Benefits of Carbohydrates in the Diet and Good Carbs vs. Bad Carbs

 

First of all, I would like to kick Dr. Atkins in the bum for making people think that carbs are evil, because they aren’t.

 

Second, I would like to tell you that carbs are your FRIEND!! Without carbs, you’ll lack energy, become cranky, hungry, irritable, and have brain fog.

 

1. They provide energy! Your body uses carbs as it’s main fuel source.

2. They protect against disease. Studies have shown that whole grains and dietary fiber from whole grains may protect against obesity and type 2 diabetes. Plus, the fiber in carbs will help your digestion!

3. Weight control. Eating carbs like fruits, veggies and whole grains can help you control your weight due to the high fiber content.

4. Benefit muscle tissue. Having carbs after your workout is actually GREAT for helping your muscles repair. This is the only time that I would recommend fast digesting carbs in the form of sugar. Chocolate milk is great, but my preferred post workout drink is either Shakeology or Results and Recovery. I save the Results and Recovery for those super tough workouts where I can barely make it to my blender to make a smoothie.

 

OK. So we know that carbs are GOOD! Yay!! But what kinds of carbs? Here are my yes and no carb lists. The no list should be rarely consumed!

 

Brown rice

Wild rice

Quinoa

Oatmeal

Whole grains (make sure it’s 100% whole grain, NOT whole wheat!)

Sweet potatoes

Veggies (LOTS OF THEM!)

Fruits (in moderation…about 3 servings/day)

Beans

Lentils

 

 

 

White rice/bread/pasta

Sugar

Soda

Sweets (Cakes, cookies, donuts, etc)

 

 

 

So how many carbs do you need? I recommend going over to myfitnesspal.com where you can input your calorie goals and then they’ll help you figure out how many carbs your body needs, based on your calorie goal. The average person should consume 45-65% of their daily calories from carbs!