In order to lose weight, our bodies need carbohydrates, but we can reduce the amount of carbohydrates we consume to lose weight. Refined and processed carbohydrates are found in many foods, especially white bread and white flour. White pasta, white rice, and many snack foods also contain refined and processed carbohydrates.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently revised the food pyramid to emphasize whole grains over refined carbs.
As a result, many Americans are trying to shed those extra pounds. About 45% of women in the United States and 30% in the United Kingdom are trying to shed the extra pounds.
One way to lose weight is to follow a low-fat diet, but many Americans – a third of those trying to shed pounds – are cutting back on carbs to lose weight. Many find it easier to start weight loss on a low-carb diet.
Low Carbohydrate work too much of the food we eat today contains too many refined carbohydrates, and that can wreak havoc on our bodies and causes weight gain.
Carbohydrate
All carbohydrates, which include fruits, vegetables, pasta, grains, and bread contain sugar.
When you eat refined or processed carbohydrates, your body will quickly convert the sugar into glucose.
When you’ve eaten a large amount at one time, your body produces more glucose than it needs, and the excess is stored as fat.
Unrefined carbohydrates, such as whole grains, beans, and whole fruits and vegetables, contain fiber that helps your body. Absorb the food more slowly which results in less being stored as fat.
The hormone that transports glucose into the cells is insulin. When the body can’t handle the glucose in the blood anymore, it results in type 2 diabetes.
Most people will have an insulin response to a carbohydrate that causes them to gain weight easily when they eat too many of the wrong types of low carbohydrates.
The rest of us are genetically blessed and can eat what we want without gaining weight.
Thoughts or Reasons.
One reason low-carb diets seem to work is that they keep away hunger feelings longer than low-fat diets.
Eating more protein and controlling blood sugar levels help you feel fuller. Besides having a positive effect on blood sugar levels, low-carb diets also proved to lower the risk of heart disease.
An even better benefit of eating fewer carbs is a flatter stomach. Insulin causes fat to be stored in the belly, and belly fat is related to heart disease and diabetes. When you eat a diet that controls your insulin level, you will get a slimmer middle.
What is the minimum level?
We can’t leave out carbohydrates altogether, because we need Low carbohydrates for our brains. Otherwise, we lose concentration, we feel fatigued, and we experience mood swings.
The Institute of Medicine in Washington, D.C., which sets the daily intake of nutrients, advises getting 130 grams of carbohydrates daily. Americans are usually getting double or triple that amount.
The type of Low carbohydrate you eat is just as important as the amount. That is the reason why Americans are the fattest nation in the world. They are eating the wrong type of carbohydrate in the wrong amount.
The following guidelines will help you to choose the right carbs in the right amount to lose weight.
Limit your meals to 500 calories or less. Eating more than 500 calories in one meal will create an insulin response in the body that leads to weight gain.
Select Low-GI foods:
To lose weight and avoid type 2 diabetes, it’s better to select foods with a low glycemic index. Because they create a gradual rise in blood sugar.
Choose artichokes, peppers, apples, old-fashioned oatmeal, and kidney beans. Intermediate GI foods include sweet corn, rice, and beets.
Foods that have a high GI and that will make your blood sugar spike fast include: bagels, French fries, and mashed potatoes.
Look for lean cuts of meat London broil, top round, sirloin, and T-bone steaks are good options for a low-carb diet. Pair the steak with low-GI sides, like baked sweet potato and broccoli rabe, and you have a perfect low-carb dinner.
Eat the way Mother Nature intended Fat wouldn’t stand a chance if we avoided processed foods. And eating only the carbohydrates that Mother Nature gave us, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Mother Nature never made white rice or white pasta. So, choose brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, bread, and other whole grains, such as barley and oats.
Top your meal with a glass of wine or beer Wine has only 2 to 3 grams of carbohydrates in a glass.
In Conclusion:
Some experts believed beer contained maltose, sugar with the highest GI. But they’ve recently discovered that the brewing process eliminates maltose.
Twelve ounces of light beer only contains 6 grams of carbs while a can of regular beer carries about 13 grams of carbs.
Our body needs low carbohydrates, but to lose weight, we can cut down on carbohydrates. Especially the refined and processed carbs we find in white bread, white flour, white pasta, white rice, and many snack foods.
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See our other article, Eating a Low-Carb Diet and Keep It Tasty. Continue Reading >>
