High-sugar fare might be the first thing to leave a dieter's plate, but complex carbohydrates can be a boon for weight loss. Found in foods such as grains, legumes, tubers and starchy root vegetables, complex carbohydrates consist of multiple sugar molecules that the body must break down before using as energy. In contrast to simple sugars, complex carbohydrates digest slowly, providing sustained energy and long-lasting satiation. Integrating complex carbohydrates into your menu is a healthful way to slay hunger and lose weight.
Step 1
Replace foods high in simple carbohydrates---such as candy, cookies and sugar-laden desserts---with items rich in complex carbohydrates. Because complex carbohydrates require more time to digest, they provide longer-lasting fullness than simple sugars do, helping you avoid the hunger that lingers after eating sweets. As a result, you'll be less tempted to eat more calories than you need.
Step 2
Base your meals on complex carbohydrates rather than calorie-dense items like meat. As the Mayo Clinic states, complex carbohydrates provide a high degree of volume for the number of calories they yield---letting you consume a greater quantity of food without sabotaging your diet.
Step 3
Choose carbohydrates-based snacks high in dietary fiber to curb your appetite at mealtime. According to a study published in the October 2007 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, high-fiber snacks satiate hunger and lead to a lower calorie intake during subsequent meals. By selecting snacks rich in complex carbohydrates---such as whole grain crackers, bran muffins or low-sugar cereal bars---you can stay satiated and reduce the total number of calories you consume, leading to weight loss.
Step 4
Consume minimally processed complex carbohydrates in place of refined varieties, such as whole-wheat bread instead of white bread and brown rice instead of white rice. According to the Mayo Clinic, unrefined carbohydrates---particularly whole grains---contain more fiber than their processed counterparts, helping you feel full with fewer calories.
Step 5
Avoid complex carbohydrates prepared with energy-dense ingredients such as oil. Although foods like potato chips, french fries and hash browns contain complex carbohydrates, their high fat content packs a hefty dose of calories---making these foods more likely to help you gain weight than to lose it. Reading nutritional labels and ingredient lists can help you determine the contents of a particular food.
Tips and Warnings
- To increase satiation and reduce your calorie intake during meals, combine complex carbohydrates with high-fiber, low calorie vegetables.
- Although complex carbohydrates tend to be filling, overeating them---as with any food---can lead to weight gain. Monitor your calorie intake if you are not achieving the weight loss you desire.
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