Introduction to good carbohydrates
Over the past few years, there has been a significant amount of discussion relating to the topic of good carbohydrates v.s. bad carbohydrates. The purpose of this article is to helpe dispel some of those myths to help you make healthier choices relating to your diet.
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To clarify, this article is not about supporting the low carbohydrate argument. Certainly, eating regimes that are very low in carbohydrates should definitely be avoided. One of the key reasons that people find losing weigh difficult is because they consume too many refined carbohydrates, in the form of:
- pasta
- bread
- rice
- muffins &
- juices, to name a few.
Losing weight whilst consuming a significant amount of any of the above refined carbohydrates will be very difficult. This is even if you have a strict exercise regime. The intake of the above carbohydrates causes big shifts in your blood sugar levels and increases in insulin levels. The effect of this is that your body is encourage to store body fat directly. Another negative aspect of these bad carbohydrates is that your appetite is lifted.
The whole grain myth
A marketing ploy that has been around a while relates to ‘whole grain’ foods. Cereal manufacturers were and are successful in confusing consumers into thinking that the majority of these foods are healthy, when really they represent just excess calories. Why is this so?
One of the key ingredients in many of these whole grain ingredients is refined flour (a bad carbohydrate). Refined flour is a definite cause of blood sugar spikes and the subsequent increases in insulin levels. Over many years, high blood sugar levels can lead to insulin resistance and eventually type-2 diabetes. So if refined foods are so commonly used, how do I get around not using them in my diet?
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Here are some guidelines in making sure that your diet contains good carbohydrates:
1. Lower the amount of grainy foods in your diet. This involves reducing pasta, cereals and rice. If this is not possible, consider brown rice or brown pasta as an alternative.
2. Add organic meat and dairy to your diet and up your intake of vegetables.
3. You still need to include carbohydrates in your diet, but this time you’ll be getting your good carbohydrates from vegetables, sweet potatoes and fruits. Note that fruit juice is not a good replacement for fruit as fibre is reduced significantly.
4. Despite the bad aspects of grain, it does provide fibre, therefore you should include some in your diet. You should focus your diet on dense grains; the bran and the germ. Swap your oat meal for oat bran. You can add brans to your salads, yoghurts etc to increase the fibre content of your meals.
5. Reducing pastas, cereals etc will make you feel like you’re starving yourself, unless you replace that void with some other food. You should consider the following healthy foods:
- avocados
-nuts
-seeds
as well as healthy proteins such as organic dairy and meats. Like good carbohydrates, foods high in protein help control your appetite and control your blood sugar levels, which is essential in helping you lose weight.
For more unique healthy eating techniques and exercise techniques for losing your stubborn stomach fat, go to Workouts & Diet Tips for Losing Belly Fat Fast