Health and Fitness: What Kinds of Carbs Should I Eat?

By Thom Seehafer

Some people might believe that there are only two types of carbohydrates out there, Simple and Complex, but actually, there is a third one. It’s called Dietary Fiber and it is included sometimes in the complex carb category.

Let’s talk about dietary fiber.  Another name for this is "roughage" or “rabbit food”  The roughage comes from different parts on the plants that we cannot digest.  It is called “fiber” because it is both soluble and insoluble.  The soluble fiber is able to be broken down to provide us with energy.You can find this in many fruits, vegetables , most of your leafy greens, apples and pears, just to name a few.  The insoluble fiber is usually found in whole grain cereals, breads and rice and it does NOT provide energy and cannot be digested.

To increase the amount of fiber in your diet, try starting each day with a high-fiber cereal or substitute a sugary snack with the dry cereal.

The complex carbs are the good boys in this whole group. They provide the body with the best fuel possible.  They also maintain their natural water content, fibers, vitamins and minerals.  They help you feel more satisfied after eating.  Foods high in fiber contain complex carbs and the good thing about this is that these carbs break down in a slower manner, thereby giving us a steadier blood sugar level throughout the day,  and in return, you feel less hungry and irritable.

These should be included as part of your daily eating program.  "Ahhh, but what should I eat?" you ask. How about fresh fruit like apricots, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries or vegetables, legumes and grains?

You can also consume non-starchy vegetables – and what are these, you ask?  Let me take some of the guesswork out of the equation for you.  Believe it or not, there are many veggies out there that are low in carbohydrates. These include asparagus, green beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, greens, leeks, mushrooms, onions, peppers, radishes, just to name a few.  

The simple carbs are the “bad boys” in the group.  These types primarily have most if not all the nutrition removed from them.  Overindulging of this type, more commonly referred to as processed foods, will leave your body unsatisfied which can lead to overeating.  The can throw your insulin and blood sugar levels off.  If you blood sugar drops too low, this will cause the hunger to appear, and when that happens, WATCH OUT!!!  The food monster rears its ugly head.

It’s true our body needs sugar as fuel, but only to a certain point.  Any extra will be turned into fat, and you don’t want that to happen now, do you?

So once again:

Good Carbs (YAAAAYYYY!!!)

Vegetables            Fruits           Legumes           Nuts and seeds            Whole grains

Bad Carb Foods (BOOOOOO!)

Most baked goods – sorry!! : (cookies, cake, pies, etc.)

White bread           Pastas           Soda                 Candy       Fruit juices

And there ya have it, food for thought!

Thom Seehafer is a martial artist, body-builder and part-owner of Body Solutions Rx.

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