Don't believe the hype!! Carbohydrates are great for you!!

Yes, I said it. Carbohydrates are great! Don't believe the hype that carbohydrates are bad for you. In fact, it's the most important macro-nutrient in our diet. Our primary source of fuel comes from carbohydrates. At least 1/2 of our daily caloric needs should consist of carbohydrates. That is why carbohydrate rich foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains) take up about 2/3 of the food guide pyramid. The reason why we hear that carbohydrates are bad is mainly because many of the foods are processed and it's also very easy to over consume. Here are some tips that will help you become more conscious about carbohydrates and why we need it as part of our daily eating habits.

- Choose whole grain products: According to the Food Guide Pyramid, we need around 8-12 servings of carbohydrates per day, in which at least 2/3 of it should be whole grains, although I recommend it should all be whole grains. The best way to find out if a food is whole grain is to look at the ingredients. The first and/or second ingredient should be whole wheat flour.

- Keep your carbohydrates as natural as possible: Try not to incorporate too much packaged foods in your diet and add more fresh produce, whole grain pastas, and rice. You get a better source of vitamins/minerals and minimize processed ingredients.

- Learn to read ingredients in packaged goods: Some good foods do come packaged, such as cereals and breads. The first 3 to 4 ingredients are very important, and are listed as the most abundant to the least abundant. Focus on main ingredients like whole wheat flour and keep away from ones that say "enriched flour". That's another word for processed flour. Also, if the first 3 ingredients contain sugar, the product is too sugary.

- Daily carbohydrate needs should be 45-55% of total calories: At least 1/2 of calories should be carbs. The brain alone needs about 120 grams of carbs in order to do it's normal function. When you choose the low carb way, the brain will be affected and you can lose focus, become moody, and increase any future risk of brain related disease ( ex: dementia, Alzheimers). That's why I do not recommend these fad diets, like Atkins. The most important time to have carbs is breakfast, pre-workout, and post-workout. It's your main source of fuel and it will help jump start your work day. It will also help you fuel before and after a workout. Think of your energy stores as a fuel tank. When you wake up in the morning, it was probably 10-12 hrs since your last meal. Therefore, your fuel tank is about 1/3 full. That's why breakfast is the most important meal, because if you skip it, you're starting your day with an almost empty fuel tank. So, that could mean a sluggish, tired day and more than likely you can overeat. If you want to lighten up on the carbs, eliminate it at dinner time. We do not use much energy in our "down time", but get your carbs in when you wake up on the next morning.

- Keep you carbohydrates low in refined sugar and high in fiber: Refined sugars are only found in packaged products and sweets, like pastries and other desserts. Although cereals are important in our diet, many of them have way too much sugar. When you look at the food label, the sugar amount should be no higher than 10 grams per serving. The lower the better. If you like it sweet, add fruit (berries, banana) with your low sugar cereal. Keep refined sugar to as low as possible and no higher than 30 grams per day. If you have a sweet tooth, get your sugars from fruits. With regard to fiber, keep all foods with at least 2 grams of fiber. Normally foods containing whole wheat flour as the first ingredient will contain a high amount of fiber. We should have at least 30-35 grams of fiber per day. However, if you are going to increase your fiber intake, do it slowly. If you increase too fast, it will cause discomfort to your stomach. Increase a few grams per day. A high fiber diet promote healthy bowel movement and lower risks of colon cancer.

- Watch the serving size!! It is very easy to over consume on carbohydrates, especially pastas and rice. One cup of cooked pasta is about 180 calories and one cup of rice is 220 calories. Remember, one cup is only 8 oz!! It is very easy to consume twice the amount in one sitting. So, if you're watching your weight, use a measuring cup.



If you follow these rules, you can incorporate carbohydrates in your diet, in a healthy way. Remember, the more natural the food, the better. If you have questions, feel free to ask on my facebook page or email me at shadi@getfitwithshadi.com.