Good Carb, Bad Carb - Too Much of a Good Thing

Is the low carb diet craze ever going to end? Almost daily I hear someone say how carbohydrates are bad or they are only allowed 30g of carbohydrates a day. I worry about these people. Our brains function off of carbohydrates alone, needing approximately 100g of carbohydrates a day. That's not including the energy used for our muscles. So, knowing that we need carbohydrates for brain and muscular function, how did this "carbs are bad" begin?

One of the main problems with carbohydrates is the difficulty in controlling portion sizes. It is pretty easy to consume 2 cups of pasta at a meal (try it, measure it out). But 2 cups of pasta (without sauce) is close to 500 calories! Eating a meal of only carbohydrates does not provide much satiety. Have you ever noticed that after a meal of only carbs you are hungry about 2 hours later? This can be very frustrating if you are trying to lose weight.

Another challenge for those trying to manage their weight is that too many carbohydrates at one time can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels. Our bodies' respond by secreting insulin to bring blood sugar levels down. However, the ups and downs may actually lead to cravings for more carbohydrates. On the other hand, those low- diets are notorious for sugar/carb cravings. The point is not cut out carbohydrates completely, but balance and moderation is where you will find success!

How we best manage carbohydrate portion sizes is to include other food groups in your meals. Adding protein, healthy fats and vegetables will help to not only manage hunger levels but blood sugar levels as well. In addition to managing our portion sizes, we also need to look at the types of carbohydrate foods we are eating. Choose more fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy. Not necessarily because these type of carbohydrate are better, but because of all the extra nutrients these foods provide. They are loaded with all the B vitamins, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, C, D, and K (the list goes on).

Hopefully this helped to lift some of the fear of carbohydrates being bad. Carbohydrates are very much needed for our bodies to function appropriately. Just don't over do it!

Stay tuned for Good Carb Bad Carb: Processed vs Refined Grains!