Carbohydrate foods are consumed largely by people in their diet. Plenty of foods that we eat have carbohydrates in them that can cause weight gain. But is rich carbs diet always related to weight gain? The answer is no, it does not. Carbohydrates are more than just bread, pizza and some fancy stuff that you usually consider unhealthy. Even dairy products such as milk and butter are made of carbohydrates that provide you with essential nutrients in the body. Like-wise there are many other misconceptions in the mind of people about effect of rich carbohydrates diet on your health which must be corrected. Today we will debunk some myths about consumption of diet rich in carbohydrates and related facts.
Carbohydrates Rich Food Benefits
We spoke to Clinical Nutritionist Ms. Shilpa Singh to know further about rich carbohydrate diet and its effect on your health. She says like most type of nutrition, carbohydrates can also have a negative effect on body if taken in excessive quantity. However they are also an essential component to provide energy and help in digestive functions. Carbohydrates diet can affect weight loss if taken in balances amount and with correct components. According to Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, dietary fibre that is present in whole grains, fruits and many vegetables are necessary to maintain weight and provide with heart health benefits.
Carbohydrate Diet Myths And Facts
Myth-1 Only Potatoes, bread, pasta are considered carbs
Carbohydrates are of two types simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are found in fruits, and vegetables which are healthy but they are also present in grains, cakes, and baked products that could be harmful for the body. On the other hand complex carbs are found in whole grains, pasta, legumes, potatoes and some starchy vegetables. There are more beneficial for your body as these carbs help you in your metabolism. Hence it is not true that carbs are just limited to 3-4 items.
Myth-2 Carbohydrates are unhealthy
False, not all carbs are unhealthy. In fact most weight loss diet recommend considering moderate about of carbohydrates in diet. You need to be careful that you choose unrefined carbs that are present in whole grains and contains fibre. This can help you digest food easily and sustain energy for future growth. All carbs contain a certain amount of fibre in them, once this is lost, it is hard to sustain metabolism. Whole grains present in complex carbs won’t affect your weight loss and can help you gain healthy body.
Also Read- 7 Health Conditions That Can Cause Sudden Weight Loss
Myth-3 Carbs do not contain fibre
Many people believe that carbs do not have fibre in them which is not true. On the contrary, carbohydrates contain good amount of dietary fibre that are crucial for digestive functions in the body. fibre is actually a carbohydrate but it does not break down into sugar therefore it helps the sugar levels in the body stable. Our body needs dietary fibre that is present in unrefined carbs to reduce risk of heart attack, diabetes, and certain types of cancers.
Myth-4 Carbs Cause Weight Gain
Some carbs can whereas some do not. Nutrition which you get from complex carbohydrates help you to lose weight but if you have more simple carbs in your diet it can even cause weight gain. The major reason behind weight gain is loss of fibre content in complex carbs that results to increase in appetite and more calorie intake. A key factor here is that you need to have fibre rich diet in order to boost your metabolism which otherwise can lead to weight gain easily.
Myth-5 Carbohydrate rich diet contains high sugar
If you are worries about the presence of sugar in carbohydrate diet then you need to look for foods that contain natural sugar. Fruits containing carbs are absolutely safe and are have natural sugar that does not harm your body. Whole wheat bread, cookies, cakes, and other snacks can break down sugar in the body that causes spike in blood sugar levels. Hence nutritionist recommends having more fruits and dietary fibre in the diet while taking carbs to reduce sugar breakdown in body. Excess sugar in the carbs can cause belly fat and affect your metabolism.
Myth-6 All carbohydrate foods contain gluten
This is not necessarily true. It is because there are many carbohydrates that do not have gluten content in them. This misconception often occurs because majority of people consider bread, pasta and other grains to be the only carbohydrate foods. Even though some of simple carbs have gluten in them, the unrefined carbohydrate foods do not have gluten.
You need to be careful while choosing your diet if you are sensitive to gluten rich foods. Gluten can be present in carbs that include dressing, deli meats and sauces which are harmful for your health. Try to have these foods that are gluten free-
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Legumes
- Fruits
- Green vegetables
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Myth-7 Rich Carbohydrate Diet makes you Sluggish
No it does not. It is just a misconception that having to many carbs will make you feel sluggish or tired. It does not happen so, the portion size can affect your body sometimes but it is not related about carbohydrates in your diet. Any other foods can also make you feel unproductive if you have it in more quantity.
Also Read- Here’s How To Suppress Appetite Naturally With These Remedies
Myth-8 You should not eat carbs before exercise
Choosing the right carbs won’t land you into troubles. This is partially true misconception about eating carbohydrate rich diet. When you are trying to lose weight, you need to have right amount and type of carbs in your diet. Some complex carbs can boost your metabolism and aid weight loss journey. Carbohydrates are an essential nutrient in diet of athletes or people trying to improve their performance. It helps to boost your energy levels and improve training skills. Nutritionist suggests having 70-80 grams of whole grain food two hours prior to workout. This can be helpful for your health.
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