“Carbohydrates, which ones can I burn off quickly?” This is a question which many gym goers and regular exercisers have asked themselves at one point or another. However, the more important thing to understand is what you mean by ‘burning’ carbohydrates. Hopefully, I can demystify this subject a little for you below.
The first point to consider is whether you want to know which carbohydrates burn off quickly because you are trying to lose weight. The simple answer is that there aren’t carbohydrates which burn off quicker than others for weight loss. If you are looking to lose weight, you need to keep your calorie intake (what you consume) lower than your calorie expenditure (what you use to stay alive, move and exercise). The form in which these calories come in will not affect weight loss as long as you are expending more calories than you eat. For example, if a man were to eat 2,000 kcal in doughnuts and burn 2,100 kcal during the day; he will have a calorie deficit of 100 kcal so would be losing weight (even though it may not be a nutritious diet). However, if a man were to eat 2,000 kcal in salad and burn 1,900 kcal during the day; he would have a calorie surplus of 100 kcal so would be putting on weight (even though salad contains more beneficial nutrients). I wouldn’t recommend following the first diet but hopefully it demonstrates this point.
Although I explained above that it is your daily calorie balance that determines weight loss and weight gain, you can control which carbohydrates you eat to help you stay on track with your dietary goals and fight off your cravings for high calorie sugary snacks.
It is important to consider the Glycaemic Index (GI) of different carbohydrates if you are trying to stick to a particular dietary plan. Carbohydrates which have a high GI such as: fruit, sweets, chocolate, fizzy drinks and bread raise our blood glucose levels very quickly and give us an instant boost of energy (a sugar fix). This is because they are simple carbohydrates which enter the blood-stream quickly. Whereas carbohydrates with a low GI such as: lentils, chickpeas, hummus and vegetables raise our blood glucose levels more gradually and give us a release of energy over time. This is because they are more complex carbohydrates which take longer to enter the blood-stream.
Consuming low GI foods can also be beneficial for diabetics. This is because a diet with low GI foods results in fewer spikes in blood glucose values keeping blood glucose at a controlled level. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a high consumption of sugary foods and low levels of exercise (which also leads to obesity), therefore, keeping your blood glucose levels down through low GI foods as well as regular exercise, could help you to avoid adverse health effects.
So what should I take from this? Well, if you are looking to either control your calorie intake or lose weight, you may want to consider consuming low GI carbohydrates at meal times to reduce cravings and the temptation to snack. Save foods with high GI carbohydrates for a pre-workout meal to provide energy for your session. However, the most important thing to remember is that you need to expend more calories than you consume to lose weight and this is what will determine your success.
Hopefully I have managed to demystify some of the information surrounding carbohydrates for you. Remember, that carbohydrates do not necessarily burn off at quicker rates but they may have different effects on our blood glucose levels. They also enter the blood at different speeds which can affect our hunger; snacking habits and ultimately our success at sticking to a particular diet and achieving our goals.
Toby Hone
BSc (hons) Sport and Exercise Science
