Don't fear the Carbohydrate

If I hear one more person tell me they don't eat carbs because they are trying to lose weight I am going to blow a gasket.  Seriously folks, carbs are good for you.  You need carbohydrates for proper brain function and your body uses carbohydrates for fuel.  You can certainly eat too many carbohydrates just as you can eat too much protein and fat. Ideally a healthy diet should be made up of 40-45% carbohydrates, 25-35% protein and 20-25% fat.

What is a healthy carbohydrate? You want to eat complex carbohydrates which break down slowly in the body.  Whole grains!  Flax, quinoa, bulgar, hemp, wild or brown rice...so many options and all available at your local grocery store. The point is to eat ingredients as they appear in nature, whole! Anytime you see "enriched whole wheat" on a label it is no longer a whole grain, it has been processed and should be avoided.

5 simple ways to add complex carbs to your diet:

1. Start the day with whole grains. Try a hot cereal, like old-fashioned oats, or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list.

2. Use whole grain breads for lunch or snacks. Confused about how to find a whole-grain bread? Read "Separating the Whole Grain from the Chaff" to learn how to spot whole grains in the supermarket. Or try this recipe for hearty whole grain bread.

3. Bag the potatoes. Instead, try brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries, whole wheat pasta, or another whole grain with your dinner. Read "Health Gains from Whole Grains" for a list of whole grains and their health benefits, or check out these whole grain recipes. 

4. Choose whole fruit instead of juice. An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice. Looking for juice alternatives? See six ideas for low-sugar drinks, a recipe for a low-sugar fruit cooler, and a recipe for sugar-free sparkling iced tea.

5. Bring on the beans. Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates as well as a great source of protein.

ref: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/carbohydrates/