Carbohydrates are the ideal nutrients to supply the body with energy, maintain the health of the digestive system, feed the brain, nervous system and even keep you lean. If weight loss is your goal, avoiding carbohydrates is counterproductive to your success. All carbohydrates are not created equal. Complex carbohydrates contain starch and fiber and are put to good use in the body, while simple carbohydrates are converted to sugars and are less valuable to your health. Focus your carbohydrate consumption on whole-grain products and eat a balanced, healthy diet to lose weight and remain healthy.
Step 1
Control your total caloric intake and eat a healthy diet centered around a balance of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, dairy and healthy fats.
Step 2
Eat single-ingredient carbohydrate items such as oatmeal, brown rice and potatoes in place of foods such as instant oatmeal, white rice or macaroni and cheese.
Step 3
Eat 8 oz. of whole-grain products daily. Eat brown rice and whole wheat pasta instead of refined varieties.
Step 4
Substitute whole wheat and oat flour in dishes that call for refined flour. Add half the amount of whole wheat and oat flour for foods such as pancakes and cakes that require more leavening.
Step 5
Replace croutons on your salad with whole-grain, ready-to-eat cereal.
Step 6
When choosing food products, check the nutrition label. Distinguish between a complex and simple carbohydrate by looking for fiber content. Choose products with a higher percentage daily value (DV%) of fiber. Check food labels and choose products with "whole oats", "whole wheat", and "oatmeal" listed as the first ingredient in the label.
Step 7
Begin an exercise program to burn calories and maintain overall health.
Tips and Warnings
- Enter your height, weight and activity level on the MyPyramid website to determine your specific caloric needs. According to MyPyramid, you can get 1 oz. of whole grain from one slice of bread, 1 cup of cereal and ½ cup of cooked brown rice. Whole-grain products are any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain product. Refined grains include white bread, white flour and white rice. Refined grains are processed to remove the bran and germ component of the whole grain. This process also reduces dietary fiber, iron and some B vitamins.
References
- "Nutrition Concepts and Controversies 11th edition;" Frances Sizer, Eleanor Whitney; 2008
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: What foods are in the grain group?
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