0:00:06.995,0:00:09.598
Which of these has [br]the least carbohydrates?

0:00:09.598,0:00:10.977
This roll of bread?

0:00:10.977,0:00:12.327
This bowl of rice?

0:00:12.327,0:00:14.224
Or this can of soda?

0:00:14.224,0:00:15.380
It's a trick question.

0:00:15.380,0:00:19.689
Although they may differ in fats,[br]vitamins, and other nutritional content,

0:00:19.689,0:00:23.051
when it comes to carbs,[br]they're pretty much the same.

0:00:23.051,0:00:26.323
So what exactly does that mean[br]for your diet?

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First of all, carbohydrate is [br]the nutritional category for sugars

0:00:30.375,0:00:34.480
and molecules that your body breaks down[br]to make sugars.

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Carbohydrates can be simple or complex[br]depending on their structure.

0:00:38.687,0:00:42.611
This is a simple sugar,[br]or monosaccharide.

0:00:42.611,0:00:46.889
Glucose, fructose, [br]and galactose are all simple sugars.

0:00:46.889,0:00:50.505
Link two of them together,[br]and you've got a disaccharide,

0:00:50.505,0:00:55.254
lactose, maltose, or sucrose.

0:00:55.254,0:00:57.517
Complex carbohydrates,[br]on the other hand,

0:00:57.517,0:01:00.990
have three or more simple sugars[br]strung together.

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Complex carbohydrates with three[br]to ten linked sugars

0:01:04.330,0:01:06.257
are oligosaccharides.

0:01:06.257,0:01:09.367
Those with more than ten[br]are polysaccharides.

0:01:09.367,0:01:10.975
During digestion,

0:01:10.975,0:01:14.052
your body breaks down those[br]complex carbohydrates

0:01:14.052,0:01:16.906
into their monosaccharide building blocks,

0:01:16.906,0:01:19.469
which your cells can use for energy.

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So when you eat [br]any carbohydrate-rich food,

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the sugar level in your blood,[br]normally about a teaspoon, goes up.

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But your digestive tract doesn't respond[br]to all carbohydrates the same.

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Consider starch and fiber,

0:01:33.673,0:01:35.230
both polysaccharides,

0:01:35.230,0:01:36.892
both derived from plants,

0:01:36.892,0:01:42.120
both composed of hundreds to thousands[br]of monosaccharides joined together,

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but they're joined together differently,

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and that changes the effect [br]they have on your body.

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In starches, which plants mostly store[br]for energy in roots and seeds,

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glucose molecules are joined together[br]by alpha linkages,

0:01:55.708,0:02:00.488
most of which can be easily cleaved[br]by enzymes in your digestive tract.

0:02:00.488,0:02:05.658
But in fiber, the bonds between[br]monosaccharide molecules are beta bonds,

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which your body can't break down.

0:02:07.876,0:02:12.560
Fiber can also trap some starches,[br]preventing them from being cleaved,

0:02:12.560,0:02:15.931
resulting in something called[br]resistant starch.

0:02:15.931,0:02:19.852
So foods high in starch,[br]like crackers and white bread,

0:02:19.852,0:02:21.328
are digested easily,

0:02:21.328,0:02:24.774
quickly releasing a whole bunch of glucose[br]into your blood,

0:02:24.774,0:02:28.972
exactly what would happen if you drank[br]something high in glucose, like soda.

0:02:28.972,0:02:31.958
These foods have a high glycemic index,

0:02:31.958,0:02:36.398
the amount that a particular food[br]raises the sugar level in your blood.

0:02:36.398,0:02:39.705
Soda and white bread have a similar[br]glycemic index

0:02:39.705,0:02:42.923
because they have a similar effect[br]on your blood sugar.

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But when you eat foods high in fiber,[br]like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains,

0:02:47.414,0:02:52.544
those indigestible beta bonds slow [br]the release of glucose into the blood.

0:02:52.544,0:02:54.988
Those foods have a lower glycemic index,

0:02:54.988,0:03:00.759
and foods like eggs, cheese, and meats[br]have the lowest glycemic index.

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When sugar moves from the digestive tract[br]to the blood stream,

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your body kicks into action to transfer it[br]into your tissues

0:03:08.091,0:03:10.942
where it can be processed [br]and used for energy.

0:03:10.942,0:03:14.643
Insulin, a hormone [br]synthesized in the pancreas,

0:03:14.643,0:03:17.936
is one of the body's main tools[br]for sugar management.

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When you eat and your blood sugar rises,

0:03:20.509,0:03:23.173
insulin is secreted into the blood.

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It prompts your muscle and fat cells[br]to let glucose in

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and jump starts the conversion[br]of sugar to energy.

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The degree to which a unit[br]of insulin lowers the blood sugar

0:03:33.672,0:03:37.335
helps us understand something called[br]insulin sensitivity.

0:03:37.335,0:03:40.992
The more a given unit of insulin[br]lowers blood sugar,

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the more sensitive you are to insulin.

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If insulin sensitivity goes down,[br]that's known as insulin resistance.

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The pancreas still sends out insulin,

0:03:49.763,0:03:54.864
but cells, especially muscle cells,[br]are less and less responsive to it,

0:03:54.864,0:03:57.139
so blood sugar fails to decrease,

0:03:57.139,0:04:00.546
and blood insulin continues to rise.

0:04:00.546,0:04:03.951
Chronically consuming [br]a lot of carbohydrates

0:04:03.951,0:04:06.255
may lead to insulin resistance,

0:04:06.255,0:04:09.214
and many scientists believe[br]that insulin resistance

0:04:09.214,0:04:13.465
leads to a serious condition[br]called metabolic syndrome.

0:04:13.465,0:04:15.600
That involves a constellation of symptoms,

0:04:15.600,0:04:17.205
including high blood sugar,

0:04:17.205,0:04:19.033
increased waist circumference,

0:04:19.033,0:04:21.156
and high blood pressure.

0:04:21.156,0:04:23.465
It increases the risk [br]of developing conditions,

0:04:23.465,0:04:25.261
like cardiovascular disease

0:04:25.261,0:04:27.384
and type II diabetes.

0:04:27.384,0:04:31.935
And its prevalence is rapidly increasing[br]all over the world.

0:04:31.935,0:04:37.261
As much as 32% of the population[br]in the U.S. has metabolic syndrome.

0:04:38.141,0:04:40.088
So let's get back to your diet.

0:04:40.088,0:04:44.319
Whether your food tastes sweet or not,[br]sugar is sugar,

0:04:44.319,0:04:47.338
and too many carbs can be a problem.

0:04:47.338,0:04:49.656
So maybe you'll want to take a pass

0:04:49.656,0:04:54.437
on that pasta sushi roll pita burrito[br]donut burger sandwich.