What are healthy carbohydrates?
What’s on your plate?
Is there lean protein, vegetables, and Healthy Carbs? You are what you eat, and your results are determined by what you eat. If you don’t have a balanced diet, then your results will not be as good. The type of protein also makes a difference! Choose lean protein such as fish or chicken, healthy carbs like potatoes and seeds (not bread), and any vegetables are good. Portion size makes all the difference – if you are eating too many calories, even healthy, you will not lose weight.
So, what are Healthy Carbohydrates?
By now, most of us have heard that carbohydrates are an essential fuel for the body and are necessary for it to function efficiently, but it is also essential to choose healthy carbs to reap their benefits.
Benefits of eating Healthy Carbohydrates:
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Provide your body with the fuel/energy
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Help you feel satisfied
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Keep your blood sugar levels and bowel movements regular
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Reduce your risk of developing certain diseases
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Provide your body with essential vitamins and minerals
Types of Healthy Carbohydrates
There are simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates:
Simple carbs hit the bloodstream very quickly, causing a rapid rise in blood glucose and usable energy; these are present in foods like sweets, carbonated beverages, fruit juice, table sugar, honey, etc.
Complex carbs take longer to break down, slowing the digestion process and having a more gradual effect on increasing the blood sugar; these are present in foods like whole fruit, vegetables, whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal, legumes, etc.
Carbohydrates are also present in both healthy and unhealthy foods such as bread, beans, milk, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti, soft drinks, corn and cherry pie. You need to be mindful of the quantity and kind of carbohydrates that are consumed.
One of Chris’s healthy carb meals is pictured of salmon, potatoes (white and sweet) and tender stem broccoli.
Tips for adding Healthy Carbohydrates to your diet
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Start the day with whole grains – try a hot cereal, like Ready brek or old-fashioned oats (not instant oatmeal), or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list and is low in sugar.
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Fill most of your plate with healthy carbohydrates – with vegetables (except potatoes) and fruits taking up about half of your plate, and whole grains filling up about one-fourth of your plate.
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Choose whole-food-based carbs (complex carbohydrates) typically higher in fibre and other nutrients than refined choices; these are present in whole grain foods such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta, fruits, vegetables, pulses, milk, and yogurt. These foods are high in fibre and nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.
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Refined carbs often consist of mostly white flour and/or sugar, eating too many of these carbs may result in a spike in blood sugar and quite often, they do not offer much in the nutrition department. These foods are made with processed and refined sugars and do not have vitamins, minerals or fibre.
So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and fuel your body efficiently!
