Slow Carbs
Generally speaking, you want to aim for low glycemic slow carbs for weight loss and better health purposes.
Glycemic Index- GI is a numerical system of how certain carbohydrate rich foods affect your blood glucose levels. Low GI foods break down much slower than high GI foods and they help keep your blood glucose constant all day long. Your feelings of hunger is closely related to your blood sugar. Hours of no eating may mean your blood sugar can get very low and make you weak and shaky as well as making you moody and affecting your energy levels and concentration.
All you need to do is to build a good relationship with food. We all love eating and certain bad or less nutritious foods taste so damn good, so you can enjoy them once in a while too. It is important to keep in mind that everything can be enjoyed in moderation.Processed foods are usually full of fast carbs and unhealthy ingredients and sadly enough more and more people are eating these foods every day, followed by increased insulin levels that lead to obesity, cravings, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart complications and even depression. Diets lacking in dietary fiber, antioxidants and other essential nutrients are , today, the cause of many of these and more health problems.
What Are Slow Carbs?
Bagels, muffins, cakes, cookies, mashed potatoes, crisps, french fries, rice cakes, white bread, french baguette, corn flakes, high sugar cereals, parsnips, pumpkin, water crackers, donuts, scones, maple syrup, instant white rice, short grain rice, dates and watermelon are your typical high GI fast carbohydrates.Rolled oats, porridge, no added sugar muesli, whole grain bread, rye bread, soya and linseed bread, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, mushrooms, broccoli and most vegetables, peanuts, corn chips, nuts, oatmeal crackers, new potatoes, sweet potatoes, prunes, cherries, grapefruit and most other fruits are examples of your low GI slow carbohydrate rich foods. Please have a look at the Glycemic Index Chart for more foods on low, medium and high GI groups and find out about their glycemic load values as well, which is usually a better measure of how slow or fast release that carb is.
*Before we continue with the tips on including more of slow carbs in your daily nutrition, I'd like to tell you about a healthy diet program that uses a lot of the foods with low to medium glycemic index values: Isabel de los Rios' 'The Diet Solution Program'.The Diet Solution Program favours a long term health orientated approach to fat loss, but not offering anyone a quick fix to their weight troubles. It has loads of valuable data and research to support its approach. I personally investigated the program thoroughly and my mum has been using it for a while now. I have to say she got some great results. The nutrition plan is one of the healthiest we have seen, a strong core focus on vegetables, fruits, vitamin dense foods, lean proteins, select dairy produce and a clear approach to not expecting one diet to work for all body types. So give it a go and let me know how you went. 'The Diet Solution Program' is without a doubt one of the best diet programs out there.*
Slow Carbs Tips:
• Skipping breakfast is never the solution to your problems, you are only asking for more hunger and cravings for bad foods. • Eating a low carb diet certainly isn't your best bet either, it results in having more of high saturated fat meats that come with health complications. However, it is good to eat lean meat, skinless chicken and turkey. Protein is quite filling and it helps decrease the overall glycemic index value of your meal. • You need to have slow carbs at every meal, throughout the day. • You can not go wrong with legumes, try to eat them at least a couple of times a week. Chickpeas and beans are really versatile too, they can be used in a variety of salads, main meals and even desserts. • Baked beans are great as long as they are not loaded with sugar and salt. • Pasta- especially wholemeal pasta and basmati rice are nutritious and slow release foods and they are quite filling. • Low fat dairy, especially low fat plain yogurt is extremely healthy and filling. Try and make a habit of eating some yogurt every day. Just keep away from sweetened fruit yogurts, they are full of sugar. • You can't go wrong with a big salad that is free of high fat mayonnaise and dressings. Try these salad ingredients: Dark green lettuce, cucumber, tomoto, cottage or low fat cheese, yogurt as dressing, lemon juice, sliced peppers, garbanzo beans, beans, pasta and a small amount of nuts.
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References:DJ Jenkins et al. (1981) "Glycemic index of foods: a physiological basis for carbohydrate exchange." Am J Clin Nutr 34; 362-366. Brouns et al. (2005). "Glycaemic index methodology." Nutrition Research Reviews 18; 145–171. http://www.cbn.com/health/nutrition/ DrLen_020807.aspx. http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt_100/ 147_eating_well.html. Goldbeck N, Goldbeck D. The Healthiest Diet in the World, Penguin-Putman: NY, 2001.
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