Refined Sugar (photo by frenchbyte, courtesy of morgueFile.com)

Women who have sharply reduced their intake of simple carbs for weight control are also protecting themselves against heart disease, according to a recent study. This new study did not find the same to be true for men suggesting hormonal differences play a role.

Simple carbs include refined sugar, corn syrup, white bread and white rice, which provide little in the way of vitamins, minerals or fiber. They do contain plenty of empty calories and high consumption is associated with becoming dangerously overweight and developing type 2 diabetes.

The Type of Calories is Critical

The study suggests that the rapidity with which these sugars get absorbed into the bloodstream is what makes them dangerous. The researchers at Italy's National Cancer Institute looked at total carbohydrate intake and at how quickly specific carbs raised blood sugar levels, a measure known as the glycemic index. Carbohydrate foods with similar calorie content can show widely different scores on the glycemic index.

Victoria J. Drake, director of the Micronutrient Information Center at the Linus Pauling Institute of Oregon State University, told MedicineNet.com, “A high glycemic index is known to increase the concentration of triglycerides and lower the concentration of HDL cholesterol, the good kind. Those adverse effects make it a stronger risk factor for heart disease."

Simple Carbs Provide Poor Energy

The short term energy boost one feels after eating a candy bar is likely a consequence of rapid absorption causing a spike in blood sugar. To cope, the body releases natural insulin, which quickly reduces the blood sugar level and brings a fast end to the energy boost.

To view the MedicineNet.com article cited above, go to: Simple Carbs Pose Heart Risk for Women

For a great deal more inormation on the means and benefits of a low carb diet, go to: The Silver Cloud Diet

For an abundance of delicious, low carb recipes, check out: The High-Protein Cookbook: More than 150 healthy and irresistibly good low-carb dishes that can be on the table in thirty minutes or less

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