The Truth About Carbs:Lose Weight By Cutting Carbs

Carbs have received so much bad press lately that even if you’re not on the Atkins’ diet you’ll stay miles away from them. But how bad are carbohydrates? What’s the truth about carbs? Read on to find out.

1. Carbs are not evil
Carbohydrates are actually a vital nutrient that your body needs to be healthy. Cutting carbs out totally is a bad idea. Carbs are essential in order for the body to have energy. That is why the US Government Diet Guidelines and the World Health Organization say that 50 to 55% of your calories should come from carbohydrates.
In moderation, carbs actually help you lose weight. They’re full of fiber so they keep you feeling full for longer and help you overcome the urge to snack on junk food.
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2. Watch what you add to carbs
Carbs by themselves aren’t that harmful. Carbs actually have fewer calories than fat or alcohol. When you add loads of butter to bread or a creamy sauce to your pasta, it’s the fat that’s to blame. Eating just that slice of bread or pasta will probably add fewer inches to your waist. So the next time you’re on a diet think of the stuff you might be adding to carbs that you need to watch out for.

3. Know your carbs
Carbohydrates are of two kinds. First you have starches or complex carbohydrates, such as those found in potatoes or pasta. The second type is in the form of sugars found in fruits and vegetables.
The carbohydrates found in manufactured foods (like cookies, cakes, soft drinks, icing sugar and ice cream) are refined sugars and you need to stay away from them. They have “empty calories” meaning that they make you pile on the pounds without giving you any nutrition.

4. Add “good carbs” to your diet
Now that you know that not all carbs are bad, which are the ones you need to add to your diet? Here’s a short list:
1.Bread (swap white bread for brown bread)
2.Pasta and Noodles (swap regular pasta for whole wheat)
3.Cereals (have whole grain cereals instead of frosted or sugar coated ones)
4.Rice (use wild rice or brown rice instead of white)
5.Potatoes (bake potatoes instead of frying them)
6.Beans and Lentils (add them to your pasta, veggies or rice)
7.Oats (use them in cereals or home baked cookies)

Knowing the truth about carbs will let you see how they can help you lose weight in a safe and healthy way, provided you eat them in moderation and have a regular exercise plan. So, here’s to healthy slimming!