Carbohydrates - Good or Bad Diet Foods?
Posted on 20. Apr, 2012 by Laura in Weight Management
Dieters often get confused about carbohydrates. You want to lose weight so are carbs foods you should eat or foods you should avoid on a diet? Diets like the Atkins Diet have made popular the removal of carbs from weight loss diets. But what is a healthy diet and should carbohydrates be part of one?
Find out about 4 foods you should definitely be leaving out of our diet plan by watching this video:
Carbohydrates or carbs are where the body gets most of its energy from and so should never be entirely removed from your diet. But not all carbs are alike:
Good carbs
- Good carbs are also known as complex carbohydrates
- They are a good source of energy as your body burns calories whilst breaking them down and they provide energy over a longer period
- Good carbs include whole grain cereals, brown rice and legumes
Bad carbs
- Bad carbs are also known as simple carbohydrates
- Unlike good carbs these will give you a rush of energy followed by a slump making you feel the need to eat again
- Bad carbs include white rice, sugary cereals and candy
Good carbs are lower on the glycemic scale than bad carbs so if you want to know more detail about which foods are which then take a look at the glycemic index.
But a simple way to make sure you are eating the right foods is to stick to natural unprocessed foods such as wholegrain cereals, bread, pasta and rice, lean meats and fresh fruit and vegetables.
Advice from the American Dietetic Association advises that a simple way to ensure you are getting the right balance of food is to control your portion sizes - take your plate and split it into four equal quarters. Fruit and vegetables should cover half, protein one quarter and carbohydrates the final quarter.
A fat burner and appetite suppressant such as Phen375 can be a useful supplement to your diet. It helps to reduce hunger levels and cravings, making those bad carbs easier to stay away from as well as increasing the number of calories your body burns.
