Remember when carbohydrates were nothing to worry about? We ate jsut about anything we wanted. You simply could not go wrong by eating carbs and they were the staple of most of our diets. Thanks to the wild popularity of the Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, and other low carbohydrate diets, we have been brain washed and led to believe that carbohydrates are “bad”.
What exaclty are carbohydrates, also known as carbs? Carbohydrates are any large group of compounds(include sugars, starch,and cellulose) which contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are made up of sugars and starches, which provide energy for humans and animals, and cellulose which make up many plant structures.
Carbohydrates are claimed to be the culprit of unflattering flab and a large cause of the obesity epidemic. White bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods, may definitely increase weight gain and cause you not to loose the unwanted pounds.
On the other hand, not all carbohydrates are bad. Whole grains, beans, fruit, vegetables, and other sources of intact carbohydrates just to the opposite. They promote good health and keep our bodies on track to shed those unwanted pounds. Do not be misled by the dangers of carbohydrates. They are an important part of a healthy diet.
When trying to diet, which we all have tried at least once in our lives, choose good carbs, not no carbs. Many popular diets treat carbs as if they are just plain evil and the root of all body fat and excess weight. This was true for the original Atkins diet, which became widely popular in promoting the no-carb approach to dieting. There is evidence that shows that a low-carbohydrate diet may help people lose weight more quickly than just an ordinary low fat diet. Unfortunately, that this diet is short lived. Once you cut out all carbs completely, you will drop weight. It is something you can not do forever. Once you start to bring back carbs to your diet, you will gain weight back. Carbs are needed in your diet, so add good carbs to your diet.
Adding good carbs is not hard to do and is very satisfying. Get your grains intact from foods such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and other types that a lot of people are not very familiar with like quinoa, whole oats, and bulgur. Your mainstream grocery stores are all carrying these products to help promote good healthy eating. You do not have to shop at a fancy organice supermarket and pay double the price.
To make a lifestyle change, we all have to make changes. It is so much easier to buy products that are heart healthy and good for your whole body. There really is no excuse of why you can not add whole grains and good carbs to your diet. In the long run, you will feel better, look better, and be glad you did. So remember, choose wisely. Carbs are not bad, if you choose the right ones.
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