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"...the ongoing “good” vs. “bad” carbohydrate debate, and these conflicting and contradictory messages can be confusing for the consumer. But the truth about carbs is really quite simple." |
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Update on FACT Hello again! It is hard to believe it is August already. We’ve been so busy here at fact, and the summer is flying by. I am very excited to announce that we will be marketing our line of Nutrition First™ Bake-at-Home Products on VendorPro.Com. We also hope to make our line of Italian Cremes available through their Marketplace as well. This is a huge opportunity for us to utilize VendorPro’s extensive network to raise the profile of our products. This month our focus is on carbohydrates, or “good carbs”. As the low-carb craze has come and gone, a lot of misinformation has been circulated, and understandably consumers can be confused when it comes to making smart carb choices. In this article we hope to shed some light on the facts about carbs, and the “good” and “smart” carb choices that are available. If you aren’t familiar with us, FACT is an innovator and supplier in the functional baked goods arena. Our current product lineup – bread, muffin, cake and various other commercial dough premixes – form the core of FACT’s business. For the complete product listing, click here. We would love to hear from you! If you have any questions, feedback or news of your own that you would like to share, please let us know and we will discuss it in this journal. Jacqueline Danforth, President Fact Foods |
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Know Your Carbohydrates Even as the the low-carb trend wanes, carbohydrates continue to receive a lot of attention. Recently, the chairman of the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health criticized the new version of the USDA’s Food Pyramid, partly because it places too much emphasis on carbohydrate intake. This has added to the ongoing “good” vs. “bad” carbohydrate debate, and these conflicting and contradictory messages can be confusing for the consumer. But the truth about carbs is really quite simple. What is a carbohydrate? Carbohydrate (literally hydrates of carbon) is a general term for a broad category of organic compounds such as sugar, fiber, cellulose or starch. The body eventually converts these to glucose, the body's primary source of energy or allows the roughage that is indigestible to pass through the body as bulk. There are two classes of carbohydrates — simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are the sugars, which include glucose and fructose from fruits and vegetables, sucrose from beet or cane sugar and lactose from milk. Simple carbohydrates are absorbed by the body very quickly. Complex carbohydrates include starches and fiber and are most commonly found in whole grains and legumes. Complex carbohydrates, which are generally large chains of glucose molecules, take longer to digest or can be completely indigestible, and provide more nutrients than simple carbohydrates. “Good” vs. “Bad” These days, carbs are often referred to as “good” or “bad”, a result of the increased focus on the dietary concept known as the glycemic index (GI). The GI is a ranking of carbohydrate foods which represents how quickly they raise blood glucose (sugar) levels. Carbohydrates which are quickly digested raise blood glucose levels higher in the two to three hours following a meal. These types of carbohydrates are referred to as high GI and are often labeled "bad carbs." Most white breads, breakfast cereals, rice and potato products have a high GI. On the other hand, carbohydrate foods which are digested slowly have a low GI and are often referred to as "good carbs." Non-starchy vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, milk and yogurt (unsweetned) are examples of low GI carbohydrates. But the reality is that carbohydrates aren’t, by themselves, good or bad. The body needs them to function properly, and they are the cornerstone of energy production and conversion. And as with all things dietary, too much of anything is bad. What is important to remember however, is that all not all carbs are created equally. The bottom line is that simple and over-processed carbs which are easily and rapidly absorbed by the body can make your blood sugar levels spike, which can make your body store fat and encourage you to overeat, as well as leave you hungry soon after you’ve had a meal. On the other hand, complex carbs, especially those from whole foods, help stabilize your blood sugar and come loaded with nutrients and fiber—which fill you up, give you longer lasting energy and keep your digestive system functioning efficiently. Fiber: The Really Smart Carb There is one constant in the bewildering array of information on carbohydrates out there; fiber is a good carbohydrate. Dietary fibers are considered complex carbohydrates. However, because of the way the sugar units in fiber are put together, your body can’t break apart and digest them. So most fibers move through your intestines intact, which helps speed the transit times of wastes excreted from your body, reducing constipation and promoting the excretion of toxins and wastes. As a result fiber has virtually no caloric value. Fibers that promote overall healthy digestion and waste excretion are found in vegetables, grains, and legumes. Whole foods are an excellent source as well, because often processed foods have these fibers removed. For example, raw bran contains high levels of fibers, but unfortunately, a lot of the beneficial fiber is removed when the grains are processed. And while most people have become aware of fiber’s ability to bind and remove toxins, improve digestion, as well as its’ association with the prevention of a number of different cancers, there is another element to fiber: the ability to promote healthy intestinal tract bacteria. Your large intestine contains beneficial bacteria essential for your body's health. They are called the "friendly flora," and they thrive on “prebiotic fiber”. They support the health of your whole body by promoting healthy immune function and providing important molecules to your intestinal tract cells to promote their growth, thus sustaining overall intestinal tract integrity. These “friendly flora” combined with prebiotic fiber, produce molecules associated with a decrease in cancerous colonic cells, reduction of serum cholesterol, and maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels and healthy intestinal tract cell walls. A New Way of Looking at Carbohydrates Clearly, just avoiding carbohydrates, or simply classifying them as good or bad, is not healthy approach. Like everything else, carbohydrate intake needs to be controlled and monitored. And the more informed you are about carbohydrates, especially fibre, the more benefit you can get from them. Amidst all the confusion and conflicting information, one thing is clear, carbohydrates are have shed their unhealthy image and are back to stay. And as the GI approach gains popularity, along with portion control and the increased demands for wholegrain and fibre, carbohydrates are sure to once again become an integral and smart part of any diet. |
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News
Investor Update FACT Corporation to Market its Line of Nutrition First™ Bake-at-Home Products On VendorPro.Com. Fiber Makes a Comeback Whole grains better than other heart health foods despite high GI Mars Makes a Leap into Functional Foods Atkins Diet Saga Now At Chapter 11 |
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FACToid: The Nurses Health Study showed that the subjects with the highest glycemic impact and the lowest cereal fiber intake had 2.5 times more risk of getting type II diabetes than those with the lowest glycemic impact and the highest cereal fiber intake. The study was undertaken in the US and 80,000 nurses and health professionals were studied over a period of 30 years. |
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FACT on Fiber Here at FACT we got our start developing "functional" dough systems designed to promote health and comply with restricted dietary needs, so we know carbohydrates. It’s what we do and our people are experts. All our commercial and home use formulations are built around reduced-digestible or “simple” carbohydrates and rich prebiotic fibers. We understand that the healthy consumer needs carbs, and being able to offer the best carb-option is what we do. FACT has always had the “skinny” on carbohydrates, and we are very pleased to see that everyone else is catching on too! Jacqueline Danforth, President, FACT Corporation |
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Featured Product: Double Fudge Cookie Baking Mix
Everyone needs a treat, and these cookies are just the thing! The name is decadent and so is the taste, but that’s where it ends. These rich, home-baked cookies are suitable for sugar-reduced, carbohydrate-reduced and low glycemic diets. How do we do it? Why, it’s our secret recipe, of course. Our double fudge cookies will be sure to satisfy your chocolate cravings without added sugar, and with the extra bonus of lots of healthy fiber, reduced calories and digestible carbs (only 2 grams per serving). So go ahead, give in to the decadence!
For more information please see our retail website or contact us for wholesale ordering information.
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