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WHY CARBS AREN'T THE ENEMY
Low carb diets were once hailed as the answer to fast track weight loss. Popular diets such as Atkins and South Beach have heightened the widespread misconception that all carbs are bad and cause weight gain.
By just being carb-conscious we can move away from Carbophobia and learn to provide our bodies with the right sort of carbohydrates that are packed with a variety of nutrients.
The general rule when choosing carbs…
• If they are natural and fibre rich (complex carb) they are good for you.
• If they are stripped of fibre (simple carbs) they aren’t really doing you any favours.
Complex Carbs
Wholegrain bread
Brown rice
Oats
Quinoa
Legumes
(beans, peas and lentils)
Fruits
Starchy vegetables
Simple Carbs
White Bread
Cake
Sweets
Chocolate
Fruit juices
Sugary drinks
Chips & Crisps
Whilst we should limit the amount of simple carbs we include in our diet, all foods can have a place in a healthy diet. No food has to be excluded to achieve ‘health’, it’s all about moderation.
Reasons to Love Carbs
Carbs = Fuel
Even the simplest tasks such as breathing require energy, so when it comes to exercising our muscles rely on carbohydrates as their main fuel. However, muscles have limited carbohydrates stores (glycogen) and they need to be topped up regularly to keep your energy up. A low carbohydrate diet can lead to a lack of energy during exercise, early fatigue and delayed recovery.
Fibre
A diet rich in fibre will help us stay fuller for longer, keep our digestion healthy and reduces the likelihood of weight gain. Considering we are a population that doesn’t even meet half of our recommended fibre intake (30g per day), getting people to avoid grains – a major source of fibre just doesn’t make sense.
Rather than cutting carbs out, switch it to wholegrain versions. Whole wheat pasta has twice the fibre content of white pasta and is high in B vitamins, which are required to help us obtain energy from food.
Carbs Make Us Happy Even if you are sat behind a desk all day, not physically moving, your brain still requires fuel. Just like the rest of the body, the brain uses glucose (component of carbohydrate) as it’s main energy source. If you restrict your carbohydrate intake you will find it difficult to concentrate and may experience severe mood swings. Also, researchers suspect that carbs promote the production of serotonin, a feel-good brain chemical. Cutting Carbs Is Unsustainable Cutting carbs completely, (essentially what a ketone diet is) is firstly highly unsustainable and secondly, it’s a medical intervention which should only be used for specific health condition such as epilepsy. Although you may experience initial weight loss, most people are unable to maintain this which leads to the weight piling back on. A balanced diet, that practices portion control and physical activity will give you better results that can be sustained.
OTHER STORIES
FEEL THE (BOOTY) BURN
Not everyone is born with a naturally plump derrière... try these 4 moves to get a perky bum!
FUEL YOUR BOOTY WITH BREAKFAST
Try a few of our favourite booty building breakfast recipes to fuel up and get a butt like J-Lo!
WHY CARBS AREN'T THE ENEMY
Low carb diets were once hailed as the answer to fast track weight loss. Popular diets such as Atkins and South Beach have heightened the widespread misconception that all carbs are bad and cause weight gain.
By just being carb-conscious we can move away from Carbophobia and learn to provide our bodies with the right sort of carbohydrates that are packed with a variety of nutrients.
The general rule when choosing carbs…
• If they are natural and fibre rich (complex carb) they are good for you.
• If they are stripped of fibre (simple carbs) they aren’t really doing you any favours.
Complex Carbs
Wholegrain bread
Brown rice
Oats
Quinoa
Legumes
(beans, peas and lentils)
Fruits
Starchy vegetables
Simple Carbs
White Bread
Cake
Sweets
Chocolate
Fruit juices
Sugary drinks
Chips & Crisps
Whilst we should limit the amount of simple carbs we include in our diet, all foods can have a place in a healthy diet. No food has to be excluded to achieve ‘health’, it’s all about moderation.
Reasons to Love Carbs
Carbs = Fuel
Even the simplest tasks such as breathing require energy, so when it comes to exercising our muscles rely on carbohydrates as their main fuel. However, muscles have limited carbohydrates stores (glycogen) and they need to be topped up regularly to keep your energy up. A low carbohydrate diet can lead to a lack of energy during exercise, early fatigue and delayed recovery.
Fibre
A diet rich in fibre will help us stay fuller for longer, keep our digestion healthy and reduces the likelihood of weight gain. Considering we are a population that doesn’t even meet half of our recommended fibre intake (30g per day), getting people to avoid grains – a major source of fibre just doesn’t make sense.
Rather than cutting carbs out, switch it to wholegrain versions. Whole wheat pasta has twice the fibre content of white pasta and is high in B vitamins, which are required to help us obtain energy from food.
Carbs Make Us Happy Even if you are sat behind a desk all day, not physically moving, your brain still requires fuel. Just like the rest of the body, the brain uses glucose (component of carbohydrate) as it’s main energy source. If you restrict your carbohydrate intake you will find it difficult to concentrate and may experience severe mood swings. Also, researchers suspect that carbs promote the production of serotonin, a feel-good brain chemical. Cutting Carbs Is Unsustainable Cutting carbs completely, (essentially what a ketone diet is) is firstly highly unsustainable and secondly, it’s a medical intervention which should only be used for specific health condition such as epilepsy. Although you may experience initial weight loss, most people are unable to maintain this which leads to the weight piling back on. A balanced diet, that practices portion control and physical activity will give you better results that can be sustained.
- OTHER STORIES -
FEEL THE (BOOTY) BURN
Not everyone is born with a naturally plump derrière... try these 4 moves to get a perky bum!
FUEL YOUR BOOTY WITH BREAKFAST
Try a few of our favourite booty building breakfast recipes to fuel up and get a butt like J-Lo!