Carbohydrates have recently become the most demonized of the food groups, seen as worse even that fat - so which school of thought is right? Is it fats we should be avoiding, or are carbs the real enemy?
Over the past few years, more and more endurance athletes have been turning away from their traditional diet, which is based around the consumption of high quantities of carbohydrates (pasta, baked potatoes, brown rice, whole grain bread) and started to eat more protein.
Is there any evidence to suggest that this is a wise move? Apparently so -research suggests that not only does the consumption of more protein lead to less injury and breakdown, it also helps to control the body's insulin response far more effectively, which is a key to maintaining a healthy weight.
What is the insulin response?
The insulin response is the body's way of dealing with too much sugar in the blood at one time. It works like this - when we eat a carbohydrate rich meal, our blood sugar levels increase as the carbohydrates are broken down into sugar.
As blood sugar levels increase, the body releases insulin in response. Insulin is a hormone which moves glucose (sugar) from the blood into the muscles and fat cells for storage.
