Carbs make you fat. Carbs are so good for you. Both of these statements are found online and to some extent both are true. However what isn’t shown in these statements is the context in which they are being discussed. Sure, if you eat an XL pizza or bowls of Mac n Cheese everyday you’re bound to pile on a few pounds but we don’t need to tell you about moderation (hopefully). If you’re invested in your health enough to want your body to keep on going for as long as possible in the best way possible then you know what foods are ‘good’ and ‘bad’. However every so often someone likes to throw a spanner in the works to confuse us and question what we think we’ve known for our entire lives. The ‘Carb Theory’ as we’re calling it has been one of those spanners that just has not budged since appearing.
In an article by Eatingwell.com they have gone as far as to let you know 6 benefits of eating carbs from it putting you in a better mood due to the serotonin it helps produce to actually help you ‘blast fat’. But before you go reaching for those oven chips, it’s all about what TYPE of carb you’re having and how you’re eating it, FYI any carb that’s been deep friend is bad, even if it’s a ‘good’ carb. To make this as simple and clear as possible we’ve listed the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ carbs below. Taking that whole moderation thing into consideration this should help you understand carbs a little more and help you make the decision when you next decide to go on a carb fest!
Vegetables: Foods like broccoli contain carbohydrates which help keep your memory at it’s sharpest.
Fruit: These slowly release carbs into your body helping you maintain high energy levels for longer.
Legumes (lentils, pulses, beans etc): Good for your heart and can be responsible for lowering cholesterol.
Potatoes: Not only a great source of potassium and Vitamin C but have a whopping 15% fibre in the skin alone, so don’t go peeling it off in a hurry!
Whole Grains: Great source of Fibre and you don’t need to eat loads to feel full
Brown Bread: Can aid in fighting low moods or depression as it promotes serotonin production which is a ‘feel-good brain chemical’
Bad carbs are things like white bread, cakes, white pasta and rice because they have been processed therefore have been stripped of a lot of their goodness and lack a reasonable amount of fibre and nutrients.
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Image credits: Google