Questions On Vitamins, Nutrients, Additives And Specific Foods / Question
Published: April 20, 2009
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I am 140 pounds and 12 years old. I want to get healthy. My moms even supporting me because were the same weight and shes 45. My aunt said that sugar puts the carbs on your body. Is that true???
Signed: Sugar Puts On The Carbs?
Dear Sugar Puts On The Carbs?,
TeenHealthFX commends you for wanting to get into shape. And we are glad to hear that your mother is supporting your efforts, as making changes in diet and exercise routines is always easier with the support of friends and/or family.
As for your aunt’s comment that sugar is problematic because it puts carbs on the body, FX would say that excessive sugar intake is certainly not good for you, but it is not correct to say that sugar puts carbs on the body and all carbohydrates are not bad for you. Please read the following to get a better sense of sugar, carbs, and how they can affect the body:
Excessive sugar intake is not good for you because the more sugar you take in, the more calories you are consuming. And odds are you are probably taking in more calories than you are burning off when you eat lots of foods that are high in sugar. When you take in more calories than you burn off, all those extra calories end up being stores in the body as fat – and a person then gains weight. Taking in excessive calories can occur when you eat foods that are very high in sugar or fat – but it can also occur when you eat healthy foods in proportions that are just way too big. So if you eat something more on the unhealthy side, such as a piece of cheesecake or pasta with a cream sauce, you will be taking in a tremendous amount of calories that you may not be burning off. But even f you eat too much of a good food – like a loaf of whole grain bread in one day instead of one or two pieces, you will also be taking in too many calories.
As for carbs, it is a myth that all carbs are bad and should be avoided when trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. The more problematic carbs are the ones that the body easily converts into sugar. These types of carbs include items such as white bread, white rice, and pasta. But you don’t have to avoid all carbs and eliminate them from your diet in order to lose weight. If you are looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, go for whole grains instead: whole grain bread, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta. It’s getting much easier to find these types of items at the grocery store – whole grain is showing up in everything from pita bread, to wraps, to pastas, to sushi, to crackers, and more.
The bottom line here is that you want to eat foods that are healthy and eat them in reasonable portions. Healthy foods include fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and low fat dairy products. Foods that are high in fat (especially saturated fats), high in sugar, or that have a lot of preservatives or additives should be avoided. And carbs should not be eliminated altogether – just go for the whole grain products instead.
To learn more about how to make dietetic and exercise changes that will promote weight loss in a healthy way, please speak to your doctor. If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
To learn more please read Are Carbs Really That Bad? and More On Eating Healthy.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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