giving you lots of energy and then cause a dramatic drop in sugar and energy. These sugars also create acidity in your body so that Candida, bacterial, and viral infections can thrive inside of you.

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You may be going out of your way to eat breads and foods made from whole grains, but did you know that the flours and grains they are prepared with could still be harmful to your health? You can repair the damage whole grains have done to your gut with a daily probiotic, like InnergyBiotic.

In a nutshell, they are poison.

One of the many strengths of The Body Ecology Diet is the lack of these simple sugars. It’s one of the reasons that The Diet works so well — and has so many health benefits. We’ve gotten so used to sugar in our foods that we’ve quickly forgotten how it affects the body. But according to a recent editorial published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, it is sugar and carbs in the modern diet, and not a lack of physical activity, that are behind the obesity crisis.1

The year before, University of Naples researchers discovered that adding sugar to a high-fat Western diet could be more damaging to the liver than eating a diet high in unhealthy fats alone.2 Eating this common high-fat, high-sugar diet immediately affects digestion, and it also impacts brain health. A high-fat, high-sugar diet can alter gut bacteria to cause a significant loss in cognitive function, while a diet high in fructose is known to slow the brain and compromise learning and memory.3,4

Good Carbs versus Bad Carbs: What Is a Carb?

Besides the simple sugars mentioned above, starches, fibers, and gums are also called carbs. Butternut squash, red skin potatoes, and fresh corn are examples of healthy vegetables with sugar or starch, while vegetables like broccoli, green beans, zucchini, and asparagus don’t have much sugar at all. The first three are examples of “starchy” vegetables. We call the last group “non-starchy” vegetables. Sometimes, you will actually see that other diets (or books) list non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, green beans, zucchini, and asparagus as carbs.

Non-starchy vegetables are not and do not belong in the same category as starchy veggies or grains.

Fiber is a carb — one that your body does not digest. Fiber also does not raise your blood sugar. You have probably heard that fiber is good for you and keeps your digestive system healthy. This is very true. Fiber helps to increase the growth of good bacteria in your digestive tract.

To make matters even more confusing, there are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble:

  • On The Body Ecology Diet, insoluble fiber can be found in “grain-like seeds” (quinoa, millet, buckwheat, and amaranth). These seeds absolutely improve digestion and are rich in nutrients yet low in sugar.
  • You will find soluble fiber in flax, chia seeds, and whole fruits. Soluble fiber will slow down the digestion of sugar in your blood and reduce cholesterol.

When it comes to “bad” carbs, cake, cookies, soda, and jellies are obviously bad for you, as are any other foods that contain refined sugar, processed flour, or refined grains. (Think white bread or white rice.) These foods are also not a good source of fiber.

Excess sugar is often added to processed foods to improve taste, color, and texture and to extend shelf life, but that doesn’t make it any better for you.5 Sugary foods rich in carbohydrates have become the norm, which may explain our rise in chronic disease. A diet high in carbohydrates has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, and a high-carb diet is also known to encourage prostate tumor growth.6,7 While a lower carbohydrate diet may improve heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease, the life-long effects of eating high-carb foods can start as early as infancy.8,9,10

Here’s another dietary myth…

We’ve been led to believe that complex carbs, like whole wheat, high fiber, and whole grain breads and cereals are healthy, when in fact, in our modern day this may no longer be true.

Yes, you read that right. Even the unrefined whole grains you have been told are good for you may be damaging your health. The underlying cause lies in your inner ecosystem. Is yours healthy or not? What is living in your gut? And what about in your bloodstream?

For millions of us, it is Candida creating a fungal infection called candidiasis.

Whole grains like wheat, barley, rye, oatmeal, spelt, and rice all have sugar in them and are considered ideal foods for Candida and other pathogens in your body to feed upon. This creates even more imbalance and disease.

Furthermore, all of the above grains except rice also contain gluten — a protein that causes gut dysbiosis and is difficult to digest, especially for people with weakened inner ecosystems.

More than 10 years ago, researchers discovered in the largest study of its kind that one out of 133 Americans may have a negative reaction to gluten and cannot digest it.11 What’s worse, this number has quadrupled since the 1950s, suggesting that the foods we eat and our environment are to blame.12 Cardiologist Dr. William Davis and author of the best-selling book Wheat Belly calls modern wheat a “perfect, chronic poison.”13 While researchers have since tried to challenge the “gluten sensitivity myth” in a study funded by one of the largest bread and pasta producers in Australia and New Zealand, extensive research backs the devastating effect gluten has on the body.14 Besides strengthening the gut, a gluten-free diet has been shown to have a major impact on chronic disease, with the potential to protect children from type 1 diabetes and improve autism.15,16

Not long ago, our ancestors still used granite stone mills to make flour. This meant that the grains were broken down slowly and gently, preserving the wonderful nutrients, essential oils, and vitamins found in the germ of the grains. Not only that, the normal processes involved in harvesting oftentimes permitted the grains to be sprouted before they were milled, increasing their nutrient content and making them easier to digest.

Commercial producers today mill tons of grains at a time in industrial machines that create high heat and destroy all the nutrients.

Sadly, the breads, pastas, and other goods that tout “whole grain” or “whole wheat” flours are nothing close to healthy. They are mucus-forming and create a gummy mess in your intestines, which is an ideal environment for pathogenic yeast like Candida to thrive. This toxic environment in your gut prevents the proper digestion and absorption of essential nutrients, leading to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, loss of energy, weakened immunity, and dwindling life force.

Body Ecology Grain-Like Seeds Can Rebuild and Restore

There’s no question that our modern-day food processing and eating habits have wreaked havoc on our inner ecosystems and created epidemic levels of disease.

So, if you want to feel better, slow down aging, maintain the perfect weight for your bone structure, and look your absolute best, then your first priority must be to create a healthy intestinal ecosystem thriving with friendly microflora (friendly bacteria and yeast).

The microflora help digest your food, absorb nutrients, strengthen your immune system, create energy, guard you from parasites, and manufacture important B and K vitamins. A healthy inner ecosystem will also free you from food and sugar cravings. If you are cutting back on carbs so that you can lose weight, you must have a healthy inner ecosystem.

When it comes to grains, we only recommend the gluten-free Body Ecology grain-like seeds of millet, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat. These grains may not be that familiar to you, but they are becoming easier to find on your supermarket shelves as more and more health conscious people discover their benefits.

These hardy, nutrient-dense, miracle foods have actually been around for thousands of years:

  • Quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat are all a complete protein, which is incredibly rare in the plant world.
  • These grains will not feed pathogenic yeasts like Candida in your body.
  • In fact, they act as a prebiotic (food) for the healthy microflora in your intestines, which means more grain-loving bacteria will flourish and increase your digestive power.
  • They are rich in fiber, which encourages healthy elimination and cleanses your intestines.
  • They contain antioxidants, B vitamins, and important minerals (like manganese, magnesium, iron, and tryptophan) and are great non-dairy sources of calcium.
  • They help your body produce serotonin, which has a calming, soothing effect on your mind and body. With higher levels of serotonin, you will feel happier, won’t crave carbs, and should sleep much better at night.

How to Prepare Body Ecology Grain-Like Seeds

Body Ecology grain-like seeds are all very easy to cook, and you can use them in a wide variety of foods and meals.

However, since many of us have weak digestive systems, it’s important to know how to properly prepare them before even cooking them.

All grains, nuts, beans, and seeds have an enzyme inhibitor called phytic acid in them. Phytic acid neutralizes your body’s digestive enzymes, making it very difficult to assimilate these foods. Also, phytic acid binds to minerals, proteins, and starches so that you won’t be able to benefit from these important nutrients. In large amounts, phytic acid blocks the uptake of calcium, magnesium, copper, and iron. Because of this, these foods are especially harmful to women and children. Women need to replace their iron when they are menstruating, and children need iron to grow.

Modern-day food processing and preparation methods have ignored this important fact, which is another reason why digestive disorders and mineral and nutrient deficiencies have become rampant in our society. Our ancestors knew very well that they had to soak, sprout, or use only fermented grains before they could be eaten, as each of these processes removes the phytic acid from nuts, seeds, beans, and grains.

If you want the wonderful benefits of these grains while encouraging the reestablishment of your inner ecosystem, do not eat them without soaking them in water for at least 8 hours, preferably 24 hours, before rinsing and cooking. You can lower the oxalate content in grains by boiling them in water (similar to pasta) and then dumping the water out and refilling the pot with fresh water to finish cooking.

Carbs Aren’t Off the Table

Starchy vegetables like acorn and butternut squash, lima beans, English peas, fresh corn, water chestnuts, artichokes and Jerusalem artichokes, and red skin potatoes are the starchy vegetables eaten on The Body Ecology Diet. They combine best with your non-starchy land or ocean vegetables.

Despite the fact that conventional dieticians and medical experts encourage them, on The Body Ecology Diet, we don’t recommend eating beans or legumes in Stage One. Beans (including soybeans) are difficult to digest because they are mostly a carb with a small amount of protein. This is one of the reasons why they often create uncomfortable gas and bloating.

Once your digestion becomes stronger, you may be able to reintroduce them to your diet. If you do chose to eat beans, you will find it wise to follow two of Body Ecology’s Principles, the Principle of 80/20 and the Principle of Food Combining. This means that you should eat 20 percent beans and combine them with 80 percent land and ocean vegetables. Of course, cultured vegetables are a must since they help with digestion at every meal.

If you find you absolutely must eat wheat, then here’s a vitally important tip:

  • Drink 3-4 ounces of a probiotic like InnergyBiotic with your gluten meal. In fact, these drinks look quite lovely in a pretty wine glass when served with your meal! The bacteria in probiotic drinks have been grown on glutinous grains, so they love it. Within a week, these gluten-loving bacteria will have started to colonize your intestines, which will help you greatly to digest gluten.

Certainly, flour products are appealing foods, and gluten can be addictive. So who would want to give up delicious dinner rolls, sandwich breads, cakes, and cookies? No one, really, but if ideal health is your goal, cut them out altogether or eat them only on special occasions. It’s okay to do this to see how your body reacts, but remember that the same rule applies — soak your grains first.

What To Remember Most About This Article:

Even when eating the healthiest diet, carbohydrate myths abound. What is the difference between a good carb and a bad carb, and what should you be eating to support weight loss and optimal health?

Good carbohydrates are rich in fiber to stabilize blood sugar, support healthy bacterial growth in the gut, and improve digestion. Body Ecology grain-like seeds are good carbohydrates that are good sources of insoluble fiber: quinoa, millet, buckwheat, and amaranth; good carbs that contain soluble fiber include flax, chia seeds, and whole fruits. Bad carbs are just like they sound — empty carbohydrates with no nutritional value, known to spike blood sugar and contribute to chronic disease. Examples include soda, cookies, cakes, and other processed foods, as well as so-called “healthy” whole wheat and whole grain foods known to feed Candida.

The best way to enjoy your good carbs is by soaking Body Ecology grain-like seeds to remove anti-nutrients and make them easier to digest. Other good carbohydrates like starchy vegetables can be enjoyed on The Body Ecology Diet when combined with non-starchy land or ocean vegetables at each meal. If you do eat a “bad carb” and digestive irritant like wheat, it’s critically important to support your gut health. Remember to drink 3-4 ounces of a probiotic like InnergyBiotic to colonize your intestines with friendly bacteria that will help your body to break down gluten.

REFERENCES:

  1. A. Malhotra, T. Noakes, S. Phinney. It is time to bust the myth of physical inactivity and obesity: you cannot outrun a bad diet. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015; DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-094911.
  2. Raffaella Crescenzo, Francesca Bianco, Paola Coppola, Arianna Mazzoli, Margherita Tussellino, Rosa Carotenuto, Giovanna Liverini, and Susanna Iossa. Fructose supplementation worsens the deleterious effects of short term high fat feeding on hepatic steatosis and lipid metabolism in adult rats. Experimental Physiology, June 2014 DOI: 10.1113/expphysiol.2014.079632.
  3. K.R. Magnusson, L. Hauck, B.M. Jeffrey, V. Elias, A. Humphrey, R. Nath, A. Perrone, L.E. Bermudez. Relationships between diet-related changes in the gut microbiome and cognitive flexibility. Neuroscience, 2015; 300: 128 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.05.016.
  4. R. Agrawal, F. Gomez-Pinilla. ‘Metabolic syndrome’ in the brain: deficiency in omega-3 fatty acid exacerbates dysfunctions in insulin receptor signalling and cognition. The Journal of Physiology, 2012; 590 (10): 2485 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.230078.
  5. Kara R. Goldfein, Joanne L. Slavin. Why Sugar Is Added to Food: Food Science 101. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 2015; DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12151.
  6. American Association For Cancer Research. “Study Links High Carbohydrate Diet To Increased Breast Cancer Risk.” ScienceDaily.
  7. “A low-carb diet may stunt prostate tumor growth.” Duke University Medical Center.
  8. PLoS One. 2014 Nov 21;9(11):e113605. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113605. eCollection 2014.
  9. “A High Fat, Low Carbohydrate Diet Improves Alzheimer’s Disease In Mice.” BioMed Central.
  10. “High-carb intake in infancy has lifelong effects, study finds.” University at Buffalo.
  11. Arch Intern Med. 2003 Feb 10;163(3):286-92.
  12. Gastroenterology. 2009 Jul;137(1):88-93. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2009.03.059. Epub 2009 Apr 10.2
  13. Cochran, Amanda. “Modern Wheat a “perfect, Chronic Poison,” Doctor Says.” CBSNews.
  14. Gastroenterology. 2013 Aug;145(2):320-8.e1-3. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2013.04.051. Epub 2013 May 4.
  15. C. H. F. Hansen, ukasz Krych, K. Buschard, S. B. Metzdorff, C. Nellemann, L. H. Hansen, D. S. Nielsen, H. Frokiaer, S. Skov, A. K. Hansen. A maternal gluten-free diet reduces inflammation and diabetes incidence in the offspring of NOD mice. Diabetes, 2014; DOI: 10.2337/db13-1612.
  16. Pennesi Christine M.; Klein Laura Cousino. Effectiveness of the gluten-free, casein-free diet for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: Based on parental report. Nutritional Neuroscience, 2012 DOI: 10.1179/1476830512Y.0000000003.
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