Are you a carbophobic? Do you love the taste of rice and pasta but you are too scared to add it back into your diet? Is having bread a pure indulgence.
Don't you think we have all gone a little too far when it comes to eating carbohydrates? Most people have very little knowledge about how important carbs are in your diet. Here a five fantastic guilt free ways to have your carbohydrates and eat them too.
1. Only eat complex instead of simple carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates (such as full grains, nuts and seed, fruit and vegetables) have the advantage of converting into glucose slowly. When you eat simple carbohydrates (such as flour, sugar, rice, pasta and most bread) your body converts the carbohydrate into glucose all at once causing your blood sugar levels to raise and fall very quickly.
This has the effect of pulling your energy levels down and increasing your craving for more carbohydrates. Try changing your white or wholemeal bread for full grain bread such as Burgen soy and linseed bread.
2. Always eat a small amount of protein with your carbs
Eating protein such as dairy, fish, lean chicken and red meat, eggs or vegetarian protein such as legumes and pulses, will slow to release of carbohydrates into the body. Protein has the advantage of burning very slowly. Eating carbohydrates and protein in combination it will help slow the release of the whole meal.
3. Try using supplements such as Cogent DB, chromium or vitamin B-complex
Cogent DB (available at your pharmacy) is a carbohydrate metaboliser that is a blend of nine natural herbs that work together to help your body burn carbohydrates and unlock energy. The product helps control blood sugar levels and stimulates digestion, allowing you to make the most of the carbohydrates you eat, rather than storing them as fat.
Chromium has the advantage of helping balance your blood sugars levels therefore reducing sugar cravings. Vitamin B-complex helps to metabolism carbohydrates faster.
4. Eat carbohydrates when you are active
Carbohydrate are the body's energy food, so it is very important to eat them when you are going to be at your most active so you can burn then. If your body does not burn the excess carbohydrate through activity, you will store them as fat.
5. Use the glycaemic index (GI) when choosing carbs
The glycaemic index scores foods depending on the rate at which they are released. The higher the score the faster the carbohydrates will be released. For example, French baguettes have a GI of 95 as opposed to Burgen soy and linseed bread, which as a GI of 36. To find out more, go to the glycaemic index website at www.glycemicindex.com.
Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Founder of Nutritional Edge has long been passionate about the food in our lives. A nutritionist (Diploma of Nutrition, Sydney) and internationally trained chef (Le Cordon Bleu School, London), Zoe helps people embrace the benefits of food through education and has worked in the South of France showing clients the culinary delights of the area..
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