Good Carbs, Bad Carbs?

There are lots of weight loss plans that promote “good carbs”, which one is right for you?

The word “Carbohydrate” means Carbon with Water, and foods that have carbohydrate content are an important part of our eating habits - it is thought that carbohydrate foods are the most widely eaten foods in the world.

Along with protein, fibre, fat and vitamins, carbohydrates provide an essential part of our diet, largely because they are easily turned into energy. The simplest carbohydrate is glucose, which is essential for the healthy functioning of the brain. Fluctuating glucose levels is one of the reasons we put on weight, which is why such attention has been paid to the types of carbohydrates we eat (Good Carbs above).

The Glycemic Index (GI) classifies foods on the effect they have on our glucose levels. The foods that have low GI values are those that release their energy into the bloodstream slowly, and these are the ones that are deemed to be better for us. Many of our everyday carbohydrates do not have a low GI value. This is because many of them are made with refined ingredients, so white bread, flour, rice and pasta all have higher GI values than their unrefined counterparts. These low GI carbohydrates are known as Good Carbs (example of obvious Bad Carbs below).

The other thing to consider when you are looking at including carbohydrates in your slimming plan is that you can get good carbohydrates much more easily than you think. Choosing brown rice, wholegrain breads, new or sweet potatoes and grains such as rye or barley can all contribute to your good carb intake.

There are a lot of slimming programmes that encourage a low carbohydrate intake. Because the right carbohydrates are so important to your diet, you need to consider seriously if these are the right types of diet for you. Often you will need to take supplements to replace the nutrients that you’re missing by cutting out the carbohydrates and it is far better, in the long run, to eat from a balanced range of foods that promotes your health as well as helping you to lose weight.

We know so much more now about the foods we eat and how they react with our bodies, that it should be easy for us all to eat healthily and maintain a natural weight. Unfortunately, the benefits of eating well can’t compete with the marketing powers of those companies who sell us fast, junk or processed food and we need to have the willpower to avoid the foods that are bad for us and concentrate our slimming plan efforts on those foods that will help us to achieve our aims.

Contact SureSlim now to find your nearest Weight Loss Clinic