The American body is in trouble. Unprecedented numbers of us suffer from obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other debilitating illnesses. The root cause is a once-revolutionary idea that seemed to offer so much promise, but instead has become the cause of a global health crisis: processed foods. Over the past seventy-five years, a number of factors aligned to create a reality in which processed carbohydrates became our main food source. In Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs, bestselling author and former FDA Commissioner David A. Kessler explains how the quest to feed a nation resulted in a population that is increasingly suffering from obesity and chronic disease and offers a solution for changing course. For decades, no one questioned the effects of these processed carbohydrates. The focus was on fertile grassland, ideal for growing vast amounts of wheat and corn; an industrial infrastructure perfect for refining those grains into starch; a food production behemoth that turns refined grains into affordable, appealing, and ever-present food items, from pizza to burritos to bagels; and an efficient distribution network that ensures consumption by Americans nationwide. But during those same decades, our bodies quietly contended with the metabolic chaos caused by consuming rapidly absorbable starch. Slowly but surely, these effects accumulated and became disastrous, leading to the public health crisis in which we find ourselves today. In Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs, Kessler explains how eating refined grains such as wheat, corn, and rice leads to a cascade of hormonal and metabolic issues that make it very easy to gain weight and nearly impossible to lose it. Worse still is how excess weight creates a very real link to diabetes, heart disease, cognitive decline, and a host of cancers. We can no longer afford to dismiss the consequences of eating food that is designed to be rapidly absorbed as sugar in our bodies. Informed by cutting-edge research as well as Dr. Kessler’s own personal quest to manage his weight, Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs reveals in illuminating detail how we got to this critical turning point in our health as a nation—and outlines a plan for eliminating heart disease, allowing us to, finally, regain control of our health.

Provides meal plans, easy-to-prepare recipes, workout and body-toning program, and additional research on the South Beach Diet including which foods are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

"Explores the effects of complex carbohydrates (starch, gums, and dietary fibers) on human physiological function and establishes an appropriate dietary intake level for inclusion on nutritional labels. Addresses current research, applications, and implementation issues."

Get proven results from this safe, effective, and easy-to-follow diet Using the glycemic index is a proven method of losing and maintaining weight safely and quickly. The Glycemic Index Diet For Dummies presents this system in an easy-to-apply manner, giving you the tools and tips you need to shed unwanted pounds and improve your overall health. Recommends foods that boost metabolism, promote weight loss, and provide longer-lasting energy Features delicious recipes for glycemic-friendly cooking at home Includes exercises for maintaining glycemic index weight loss and promoting physical fitness Offers guidance on shopping for food as well as eating at restaurants and away from home You'll not only see how to apply the glycemic index to your existing diet plan, but also how to develop a lifestyle based around improving your overall health.

Not all carbs are bad! Many diets today advise you to restrict carbohydrates severely. But the truth is that while certain carbs—those that contain processed sugars—contribute to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, other carbs are crucial to your physical and mental health. In this book, you’ll learn: • The best sources of good carbohydrates • Why your body functions better on glucose from carbs, rather than proteins • How to rate the carbs you eat • How a high-fiber diet combats disease and keeps you trim • The unhealthiest sugar you can eat • The effects carbs have on your mind—reducing anxiety, improving recall, and more • The 25 Super Carbs—from apples to yogurt • How to lose weight without cutting carbs Plus: Good Carb recipes to get you started—from chili fries to risotto primavera!