 You
may think after all of the talk lately about carb reduction that you need
to avoid eating carbohydrates. But the exact opposite is the case. The kinds
of carbohydrates you get from fruits and vegetables are a necessary basis
of your daily diet. Instead of helping you "pack on the pounds,"
they actually help you to burn fat. They are also a major source of fuel for
your body; especially your muscles, brain and nervous system.
Carbs occur as two types: simple and complex. They are broken
down into glucose, or blood sugar, which is metabolized by your body for energy.
Glucose that is not immediately used is stored in your muscles as glycogen,
but if your body has an excess of glycogen, it can be converted into fat.
However, because carbs prime your metabolism, you need them in order to burn
fat. This is one of the major reasons you must not starve yourself and eat
too few carbs. You must eat a good intake of complex carbs, such as those
found in fruits and veggies.
Simple carbs, such as those found in candies and sweets, and
also fruit, are turned into glucose quickly. These are the kind which can
add to your weight problem. Complex carbs, such as those found in brown rice,
veggies, legumes (peas, beans and lentils), and whole grains breads and cereals
are digested and thus used at a much slower rate, giving your body time to
prime its metabolism.
There are four calories in each and every gram of carbohydrate. Nutritionists
say that 50% of your diet should consist of complex carbs. Simple carbs are
high in calories and low in vitamins and minerals. These are the so-called "empty
calories" that you find in sodas, deserts and other such sweets, and to
some extent in fruits - especially fruit juices and fruit juice drinks. You
should instead be getting your major carb intake from whole fruits, whole grains
and vegetables.
Good high carb veggies are peas, peppers, pumpkin, radishes, spinach, squash,
succotash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and turnips. Succotash, sweet potatoes and
green cooked peas are amongst the highest in carbs. You need several servings
per day of complex carb foods such as these to maintain your energy levels and
keep you from getting those "sluggish" feelings that make you feel
sick and tired.
By eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day, you will
be boosting your health through better carb consumption. The National Cancer
Institute recommends that you have fruit juice, or better yet fresh fruit, every
day for breakfast. You should have a fresh fruit or vegetable snack every day.
You need to stock up on dried, frozen and canned fruits and veggies. You must
make these foods visible and easy to access throughout your daily routine. Moreover,
you have to "sample the delicious spectrum" when it comes to the many
different colors and varieties of fruits and vegetables.
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