FACT: Carbohydrates are one of the body’s main sources of energy and should be limited but not eliminated. Carbs generally fall into two broad categories: Simple carbs (sugars) and complex carbs (fiber and starches).
You already know that too much sugar is definitely bad for you for a bunch of reasons. That’s why it is a good idea to avoid the carbs that convert to sugar. Cakes, candy, sugary desserts, sweetened drinks, alcohol, and all those products made from refined grains that you buy in boxes should be limited in a healthy diet.
The good carbs primarily come from vegetables and fruits, which should figure prominently in any healthy diet.
So what kind of diet should you consider? I have been reading about diet a lot recently and it is amazing how many different opinions there are on this topic. I have already told you that I like the diet outlined in The 17 Day Diet. The Mediterranean Diet is another one that has been well-researched and provides many great health benefits and is worth considering, not just to lose weight but as an ongoing healthy lifestyle choice.
Diet Strategies
Recently the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on the effects of three popular diet strategies. Here is what they found.
Strategy 1: Low Fat/high carbohydrate diet (60% of calories from carbs, 20% from fat, 20% from protein)
Strategy 2: Low-glycemic diet (40% of calories from carbohydrates, 40% from fat, 20% from protein)
Strategy 3: Low Carbohydrate/high fat diet (10 of calories from carbs, 60% from fat, 30 % from protein)
The low carbohydrate/high fat diet had the best results. Those on the diet burned the most calories (lost the most weight!), resulted in the better insulin sensitivity, and had the best triglycerides score. And they lost an average of 10 pounds in 45 days.
The low fat/high carbohydrate diet performed the worst and resulted in changes in blood chemistry that left them more vulnerable to weight gain and other health issues. And it took this group 70 days (twice as long!) to lose 10 pounds.
Low Carb Does Not mean NO carb!
All carbs are not created equal. There has been a lot of recent research that shows both the value and the problems with carbs. Clearly, carbs are necessary for a healthy body – in moderation. The best carbs are found naturally in nature and should be found abundantly in our diets if we want to maintain or improve our health.
On the cautionary side, refined carbs should be limited. In fact, there is a good argument for limiting grains that convert to sugar and paying attention to the amount of fructose that you allow into your daily diet. (Even healthy fruit must be balanced.) If you want to read more on this subject, check out this low carb article by Dr. Joseph Mercola. He goes deeper into this topic and also includes a very helpful table that shows the amount of fructose in each kind of fruit. I was surprised by some of these!
To your health!
Gail Grieger
Check out the October Specials here!
You already know that too much sugar is definitely bad for you for a bunch of reasons. That’s why it is a good idea to avoid the carbs that convert to sugar. Cakes, candy, sugary desserts, sweetened drinks, alcohol, and all those products made from refined grains that you buy in boxes should be limited in a healthy diet.
The good carbs primarily come from vegetables and fruits, which should figure prominently in any healthy diet.
So what kind of diet should you consider? I have been reading about diet a lot recently and it is amazing how many different opinions there are on this topic. I have already told you that I like the diet outlined in The 17 Day Diet. The Mediterranean Diet is another one that has been well-researched and provides many great health benefits and is worth considering, not just to lose weight but as an ongoing healthy lifestyle choice.
Diet Strategies
Recently the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on the effects of three popular diet strategies. Here is what they found.
Strategy 1: Low Fat/high carbohydrate diet (60% of calories from carbs, 20% from fat, 20% from protein)
Strategy 2: Low-glycemic diet (40% of calories from carbohydrates, 40% from fat, 20% from protein)
Strategy 3: Low Carbohydrate/high fat diet (10 of calories from carbs, 60% from fat, 30 % from protein)
The low carbohydrate/high fat diet had the best results. Those on the diet burned the most calories (lost the most weight!), resulted in the better insulin sensitivity, and had the best triglycerides score. And they lost an average of 10 pounds in 45 days.
The low fat/high carbohydrate diet performed the worst and resulted in changes in blood chemistry that left them more vulnerable to weight gain and other health issues. And it took this group 70 days (twice as long!) to lose 10 pounds.
Low Carb Does Not mean NO carb!
All carbs are not created equal. There has been a lot of recent research that shows both the value and the problems with carbs. Clearly, carbs are necessary for a healthy body – in moderation. The best carbs are found naturally in nature and should be found abundantly in our diets if we want to maintain or improve our health.
On the cautionary side, refined carbs should be limited. In fact, there is a good argument for limiting grains that convert to sugar and paying attention to the amount of fructose that you allow into your daily diet. (Even healthy fruit must be balanced.) If you want to read more on this subject, check out this low carb article by Dr. Joseph Mercola. He goes deeper into this topic and also includes a very helpful table that shows the amount of fructose in each kind of fruit. I was surprised by some of these!
To your health!
Gail Grieger
Check out the October Specials here!
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