How do carbohydrates impact your health? - Richard J. Wood

譯者: Ann Chen 審譯者: Max Chern

Which of these has the least carbohydrates?

這些那一個所含的 醣類（碳水化合物）最少？

This roll of bread?

這條麵包？

This bowl of rice?

這碗飯？

Or this can of soda?

還是這罐蘇打汽水？

It's a trick question.

這是個故弄玄虛的問題

Although they may differ in fats, vitamins, and other nutritional content,

雖然它們在脂肪、維生素 及其他營養成份可能不同

when it comes to carbs, they're pretty much the same.

但當說到醣類（碳水化合物） 它們就相去無幾了

So what exactly does that mean for your diet?

所以對你的飲食真正的意義是什麼？

First of all, carbohydrate is the nutritional category for sugars

首先，糖在營養分類中屬於醣類

and molecules that your body breaks down to make sugars.

身體分解醣類以生成糖

Carbohydrates can be simple or complex depending on their structure.

根據它們的結構，醣類 可以是簡單的或是複雜的

This is a simple sugar, or monosaccharide.

這是一種單醣 (simple sugar) 或單醣 (monosaccharide)

Glucose, fructose, and galactose are all simple sugars.

葡萄糖、果糖和半乳糖全都是單醣

Link two of them together, and you've got a disaccharide,

將它們任兩個連結，你就會 得到一種雙醣 (disaccharide) ─

lactose, maltose, or sucrose.

─ 乳糖、麥芽糖或蔗糖

Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand,

另一方面，複雜醣類

have three or more simple sugars strung together.

具有三種或更多的單醣串在一起

Complex carbohydrates with three to ten linked sugars

由三個至十個單醣連結的複雜醣類

are oligosaccharides.

稱為寡醣 (oligosaccharides)

Those with more than ten are polysaccharides.

而超過十個以上的稱為 多醣 (polysaccharides)

During digestion,

當消化食物時

your body breaks down those complex carbohydrates

身體會將複雜醣類分解

into their monosaccharide building blocks,

成為單醣分子

which your cells can use for energy.

供細胞做為能量使用

So when you eat any carbohydrate-rich food,

所以當你吃任何富含醣類的食物時

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

你的血糖濃度， 一般大約一茶匙，就會上升

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

但你的消化道並不是對 所有醣類的反應都一致

Consider starch and fiber,

就澱粉和纖維而言

both polysaccharides,

兩者都是多醣

both derived from plants,

都是來自植物

both composed of hundreds to thousands of monosaccharides joined together,

都是由幾百個到幾千個 單醣連結在一起組成的

but they're joined together differently,

但它們結合的方式不同

and that changes the effect they have on your body.

就會改變作用在你身體的結果

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

澱粉 ─ 是植物在根及種子中 大部份的能量儲存方式

glucose molecules are joined together by alpha linkages,

其葡萄糖分子以 阿爾法鍵 (alpha linkage) 連結在一起

most of which can be easily cleaved by enzymes in your digestive tract.

大多數很容易被消化道中的酵素分割

But in fiber, the bonds between monosaccharide molecules are beta bonds,

但是纖維，單醣分子間的鍵 是貝他鍵 (beta bonds)

which your body can't break down.

身體無法分解

Fiber can also trap some starches, preventing them from being cleaved,

纖維也能將一些澱粉夾於其中 避免它們被分割

resulting in something called resistant starch.

而形成所謂的阻抗澱粉 (resistant starch)

So foods high in starch, like crackers and white bread,

所以澱粉含量高的食物 如薄脆餅乾與白麵包

are digested easily,

很容易被消化

quickly releasing a whole bunch of glucose into your blood,

會迅速地釋放一大堆葡萄糖進入血中

exactly what would happen if you drank something high in glucose, like soda.

如果喝了含大量葡萄糖飲料， 像蘇打汽水也會發生完全一樣的情形

These foods have a high glycemic index,

這些食物具有高升糖指數

the amount that a particular food raises the sugar level in your blood.

升糖指數是指 某一特定食物升高血糖的數值

Soda and white bread have a similar glycemic index

蘇打汽水和白麵包具有相似的升糖指數

because they have a similar effect on your blood sugar.

因為它們對於血糖有相似的影響

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

但當吃高纖食物時 ─ 像蔬菜、水果和全穀類

those indigestible beta bonds slow the release of glucose into the blood.

那些難以消化的貝他鍵 減緩了葡萄糖釋入血中

Those foods have a lower glycemic index,

這些食物具有較低的升糖指數

and foods like eggs, cheese, and meats have the lowest glycemic index.

像雞蛋、乳酪和肉類的升糖指數最低

When sugar moves from the digestive tract to the blood stream,

當糖自消化道進入血液

your body kicks into action to transfer it into your tissues

身體會開始將它轉送到組織

where it can be processed and used for energy.

在那裡它會被處理，並作為能量使用

Insulin, a hormone synthesized in the pancreas,

胰島素，一種在胰臟合成的荷爾蒙

is one of the body's main tools for sugar management.

是身體處理糖分的主要工具之一

When you eat and your blood sugar rises,

當進食而血糖上升時

insulin is secreted into the blood.

胰島素會被分泌而進入血中

It prompts your muscle and fat cells to let glucose in

它會促使肌肉和脂肪細胞 讓葡萄糖進入

and jump starts the conversion of sugar to energy.

快速開始將糖轉換為能量

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

每一單位胰島素降低血糖的程度

helps us understand something called insulin sensitivity.

可幫我們了解所謂的「胰島素敏感性」

The more a given unit of insulin lowers blood sugar,

一定單位量的胰島素 降低血糖的程度愈大

the more sensitive you are to insulin.

即你對胰島素的敏感性就愈大

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

如果胰島素的敏感性下降 就是眾所周知的「胰島素阻抗」

The pancreas still sends out insulin,

胰臟仍會釋出胰島素

but cells, especially muscle cells, are less and less responsive to it,

但細胞 ─尤其是肌肉細胞─ 對它的反應越來越少

so blood sugar fails to decrease,

所以血糖無法下降

and blood insulin continues to rise.

而血中胰島素卻持續上升

Chronically consuming a lot of carbohydrates

長期食用大量醣類

may lead to insulin resistance,

可能導致胰島素阻抗

and many scientists believe that insulin resistance

許多科學家相信胰島素阻抗

leads to a serious condition called metabolic syndrome.

會導致一種嚴重狀況 稱為「代謝症候群」

That involves a constellation of symptoms,

會出現一系列的症狀

including high blood sugar,

包括高血糖

increased waist circumference,

腰圍增加

and high blood pressure.

及高血壓

It increases the risk of developing conditions,

它會增加疾病形成的風險

like cardiovascular disease

如心臟血管疾病

and type II diabetes.

及第二型糖尿病

And its prevalence is rapidly increasing all over the world.

而它的罹病率在全世界快速地增加中

As much as 32% of the population in the U.S. has metabolic syndrome.

在美國多達 32 % 的人口患有代謝症候群

So let's get back to your diet.

所以讓我們回到你的飲食

Whether your food tastes sweet or not, sugar is sugar,

無論你的食物嚐起來甜不甜 糖就是糖

and too many carbs can be a problem.

太多的醣類會是個問題

So maybe you'll want to take a pass

所以你也許願意對

on that pasta sushi roll pita burrito donut burger sandwich.

義大利麵、壽司卷、皮塔餅、玉米煎餅、 甜甜圈做成的漢堡三明治，視而不見吧！

翻譯：Yun An Chen