Vitamin Information Center

CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel—glucose, which is needed by every
cell in our body. They also provide valuable nutrients (vitamins, minerals, and es-
sential fatty acids) and fi bre, which is important for intestinal health.
Food Sources
There are two classes of carbohydrates—simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates
include naturally occurring sugars in milk and fruit, and refi ned sugars (granulated
sugar). There is a major difference among these simple carbohydrates: fruits offer
a range of nutrients and fi bre, while refi ned sugars provide empty calories and lack Macronutrients | 9
nutritional value. Excess sugar consumption is linked to dental caries, obesity, insulin
resistance, high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol, and compromised immune
function. The World Health Organization recommends reducing sugar intake to below
10 percent of total calories. Aside from candy and baked goods, sugar is also found in
pop, condiments (ketchup, barbecue sauces), juices, ice cream, and other sweets.
Complex carbohydrates include starches and indigestible dietary fi bre. Starches
are found in bread, pasta, rice, beans, and some vegetables. Today many of our
starches are refi ned and processed, which strips the food of its fi bre and nutrients. For
example, white bread, pasta, and rice are much less nutritious, so choose the brown
or whole-grain products.
Dietary fi bre is found in fruits, vegetables, beans, and the indigestible parts of
whole grains such as wheat and oat bran. In addition to supporting intestinal health
and proper elimination, fi bre also improves blood sugar balance, lowers cholesterol,
reduces the risk of colon and breast cancer, and plays a role in weight management.
The recommended intake of fi bre for adults 50 years and younger is 38 g for
men and 25 g for women; for men and women over 50 it is 30 and 21 g per day,
respectively, due to decreased food consumption. Sadly, most people get only one-
third to one-half of the recommended amount. To boost fi bre intake, incorporate
more raw vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes in your diet and consider a
fi bre supplement.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index (GI) is a scale that measures how quickly carbohydrates are broken
down into sugar. Those that are broken down quickly—such as simple carbohydrates
and refi ned starches—have a high GI. Foods that are broken down slowly—such as
most vegetables, fruits, and unprocessed grains—have a low GI.
Numerous studies have linked high-GI diets to obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 di-
abetes, and increased risk of heart disease. Eating high-GI foods can lead to blood sugar
imbalances that may result in fatigue, increased appetite, and food cravings. For these
reasons, it is best to minimize high-GI foods and maximize your intake of low-GI foods.
See Appendix B for more information on the GI and the rating for common foods.

Lately I’ve been worried that the olives in my martini just aren’t enough. They’re kinda old-fashioned, after all, and the jar says nothing about polyphenols or flavonoids.

So where am I supposed to get the essentials, like antioxidants and anthocyanins, without sacrificing alcohol content?

Acai berries to the rescue, distilled by a marketing-savvy visionary into hard liquor. The alcoholic answer to green tea is launching in Dallas under the brand name VeeV on Feb. 22, with a campaign focused on the drink’s healthy ingredients. While not making any specific claims, they aren’t exactly shy either, reminding us that acai berries are “the world’s preeminent superfruit,” and that people can “enjoy themselves while doing some good at the same time.” (Isn’t this how we justified tequila shots before class during college? Um, so I’ve heard)

It’s tough to find any information on acai berries that doesn’t quickly devolve into a breathless recounting of their nutritional benefits (ZOMG! Acai berries contain 57 percent more antioxidants than pomegranates!) Even if the berries are, as Oprah puts it, “one of the most powerful foods in the world,” is there any reason to believe this liquor will confer health benefits on consumers?

Nutrients don’t survive the distillation process unscathed. But that’s OK. This is the land of health fads–someone tried the same tactic with quinoa vodka, too–and are we really prepared to argue with the all-knowing Oprah?

Xoçai Healthy Chocolate is being sold by Karen J. Rankin of Bedford through a direct-marketing sales approach. Made with unprocessed cacao powder and combined with açai berries and blueberries, the combination of these ingredients in their natural state provides a tasty product packed with powerful antioxidants.

The chocolate products include power squares, nuggets, cookies, an antioxidant beverage and protein bars.

Also, the company is selling Xobiotic Squares, which contain probiotics for intestinal health. The chocolates contain no caffeine, preservatives, fillers, waxes, processed sugar or trans fats.

Rankin points to 22 reasons why people should incorporate dark chocolate and açai into their health regimens, including that the chocolate is more nutritious, contains fiber, balances cholesterol, may aid in weight loss, scavenges free radicals, is full of antioxidants, fights pathogens, cleanses and detoxifies and boosts a person’s sense of well-being.

According to a company brochure, “Xoçai products are the perfect delivery system for the antioxidants your body needs while eliminating almost all of the fat and sugar typically found in other chocolate products.”

Rankin will sponsor “chocolate tastings” in Bedford for those interested in joining the business or buying the products. The first will be at 7 p.m. Friday at The Company Concourse, 14th and H streets, and the second is slated for 7 p.m. Monday at The Company Concourse.