Dear Crystal,
There is so much information about carbohydrates. I have friends who tell me to cut out all carbs and then I hear there are “good carbs” and “bad carbs.”. Which is it…and what should I do?
I need direction,
Confused
*****
Dear Confused,
It can be hard to figure out the truth about carbohydrates, and how to manage our weight and eat healthy. We are told we need carbohydrates and then told to cut them out. The truth is, it is impossible to cut carbs out of your diet completely. Trying to live on a carb free diet can deprive you of the nutrients your body needs, not to mention leave you feeling lethargic and deprived. The answer is filling your body with the right amount of “good” carbs not “bad” carbs in your diet.
HOW MANY CARBS?
Your body has a need for carbohydrates to give you fuel and energy. To meet those needs, 45-65% of your daily intake should come from healthy carbohydrates. For example, at 4 calories for every gram of carbohydrate, a woman following an 1800 calorie diet would require approximate 225 grams of carbohydrates a day.
NOT ALL CARBS ARE EQUAL
Carbohydrates have received so much blame for weight gain because most Americans fill their diet with processed carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, white flour, cookies and other sugary filled foods. The key is to fill your diet with good carbs that consist of plant-derived food such as fruits and vegetables, beans, and foods that are less processed like whole grain breads, wheat pasta and brown rice.
One way to ensure you are eating the right carbohydrates is to have an adequate amount of fiber each day. As a woman, you want to strive to eat 25 grams of fiber a day.
As stated in WebMD, fiber slows down the absorption of other nutrients eaten at the same meal, including carbohydrates. This helps by regulating your blood sugar levels, reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes and fiber helps you feel full which aids in weight management.
Don’t give up your carbs completely, replace all of the sugary, “whiter” foods with healthy high fiber carbs. Check out next week to learn what foods to add to your diet.
To Your Health,
Crystal
About Crystal Breaux
Thank you Crystal!! Is there a certain brand of wheat pasta that is better than others? Some I have tried get really mushy when cooked.
Umm, I have not discovered any that get mushy or one that is any better. Maybe decrease your cooking time.
Believe it or not, I like the HEB brand, but not sure if you have that grocery chain in your area.
I haven’t heard of HEB, so I will try decreasing cooking time and see if that works. Thanks Crystal.
Crystal, my husband who is very overweight is on the Atkins diet plan right now. As you know it is a no carb diet. Your thoughts on that, please?
Clella, I do not like to promote any kind of diet that eliminates certain foods all together for a couple of reason.
1. It is usually not a diet that can be followed for a lifetime. My quick response is always, “can you do it for the rest of your life?” And if the answer is no, which usually is, it will not work. You may lose weight initially, but gain it back and maybe more, when you try to eat balanced foods again.
2. Eliminating foods does not teach you how to eat a well balanced diet with proper portion control, therefore making it difficult to eat in real life settings.
While I do believe so many carbs have been a problem for most weight gain, we have to be carfeul of a diet without any carbs. Healthy carbs, including fruits and vegetables, give us the energy and nutrients we needs. Cutting them out completley can also lead to the possiblility for going into a state of Ketosis. This is a natural process that occurs when fats are converted into energy by the body — usually when there is not enough glucose (carbohydrates) to provide for the body’s energy needs. It sounds complex, but it can lead to dangerous side effects if it gets to extreme and I would encourage you to learn more about it, if you have not already.
The bottom line, in my opinion, is to have a healthy weight for a lifetime, a diet of healthy carbs and proteins have to be followed so that is is doable forever and you do not feel deprived.
Thanks Crystal. I agree with your advise.