The crunch is a classic abdominal exercise but only work on the top layer of superficial abdominal muscles that when worked out alone, do not sufficiently achieve visibly trim and ripped abs. The body can’t be forced to lose fat in a particular area by exercising the muscles directly under that area. Therefore, in addition to crunches, it is important to strengthen surrounding abdominal muscles that will pull in your middle, keeping the area looking flat and toned – similar to the effect of wearing a corset.

These are the deep core muscles that lie beneath the superficial ones: internal/external obliques (side abdominals), multifidus (back postural muscles behind your spine) and your transverse abdominis (the deepest abdominal muscle). Therefore, the abs need to be worked out as a 360-degree core – hitting the sides, back and middle and not only top abdominal muscle layer.

The challenge often is that these hidden core muscles are rarely worked out and many do not know how to engage these muscles. For example, if you do crunches religiously but do not feel the right muscular resistance and fatigue when you perform crunches, you need a technique change as you are likely making mistakes in technique, rather than increasing reps or resistance. Core stability-based exercises are the most ideal for building and strengthening these deep abdominal muscles. Doing these exercise with proper form, using slow, controlled motions, is an excellent way to maximize results.

Such abdominal core training should also be worked into an exercise routine that includes both cardio and weight training, which is supplemented by a nutritional calorie-controlled diet. The evidence of a six-pack also depends on how much fat an individual has covering it, that affects whether their abdominal muscles are visible. Awareness of your diet is equally important in attaining washboard abs. The lower percentage of body fat an individual has, the higher the chance to train towards a visibly flat abdomen and slowly develop six pack abs.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, dedicating your fitness regime to only running, or cardio-based exercises in general, will not result in weight loss in the long-run.

Without a doubt, cardio is good for keeping your overall health in the pink. However, when it comes to losing the extra pound, spending too much time running, swimming and the like will prevent weight-loss.

One of the reasons is that too much cardio causes muscle atrophy (loss of muscle mass), and muscles are required to keep our metabolism up. When your muscle mass starts to drop, so will your metabolism, leading to weight gain as your body now requires fewer calories to function on a daily basis. Besides, excessive cardio can cause an increase in cortisol, a stress hormone in the body which impedes fat loss.

Many people believe that the longer distance they run, the more calories they burn. While this is not entirely false, bear in mind that the body is a smart mechanism and will become more and more efficient as your training progresses. This means that your body is using fewer calories for the same or even longer distance covered.

So what should you do if you’d like to lose weight the healthy and effective way? The recommended program to go for is one which comprises both weight-training and cardio workout.

Contrary to popular belief, you can affect how your body digests the food you eat! A healthy metabolism makes it easier for you to maintain or lose weight, so here are some tricks to help you take your metabolism’ s speed up a few notches.

Eat Breakfast

There’s a reason breakfast is called the most important meal of the day! Starting off the day with a healthy breakfast actually gets your metabolism going, giving it the right start to continue burning calories as your day goes on. Our metabolism slows down when we sleep, so if you skip breakfast and only wait until lunch to eat, your body isn’t burning as many calories as it can in a day. In essence, eating breakfast jump-starts your metabolism.

Eating foods high in fibre and protein also help with keeping your energy levels up and your cravings low, so opt for foods such as eggs, salad, fruits and yogurt to kickstart your metabolism and begin the day right!

Opt for smaller portions of food throughout the day

Constantly nibbling throughout the day may seem counter-intuitive to losing or maintaining weight, but opting for smaller portions of food multiple times a day in fact helps in keeping your metabolism working 24/7. Rather than loading your body with 2 to 3 big meals a day, inject your daily diet with healthy snacks like nuts or fruit every other hour or so to keep your metabolism working all day.

Stay hydrated

Although water does not have any magical ability to help you lose weight, staying hydrated nevertheless helps to keep your body functions balanced. Drinking enough water can also help to lessen your cravings throughout the day, aiding in stopping you from unnecessarily bingeing.

If you’d like to drink something other than water, opt for natural coconut water or green tea. Both are full of beneficial antioxidants and low in calories; choose one of these liquid options when you’re craving something flavourful but don’ t want to snack.

When in doubt, go for what’s hot

Add some spice into your food to temporarily boost your resting metabolic rate. Research has shown that Capsaicin, a component found in peppers like jalapeño and cayenne, can temporarily stimulate your body to release hormones such as adrenaline, which increases your body’s ability to burn calories. What’s best? Research has also shown that spicy-food-eaters have less food cravings after eating a spicy meal.

Lift some weights

Believe it or not, pumping iron can increase your metabolic rate! As we get older, our resting metabolic rate slows down, but lifting weights can increase this to our benefit. Gaining a healthy amount of muscle can help you to maintain or lose weight because muscle burns more calories than fat: one pound of muscle can burn about three times as many calories as one pound of fat.

For those of you who worry that lifting weights may give you an undesirable amount of muscle, just keep in mind that there is a difference between toning and muscle- building. As long as your strength workouts don’ t involve you benching or squatting twice your weight, you’Il very much be within the “toning” zone of weight-lifting.

Get enough rest

Not giving your body enough sleep not only slows down your daily routine, it also slows down your metabolism. Although the ideal amount of rest differs from person to person, research has shown that individuals who had less than four hours of sleep had a harder time processing carbohydrates, which can lead to weight gain. Rest and recovery are vital in ensuring that you continue on your fitness journey, so make sure you get some good shut eye at the end of each day to keep your mind and body healthy and well.

Eggs have long been identified by health experts as being the cause of high cholesterol and heart disease. However, some sources state that egg consumption may do more good than harm which leaves us in a dilemma and sufficiently confused as to whether we should continue to consume eggs or avoid them altogether. This then leads us to the question: How many eggs should we be eating?

A medium-sized egg typically contains 186mg (68% of daily intake) of cholesterol, making it one of the richest sources of cholesterol as a food source especially given the fact that the recommended daily intake of cholesterol should not exceed 300mg. Eggs are also a good, cheap source of protein and an abundant source of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, depriving yourself of eggs could mean denying health benefits that eggs confer! At the same time, eggs contain heart protective properties along with the following benefits:

Carotenoids Lutein and Zeaxanthin – protects the eye against inflammation, macular degeneration and cataracts

Choline – for good cognitive function

Vitamin A – for healthy skin and clearer vision in low light (ie, prevent night blindness)

B Vitamins – for coenzymes that help with metabolism

Folate – prevents neural tube defects and prevents risk of Type Two diabetes

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids – decreases LDL levels (also known as “bad cholesterol”)

For individuals without medical issues, it is fine to consume an egg a day as this does not significantly increase cholesterol, cardiovascular risk or mortality. However this is not to say that we should consume more than that because current research has not gone past this threshold yet hence there is no substantial evidence to suggest that it is alright.

To better our egg consumption, we could pair them up with healthier accompaniments that are low in saturated fat and sugar! In addition to this, we could choose eggs that are omega-3 enriched as these are heart healthy and helps lower our risk of cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol.

Here’s a recipe comprising egg to try:

Smoked salmon with avocado butter on wholemeal toast topped with poached egg

Ingredients:

• Wholemeal bread (1 slice)
• Smoked salmon (2 slices)
• Ripened avocado (1/2)
• Omega-3 enriched egg (1)
• Lemon juice (1/2- 1 tsp)
• Salt (pinch)
• Black pepper (Pinch)
• Paprika (Pinch) (optional)
• Chives (to garnish)

Process

1. Boil a deep pot of water at high heat, adding a tablespoon of white vinegar. When the water boil, lower the heat till it simmers.
2. Scoop the avocado out of its rind and place it in a bowl. Mash it with a fork until desired consistency (preferably with chunks for some texture)
3. Add a pinch of salt, pepper and paprika (optional) to the mashed avocado along with the lemon juice, stirring it so as not to further break it down.
4. Crack an egg into a bowl
5. Stir the pot of water in (1) and subsequently lower the bowl near the water, gently pouring the egg in, letting it cook for 1-2 minutes depending on how you like the consistency of the yolk.
6. Toast the slice of bread

Assembly

1. Spread half the avocado butter mixture on the toast*
2. Top it with two slices of smoked salmon
3. Remove the egg from the pot with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain. Once drained, place it on the toast.
4. Sprinkle with chopped chives to serve.
5. *You can always keep the other half portion of the avocado butter in the fridge for up to 2 days. Acid in the lemon prevents the avocado from oxidising and losing its colour. Even if it does lose its colour, it is still edible if the smell does not go off!

Nutrition:

280 kcal

17.9g protein, 17g carbohydrate, 16.35g fat, 612mg sodium

Sitting at your workdesk all day and slumping into your chair can affect body alignment as it strains the shoulder muscles to move forward and lean back again. This affects alignment of the spine as the mechanics of alignment are not lined up correctly, which in turn pushes on the rib cage and puts pressure on the heart and lungs.

According to True Yoga Instructor, Mohankumar Rajaraman, “bad posture or slouching can compress your spine and make you feel stiff.” Consistent yoga practice will improve posture and help maintain proper body alignment. Daily yoga moves can counteract strains and pulls and help to build body awareness. It is a physical and mental practice that renews, invigorates and heals the body.

Try these yoga poses to relieve back pain and improve posture!

Upward Plank on a Chair

Sit tall at the front edge of your chair with your feet hips-width apart. Turn your hands out to the side and grab the back of your chair. Bend your elbows behind you and inhale. Lift your chest up and back, but don’t let your head drop. Hold for five breaths and release.

Modified Prayer Twist on a Chair

Sit tall at the front edge of your chair with your feet hips-width distance apart. On an exhalation, twist to your right and place your left elbow outside of your right knee and place your hands together at your chest. Hold for five breaths, and then inhale back to the centre. Repeat on your left side.

Goal Post Backbend

Sit tall at the front edge of your chair with your feet hips-width apart. Open your arms out to your side with elbows bent at 90 degrees and fingertips pointing skyward. On an inhalation, lift your rib cage and on an exhale, press your arm bones back. Hold for five breaths and release.

Spine + Shoulder Stretch

Extend your arms out in front of you and interlace your hands in front of your chest. Exhale and flip your palms upward and stretch your arms overhead. Hold for five breaths and release.

Source: www.mindbodygreen.com and True Yoga

Master Mohan joined True Yoga since 2008 and holds several qualifications in yoga, meditation and Pilates. Master Mohan is also widely certified in physiotherapy and exercise therapy and hopes to impart his years of expertise in Hatha Yoga to fellow Yoga practitioners, as well as help in the rehabilitation of injuries through the practice of yoga and Pilates. He currently teaches Hatha Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Hot Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Core Yoga, Pre-natal Yoga, Asanas & Pranayama, the Sun Salutation Series and a variety of Pilates Matwork classes.

Cholesterol is one of the most debated issues in the health and fitness industry; on one hand, there are those who expound that we should not be consuming cholesterol, and on the other, there are those who assert that cholesterol in food doesn’t affect the cholesterol level in our body. It seems that the former group is winning and, as a result, we are completely avoiding whole classes of foods such as eggs which may actually be doing us more harm than good.

The reason both camps exist is due to the divided cholesterol research literature coupled with various media taking different perspectives to align with the author’s intention. Before finding out if cholesterol is good or bad, it would helpful to be given a full picture of what cholesterol is.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the cells of humans. They are needed to synthesise our hormones and the bile for the digestion of fat and vitamin D from sunlight.

As cholesterol is a fat, it is by nature hydrophobic meaning that it is immiscible with blood. In order to be transported in the blood stream, cholesterol binds to certain proteins known as lipoproteins. This results in the formation of a few end-products commonly referred to as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein

Total cholesterol

Total cholesterol comprises of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides

High-density lipoproteins (HDL)

High-density lipoproteins, commonly referred to as ‘good’ cholesterol, are compounds that remove arterial plaque. High levels are associated with a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL)

Low-density lipoproteins are also known as ‘bad’ cholesterol. They are known to deposit cholesterol on arterial walls forming plaque. The build-up of plaque over an extended period of time leads to the narrowing of these walls, causing a condition known as atherosclerosis which leads to ischaemic heart diseases such as stroke and myocardial infarction.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are found circulating in the blood found at relatively elevated levels after a meal. Factors which cause raised triglycerides are smoking, excessive sugar consumption, low physical activity, alcohol consumption and being overweight or obese.

Unknown to some, the body actually does produce cholesterol and in quantities more than what you typically can consume. This is because cholesterol is essential for the proper functioning of the body. However, cholesterol levels in the body are tightly regulated by the liver, keeping it fluctuating within a very tight band.

What does all of this information mean and what should I be looking out for?

When you consume too much cholesterol, your liver produces less of it and vice versa because excessively high levels of blood cholesterol could potentially be harmful. In other words, your body can pretty much self-regulate cholesterol levels.

Having said this, some evidence presented showed that a chronically excessive intake of dietary cholesterol from foods (such as eating 10 eggs a day) does increase total blood cholesterol in a linear fashion to some extent. Do note that this is especially bad in some individuals who are hyper responders. However the association between raised cholesterol and CVD risks have been proven inconclusive.

In many reports documenting the relationship between dietary cholesterol and CVD^, many fail to take into account confounding factors such as saturated fat intake which is almost always associated with increased blood cholesterol levels. Apart from total cholesterol levels, we should be looking out for the increase in LDL levels and HDL to total cholesterol ratios as these are more accurate markers of CVD. The recommended LDL and HDL levels in Singapore are <2.6 mmol/L and 1.0-1.5 mmol/L respectively.

Ratio of HDL to cholesterol should ideally be lower than 1:3 which represents a lower CVD risk.

^For instance,” The Relationship Of Dietary Cholesterol To Serum Cholesterol Concentration And To Atherosclerosis In Man” and “Dietary Cholesterol And Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis” in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

7 tips to lower cholesterol

With this in mind, we should be trying to optimise our diets, making small, sustainable changes in order to achieve desirable LDL levels and HDL to cholesterol ratios.

1. Increase fibre intake

   Fibre has been strongly associated with a lowered risk of CVD due to the beneficial compounds found in high fibre foods and not to mention fibre itself. For example vegetables contain a compound known as sterol which has cholesterol-lowering properties. Not only this, increased fibre intake can improve bowel movement and prevent colorectal cancer.

   To achieve adequate this, we should try to consume at least 2 servings of fruit* and vegetables** a day and try to replace white rice with brown/red/black rice! *1 serving of fruit: a medium apple /pear/ banana or a slice of watermelon/ papaya/ honeydew

   **1 serving of vegetable: a generous handful

2. Choose lean meats

   Wherever possible, it is always prudent to choose leaner meats and low-fat cooking methods. Lean(er) meats most definitely do not have to be boring. For example if you find yourself eating out in a restaurant, a sirloin steak (fat removed) or roasted chicken breast (skin removed) would be a great alternative to the ribeye steak.

3. Replace saturated fat with unsaturated fat

   Aim to reduce saturated fat consumption and replace it with either poly or monounsaturated fat because this leads helps lower LDL and increase HDL, resulting in dual benefits. Commonplace examples of unsaturated fat are vegetable oil, olive oil and fish oil. Therefore, instead of using duck fat to roast vegetables, opt for a similar amount of vegetable oil and you’ Il be on your way to a healthier heart!

   A good guide would be to consume approximately 30% of your energy intake from fat. 10% of this can come from saturated fat and the rest, unsaturated fat sources.

4. Avoid trans-fat

   Trans-fat is probably the most detrimental to LDL levels when compared to other dietary fat sources. It has been proven to have a direct association with blood cholesterol levels. Common food sources of trans-fat are pastries, doughnuts, pizza and margarine which should be consumed on occasion or avoided completely. Doing so also helps you omit saturated fat and sugar from your diet which is a bonus!

5. Watch your cholesterol

   Despite the body regulating blood cholesterol, this does not mean that we should go wolfing down eggs at brunch! We should still aim to consume less than 300mg of cholesterol a day and therefore, we should steer clear of cholesterol-rich foods and choose healthier cooking fat. This is because more often than not, these foods contain a large amount of saturated fat as well (butter, ghee, cured meats etc.) which could potentiate the rise in cholesterol levels and increase CVD risks!

6. Stub it

   Smoking is extremely detrimental to cholesterol levels. It not only raises LDL levels but triglyceride levels as well! Thankfully, just by quitting smoking, HDL levels can improve in just over three weeks!

7. Exercise

   Exercise is just as important as diet, if not more! It not only helps us look and feel good but it also improves our health as it staves off obesity which in turn decreases triglycerides and LDL levels. Not only that, it increases HDL levels, improves insulin sensitivity and decreases blood pressure!

   In order to enjoy the whole host of benefits from exercise, we should try to get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week which could be broken down into manageable, sustainable blocks of exercises – for example, 30 minutes a day for five days!

Sometimes all you need is the extra expertise and a little push to achieve your fitness goals.

At True Fitness, whether you are starting a new fitness regime or you may have been working out for a while, we believe that you deserve a little help to attain the results you have been working towards. Our personal trainers will create a program to help you reach both short- and long-term fitness goals – whether you want to improve body composition, enhance sport performance, or gently return to exercise following an injury or long hiatus.

Experience the difference a personal training program can make to your fitness journey.

1. Fitness maze: How and where do I start?

   A well-rounded fitness program includes cardio, weight training and flexibility. Knowing how to put these together can be confusing. If you are navigating the maze to find the most effective workout for your needs and feeling overwhelmed by the variety of machines and equipment, a personal trainer will provide valuable expertise by discussing your goals, schedule and fitness level to create a customized workout for your needs to follow through with progression.

   This saves you a lot of time and errors in double guessing the type of exercises you should train in. Start confident and empower yourself with the most effective workout.

2. Fitness stalemate: No visible improvement or results

   If you have been working out for several months but experience neither weight loss nor achievement of your desired results, refine your workout and get on the right track with the expertise of a personal trainer.

   From studying your existing exercise routine, corresponding goals and other aspects of your lifestyle such as your diet and nutrition, your personal trainer share knowledge and diagnose what you have not been doing right or lack in.

   Creating progressive and achievable goals for you, they will partner you in your training journey by providing motivation and demanding accountability to bring about real change. It’s time your hard work paid off!

3. Workout boredom: The regular routines don’t seem to work for you anymore

   You may have found the ideal workout that fits in your schedule and enjoy, but after long periods of a similar workout routine, you start to feel less enthusiasm. Your body will get used to the exercise routine and consumes less energy providing stagnant results. You begin to lack motivation for your workouts.

   A personal trainer will shake things up for you. Avoiding repetition and boredom, your interest in training will be rekindled with creative variations and learning workouts on new equipment that take you out of your comfort zone. Your body will be continually challenged and it will burn more calories, resulting in a more successful workout.

   Take leverage on the specialised expertise of personal trainers who will set out to make every workout fun and refreshing for you!

4. Fitness re-start: Getting back on your feet after a long hiatus or recovering from a condition

   As you became entrenched in pursuing a successful career, you may have lacked time or energy to maintain your fitness. Yet we all know how a healthy body and mind helps you maintain an edge in business. A personal trainer will increase your workout efficiency – creating dynamic routines that use minimum amount of time. So you get to reap the maximum benefits from effective workouts to get back into shape and enjoy a pink state of health.

   If you have a medical condition, your exercise routine will also differ from the general offered workouts and classes, but you don’ t have to limit your potential to get fit again. Personal training gives you the opportunity to complete workouts designed just for you based on your medical history and fitness goal, even with your limitations. The expertise of our trainers means they will partner you through the process, help you maintain some fitness while recovering.

   Personal training can create unique exercises to train weak muscles after injury or long period of rest – improving the strength without jeopardizing the potential for re-injury. Trainers provide close supervision and constant encouragement for those with conditions who are often afraid to exercise, even though they know the doctor recommends it. Recover and rehabilitate with confidence as trainers watch vigilantly to ensure the exercises are effective but not overtaxing.

5. Fitness challenge: Training for a Marathon or a sporting event?

   Are you signed up for a marathon, an adventure race or perhaps a mountain climbing trip? Our team of personal trainers will take aspiring marathon runners to successfully complete in their first race, and show experienced athletes how to take their game to the next level.

   We understand that successful racing and outdoor expeditions require knowledge, planning, and dedicated physical preparation. Hence, we help you in your quest by taking care of the physical aspect of your training. Our experienced personal trainers will provide systematic and science-based approaches to refine desired fitness techniques (be it sprints or distances or agility). They will monitor progress and train you to be in your best required shape physically whilst you stay injury free.

   This leaves you free to work on the tactical aspects of competing or planning for other logistics of your expedition. Make the most of your race preparation as our personal trainers partner you on the fitness journey and go for the win.

Motivating yourself to work out several times a week doesn’ t come easy. While strength training and cardio should be part of every fitness plan, it gets all too tempting to hit the snooze button when it’s all work and no play in your fitness regime.

Increase your level of motivation with group exercise classes. These sessions are more than just loud music, fast movements and shouts of encouragement that are seen and heard in the studio at the gym.

Group exercise classes not only offer physical benefits, but also the social factor in interacting with other participants. You get the support and motivation from the instructor and the other participants in the class help you along the way too. Many group exercise participants have been through the same fitness and weight struggles as you and are always willing to offer advice and knowledge about how they achieved their results.

You’re also more likely to stick to your exercise routine and achieve your goals if you work out in a group environment. Great music, an instructor with a great personality and working out with other people is FUN! If you didn’t have fun in a class, then go to a different class that suits your personality better. It is trial and error to find your perfect class, but once you find it you’ll love it!

Plus, with the variety of classes, you will never get bored of your fitness regime the variety of exercise choices offered in group settings. From Body Combat, Step Aerobics to Indoor Cycling, your fitness instructor will challenge and improve your body.

For one who works out regularly, it is ever more pertinent to drink up – be it water or sports drinks – to avoid dehydration, replace the fluids lost through perspiration and boost exercise performance. However, often during workouts, excessive water or sports drink intake can occur mainly due to unawareness of overhydration and its consequence.

Overhydration is when one drinks more water than their body needs, leading to water intoxification or low levels of sodium in their blood. Sodium, potassium and calcium are three of the main electrolytes your body relies on in order to ensure your body has enough water, maintain blood acidity – or pH – and ensure proper muscle action. It is important to maintain the balance of these three electrolytes in your body.

Fluid needs vary widely among individuals so do check your hydration status before exercise. But don’t depend on your thirst mechanism to tell you when and how much to drink. Thirst is a poor indicator of hydration status, as an athlete can lose over 1.5 L of body water before becoming thirsty.

A rule of thumb to ensure hydration and not overhydration is: aim to replenish 80% of the fluid lost.

Here’s how you can ensure you are hydrated during a workout:

1. Drink about 500ml of water 2 to 3 hours before your workout
2. Drink about 200ml of water 20 to 30 minutes before you start or during warm-up. You can also slip in half a banana to give your body the potassium it needs
3. Drink small amounts of water or other fluids (about 200ml) at regular intervals (every 10 to 20 minutes) during your workout.
4. Ensure to never feel “full’ of water
5. Take in about 200ml of water no more than 30 minutes after the workout
6. Snack up after long, hot workouts – preferably food with salts

Some signs of overhydration to look out for: nausea, vomiting, headache and change in mental status such as confusion and disorientation. As this can often be mistaken for dehydration, do monitor your daily water intake carefully to maintain safe hydration levels. Make sure to meet and not exceed your hydration needs.

References: livestrong.com, peakperformance.ca

The word ‘carbohydrate’ has become increasingly controversial in recent years and because of negative coverage about it in the media, such as being the cause of diabetes, people started omitting carbohydrates from their diets.

Guidelines in Singapore, however, recommend that we obtain our carbohydrates from 5- 6 servings of whole grains*, which makes up half our total energy intake. This article will hopefully help you better understand carbohydrates by detailing its functions, source and health benefits.

*For reference, 1 serving is equivalent to ½ bowl of rice or noodles

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are the primary and most efficient source of energy for humans. As one of the three macronutrients (besides protein and fat), we are encouraged to consume carbohydrates because of the vitamins, minerals and fibre available to us in carbohydrate-containing food sources.

It is crucial to understand that not all carbohydrates are created equally and hence have been classified as ‘complex’ and ‘simple’ or ‘good’ and ‘bad’ respectively.

However, these terms not only cause confusion but are also inaccurate. ‘Whole’ and ‘refined’ are better descriptions for carbohydrates.

Whole carbohydrates

Whole carbohydrates comprise whole grain, fruits and vegetables. It is named as such because the carbohydrate has not gone through any process to strip it of its vitamins, minerals and fibre. Due to the presence of fibre, whole carbohydrates take a longer time to pass through the gastrointestinal tract, keeping you full for a longer period and reducing food cravings, thus potentially helping with weight management. Fibre also helps lower the glycaemic index of the starch hence slowing down the absorption of sugars from the gut, preventing rapid spikes in blood glucose levels which are responsible for post prandial somnolence, commonly referred to as ‘food coma.’

Whole, unrefined carbohydrates tend to have a lower glycaemic index.

In the case of whole grains, the grain still retains its germ and bran layer (the outer layer which gives red and brown rice their colour respectively). These two components of whole grain are where the vitamins (A and E), minerals (selenium and zinc) and fibre content are found, making them more nutritious than their refined counterpart, white rice.

Examples of whole carbohydrates sources include:

• Brown rice
• Brown bread
• Non-starchy vegetables (Green, leafy vegetables, corn etc.)
• Fruit

Refined carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates refer to grains or any carbohydrate that has gone through any refining process which strips them of their nutrient content. Milling is a refining process whereby grains such as wheat and rice are stripped of their bran layer and germ, leaving behind its starchy endosperm which is the white rice and white flour which you see on the shelves of your supermarket. This essentially strips the grain of vitamins, minerals and, most importantly, fibre. The same applies to fruit that have been juiced. The juicing process removes most of the fruit’s fibre, leaving behind only the sugary liquid.

Removing the bulk of the carbohydrate’s fibre increases the rate of its absorption through the intestinal wall, consequently causing a spike in blood glucose levels and a subsequent crash, resulting in more cravings and the food coma which we previously mentioned. This phenomenon has a correlation to the incidence of type-two diabetes.

As refined carbohydrates empty the gastrointestinal tract relatively faster than whole grains, you would need to consume more of the said refined carbohydrate to feel fuller which results in consuming more calories than needed.

Carbohydrates that fall under this category tend to have a higher glycaemic index.

Examples of refined carbohydrates include:

• Fruit juices (or any other sort of juice with added refined sugar)
• Soda
• White bread; pasta; rice; vermicelli
• Granulated white sugar; brown sugar; palm sugar; molasses
• Potatoes
• Pastries
• Desserts

What do I do with this information?

Here are some simple guidelines which may help you make wise food choices:

1. Choose whole grain

   This includes brown rice, brown vermicelli, brown pasta, brown bread, oats, and the like. Whenever possible, always ask if they have these options available as opposed to refined carbohydrates like white rice. Adding these into your diet helps increase your fibre intake, magnesium and zinc. Selecting this alternative helps keep you fuller for longer, aiding in weight management.

   Tip: If you’re averse to the whole grain variety, you could substitute a portion of your refined grain for whole grain to ease yourself into its consumption instead of jumping into the deep end. Some is still better than none!

2. Eat a rainbow

   Include more vegetables into your diet for a boost in your daily dose of vitamins, minerals and fibre and you can toss those vitamin supplements aside! Choose vegetables of different colours to experience the whole host of benefits they can provide. This is because vegetables with different colours often contain different vitamins and minerals which other varieties might not have. That said; try to ensure that half of your vegetable intake comes from green, yellow and orange coloured vegetables as they contain the essential nutrients which your body demands.

   Tip: If you are to consume refined carbohydrates such as white rice, consume a handful or more of vegetables to slow down its digestion

3. Avoid sugar

   In this case, sugar is to be avoided as much as possible because it is easy to consume too much sugar in the form of candy, coffees, teas, and juices which thus put you at a higher risk of weight gain. Not only that, these are ’empty calories’ meaning that they do not confer any health and nutritional benefits. Instead, you could opt for a piece of fruit instead so satisfy your sugar cravings. Aim to have at least two servings of fruit a day. A single serving is a medium sized apple, orange, pear or a slice of papaya, watermelon or melon.

   The bottom line is to not avoid carbohydrates but instead, make wiser choices by choosing fibre-rich whole grain. Also, avoid sugar in sugar-laden beverages as they contribute to weight gain when not consumed in moderation. Choose fruit instead to satisfy your sugar cravings. By adhering to these, you should be treading the safe zone.