Asanation,weloveeatingcarbs,andtheyarerightattheheartofourdiet.Theproblemisthatwith63percentofUKadultsnowconsideredoverweightorobese,manyexpertsthinkthatweareeatingfartoomanywrongsortsofcarbohydrate.XandvanTullekenisamedicaldoctorandself-professedloverofcarbs,tothepointwhereheusedtoweigh19stone.Heiskeentodiscoverwhethertheyreallyareakillerasclaimedbymany,responsibleforrecordlevelsofobesityandtype2diabetes.Thefilminvestigatescutting-edgeresearchintothepossiblelinkbetweencarbconsumptionandinfertilityinbothwomenandmen,andlooksintowhethergeneticchangesaretakingplaceaswepassoureatinghabitsontoourchildren.Xandandateamofvolunteersplaybloodsugarbingoastheyattempttoguesshowmuchsugaraselectionofcommonfoodseachreleasesintothebloodstream.Xanddiscoversthatlookscanbedeceiving-abakedpotatoistheequivalentofastaggering19sugarlumps,whereasalargebowlofstrawberriesisonlyfour.Thereisalsoasimpletestthatanyonecandoathometodeterminehowwelltheytoleratestarchycarbslikerice,pastaandbread.Simplychewasmall,unsaltedcrackerandtimehowlongittakestochangetasteinthemouth.Thefilmthensetsouttoexaminewhetheritisstillpossibletoeatcarbs,butinawaythatismuchhealthierforus.Thereisalittle-knowntypeofcarbohydratecalledresistantstarch;likefibre,ithelpskeepbowelcanceratbay.Butamedicalexamrevealsthat,likemostpeopleintheUK,Xanddoesnteatenoughofthiscarb.Sohowshouldhegoabouteatingmorecarbslikefibreandresistantstarch?Theprogrammeturnsthemythaboutbreadonitshead,discoveringbakesthataregoodforus.Thereisevenawayofmakingwhitebreadhealthierbystickingitinthefreezerbeforetoastingit-thisprocessturnssomeofthesugarystarchintoresistantstarch.Scientistshavediscoveredthatotherstarchycarbslikepasta,riceandpotatoescanbechangedinaverysimplewaytomakethembetterforus,bycookingandcooling-theybecomelesscalorificandvitalfoodforourgutbacteria.ThereisasurpriseinstoreforXandwhenheheadstothegymwithhisfavouritecarb-filledsportsdrink.Hediscoversthatforexerciselastinglessthananhour,thereisaveryneattrickthatfoolsthebrainintothinkingthatitisgoingtogetcarbs,whichimprovesperformance.Allhehastodoisswillthedrinkandspititout.Butperhapsmostimportantly,theprogrammeteamsupwithaMerseysideGPtotrialahealthy-eatingplan.Originallydevisedtohelpdiabeticandobesepatients,thisplandoesntcountcaloriesbutasksparticipantstobesmartwiththeircarbs-swappingsugarycarbsformorefibre.TheresultsafterjusttwoweekscomeasasurprisetoXandandthetrialdoctors.
