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Brain Power: brought to you by Carbohydrates
Your brain needs energy.
Last week as I was puttsing around the house trying to get things off my to do list (apparently puttsing is not a “real” word). I got frustrated because I don’t know how to scan documents directly into my computer, how annoying!
I really needed to get an application completed and I wanted desperately to get this off my to do list. In the midst of walking back-and-forth between my computer and the printer I decided to grab half a banana with peanut butter (hello can we say addiction?).
Almost immediately or at least after the first few bites I got a really good idea. Instead of scanning the document directly into my computer I will do it the “old-fashioned way” and make a paper copy to fax. It’s not as eco-friendly; however, much less frustrating. Finally realizing how to accomplish the task without minutes or hours of tears and heartache.
It makes sense that by including some carbohydrates, a.k.a. brain food, into my morning helped me start to think more clearly.
Check out this article I found in science daily all about how the human brain development accelerated after people started eating carbohydrates, particularly starches.
From the article Paleo diet: big brains needed carbs, “In a new study published in The Quarterly Review of Biology, Dr. Karen Hardy and her team bring together archaeological, anthropological, genetic, physiological and anatomical data to argue that carbohydrate consumption, particularly in the form of starch, was critical for the accelerated expansion of the human brain over the last million years, and coevolved both with copy number variation of the salivary amylase genes and controlled fire use for cooking.”
Food for thought:
Carbs come in many shapes, sizes, flavors and nutritional value. We find them in our delicious fruits and vegetables. Then there’s the bread, rice, cereal and other starchy choices. Not to mention the carbs in our beans, nuts and other legumes.
Most recommendations advise that 50% grains be whole grains. If you prefer the fruit and vegetables carbs as your source, that’s cool too!
Instead of demonizing or avoiding carbohydrates let’s remember what all they do for us today and millions of years ago.
