Our body needs 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.
The USDA changed the old food pyramid and replaced it with one that emphasizes whole grains over refined carbohydrates. In the mean time, Americans are trying to lose those extra pounds. In the US about 45% of women and 30% of men are trying to slim down.
A low-fat diet is one way to drop the pounds, but today, many Americans – one-third of those who are trying to lose weight – are cutting the number of carbs they eat in order to slim down. And many find it easier to jump-start weight loss on a low-carb diet.
How carbohydrates work
To much of our food we eat today contains too much refined carbohydrates, and that can wreak havoc in our bodies and causes weight gain.
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 any more, it results in type 2 diabetes.
Most people will have an insulin response to carbohydrates that causes to gain weight easily when we eat too many of the wrong type of carbohydrates. The rest of us are genetically blessed and can eat what they want without gaining weight.
One reason low-carb diets seems to work is that it keeps away the hunger feeling 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 off 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 all together, because we need carbohydrates for our brain. 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 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 carbohydrates in the wrong amount.
The following guide lines 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 change if we avoided processed foods and ate 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 and 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. Some experts believed beer contained maltose, a sugar with the highest GI, but they’ve recently discovered that the brewing process eliminates the maltose. Twelve ounces of light beer actually only contains 6 grams of carbs while a can of regular beer carries about 13 grams of carbs.