How to Control Carbohydrate Intake

If foods that contain high carbohydrates are consumed in excess, it can cause excess blood sugar levels which lead to the emergence of various diseases, one of which is diabetes. When consuming foods that contain high carbohydrates, the body will convert carbohydrates into sugar. This sugar will be used as additional energy for the brain and muscles in carrying out daily activities. There are 3 types of carbohydrates, namely sugar, starch, and fiber. So, not all carbohydrates are sugar, but all sugar comes from carbohydrates. Then, how to control carbohydrate intake?

Understand Carbohydrates and Calories

Calories are the amount of energy needed by the body to move. Without a proportional supply of calories, the body will become deficient in energy. In addition, all organs of the body will not be able to work optimally or even stop. So, the body needs calories to survive.

Everyone has different calorie needs per day, depending on race, age, gender, physical size, and daily activities. The number of factors that affect calorie needs is the cause of the difficulty of determining the average calorie needs of each person per day.

However, in a day the human body needs carbohydrates as much as 45-65% of the total calories it gets every day. Please note that carbohydrates do not only come from rice, but also from starch-type foods (corn, potatoes, pumpkin, beans, cereals, bread), fiber (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, wheat), and sugar (sweets, syrup, honey).

You can control the carbohydrates you consume by reading the labels on food packages. You also need to know that:

• 1 gram of carbohydrates contains 4 calories.
• 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories.
• 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories.

Avoid consuming excessive carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important for the body because they are the main source of energy. After carbohydrates enter the body, they will be converted into glucose, which will then be absorbed by the body's cells with the help of the hormone insulin.

When carbohydrates that enter the body are considered too much, then the risk of the hormone insulin is not able to help glucose to be absorbed by body cells. As a result, glucose or sugar levels in the blood increase. This is what makes a person at risk of diabetes.

Also read articles about: How to Treat Diabetic Nephropathy

Soybean as High Protein and Fiber Food

For someone who is used to consuming rice which is high in carbohydrates, if you only consume a small amount of rice you will feel hungry. On the other hand, to avoid diabetes and obesity, carbohydrate intake must be limited.

To control appetite, you can eat soy or foods containing soy 2 hours before mealtime. Soybean is a complete source of protein with all types of essential amino acids in it. In addition, soybeans also contain isoflavones, which are natural estrogenic compounds that can help prevent osteoporosis, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease, and help in curing menopausal symptoms.

Another advantage of soybeans is that they contain high fiber. The fiber content in soybeans can provide health benefits including digestive health and the effect of lowering blood cholesterol. Eating foods that contain high fiber such as soybeans can make the stomach feel full longer. With the intake of soy in your daily menu, you can still consume carbohydrates without overdoing it because in the process it makes the body not feel hungry quickly.

One thing that is very important is how the body can get the nutrition according to daily needs. How to control carbohydrate intake is one of the main ways to make life healthier. Hopefully the information above can be useful.