Carbs

Carbs have taken a hit in recent years, due to the return of low carb diet.

Carbs: Cut Down On Them Today

Counting Carbs is Back

Many people think that low carb diets are a new thing, but in reality, counting carbs goes back to the 1970s. (Some low carb diets go back even further than that.) The popularity of these diets waned, however, when they were closely associated with heart disease. Although this is still an issue, low carb diets are still popular due to the dramatic weight loss that can be achieved in the beginning.

Most low carb diet plans focus on high-protein foods, and the amount of saturated fat is irrelevant. They also restrict the amounts of carbs you can have, obviously. But the amount of carbs you are allowed to have is not sufficient for healthy body functioning. Our bodies need 130 grams of carbs a day in order for us to stay healthy and for our brains to function normally. The best kind of low carb diet to go on is one that emphasizes lean meats , healthy fats and a moderate amount of complex carbohydrates.

A Complex Carbs Issue

What many people don't realize is that there are two different kinds of carbs--complex carbohydrates (the good carbs) and simple carbohydrates (the bad carbs). As we gobble up more than our 130 gram a day allotment, it's usually on simple carbohydrates, not complex ones. Complex carbohydrates are foods like whole wheat or whole grain breads, whole wheat pasta, brown or long grain rice, wheat tortillas, oats, fruits, nuts, vegetables and legumes. These foods are made up of a chain of sugars that are hard for you body to break down, so it takes longer, and you feel full longer.

Simple carbohydrates are foods like white breads, refined sugar or anything made with refined sugar (like cakes, brownies, cookies, pies, cheesecakes....any desserts, really) regular pasta, flour tortillas and regular rice. Replacing white bread with whole wheat bread or replacing regular pasta with wheat pasta are easy ways to improve your nutrition without going on a low carb diet.

Reasons Not to Restrict Carbs

Most of the weight lost in the beginning may be water weight because when your body doesn't have carbs to burn, it starts burning glycogen, and each gram of glycogen has 4 grams of water. When/if you ever go back to a normal carb intake, this water is replace, which is why people who lose weight on a low carb diet often regain it when they go off the diet.
Since the amount of saturated fats is not restricted, it can lead to heart disease.
High protein, low carb diets cause mood changes and make you crave carbs. This is because carbs trigger the production of serotonin in the brain, which is is a "feel good" chemical. (Why do you think most high-carb foods like potatoes, pasta and bread are called "comfort foods"?)
High protein diets can leach calcium from your bones, leading to osteoporosis. They can also cause kidney damage because of the uric acid that's produced when the body uses protein for fuel.
A lack of carbs can lead to fatigue and a lack of energy, which makes it hard to exercise--and exercise is an important part of most low carb diets.
Carbs fuel your brain, so if you're on a low carb diet, you're not likely to be the sharpest pencil in the box.

This is not to say that all low carb diets are bad. You can find healthy versions if you do a little research.