The Skinny on Good Carbohydrates

The Skinny on Good Carbohydrates By Denny Phillips

Choosing a carbohydrate-friendly diet can be confusing. There are good carbs and bad carbs. There are simple carbs and complex carbs. Should I choose a low-carb diet or a no carb-diet? What are good carbohydrates anyways and why should I include them in my diet plan?

Good carbs generally refer to those foods such as vegetables, whole fruits, gains and beans (which are unrefined carbohydrates). They contain a great deal of fiber which can help you keep your blood sugar at the proper levels. Other benefits of the fiber contained in these foods include regulating your digestion processes, lowering your cholesterol levels, and decreasing the risk of certain types of cancer.

Eating the good carbs and fiber can also help in your dieting plan. Fiber allows for better digestion of the food you eat and helps you to feel full longer. This can help you feel less hungry and help keep your cravings at bay. In other words, eating fiber can help prevent over-eating, which can be a major benefit when you are trying to lose weight.

Increasing the amount of good carbs in your diet can make a real difference when you are trying to lose weight. The average person typically does not take in enough dietary fiber in their daily foods. If you are trying to lose weight, it is a good idea to take in at least 25-30 grams of fiber per day.

The most beneficial fiber comes from carbs from unrefined foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables (not from processed foods). For example, it is better to eat whole grain bread than white bread. Also it would be better to eat a high-fiber bran cereal than a sweet sugar-filled cereal that contains no fiber.

There are many other ways of getting the good carbs into your daily eating without going off your diet. Small changes in the way you eat can result in you including more of the good carbs, without you having to worry about gaining weight by eating too many carbohydrates. Including fresh, whole fruits as a snack (instead of the bad carbohydrate-rich chips you may now be eating) is one way to switch to a good-carb friendly diet. Also, eating less refined flour (like white flour) can give you the added benefits of a good-carb diet. You can use soy flour in place of white flour and get more of the benefits of fiber.

As you can see including (but not eliminating) good carbohydrates into your diet plan can be a good thing. Not only can they help you lose weight by aiding your digestion, but they can help you feel full and give you other health benefits. When you come to think of it, eating good carbohydrates can actually help you become skinny.

Everyone who has ever dieted knows they may need help to achieve dieting success. If you need more tips and help with your diet plan, visit: http://guide-to-dieting.blogspot.com/ to sign up for a FREE 5-Part Dieting Tips E-Course.

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