We are often told that in order to lose weight, we have to think ‘carbs are bad’. We absolutely object! Carbs are one of life’s greatest pleasures, right?
But what if we told you not all carbs are bad, and that they could actually even assist in your weight loss journey. We’ve caught your attention right? Keep on reading to see what we mean!
Why are our modern-day, soft fluffy carbs deemed ‘sometimes’ carbs?
Who else out there loves your burgers, pastries, hot chips…? Are you salivating yet? Because we are. These types of carbs have quite the rep as not being particularly ‘good’ for us, but sometimes you just have to treat yourself! We know we sure do!
You may have heard of the phrase ‘refined’ vs. ‘unrefined’ carbs before. This can get a little confusing, so let us break it down for you. These two words are ultimately the difference in defining which carbs you can consume on the regular, and which are a little more sometimes carbs – but definitely not never. On SuperFastDiet, carbs are absolutely allowed!
Those fluffy, soft, easy to scoff down buns you find in that juicy Big Mac or that slice of soft white bread with your sausage sandwich at Bunnings are yes, SO delicious, but will leave you feeling pretty unsatisfied in a short amount of time, which is why they are termed the phrase refined, as they go through a process where the fibre and all the essential nutrients your body craves and needs to be healthy and even to lose weight, is stripped from them.
Do you ever find that even after a big carby meal, you’re hungry not long after? And do you find these meals can be so moreish? Refined carbohydrates are carbs that are digested rapidly and when absorbed, release a surge of blood sugar, leading to a rapid response from your insulin levels to clear the sugar from the blood and into your muscles, leaving you pretty hungry not long after. In simpler terms, your body gets rid of them too quickly because there is little to no goodness in them.
The not so great stuff in refined carbs
The most commonly consumed refined carb foods are the kids’ favourite white bread, white rice, potatoes, and plenty of sugary breakfast cereals. They are certainly very yummy but have had almost all of their original and necessary nutrients that you need, removed. They are also lower in fibre, so easy to consume, higher in GI, and quite bare of essential nutrients.
So, what carbs can actually help you lose weight?
Pretty amazing to think that carbs and weight loss could be put in the same sentence, right? The much ‘smarter’ carbs when trying to eat well and be the health-conscious queen that you are, or to help in losing those pesky kilos that we are huge fans of are wholegrain and lower GI carbohydrates. And you know what, the carbs we are suggested for this are actually delicious!
We love multigrain bread, brown rice, pasta, legumes, and starchy vegetables like sweet potato and pumpkin. They are really great and healthy ways to get the right carbs in, to keep you fuller before you’ve eaten way more than you actually need (or probably want) AND to keep you fuller for a longer amount of time.
Why should you be reaching for the smart carbs?
Unrefined or super SMART carbs are the carbs that we recommend you eat and enjoy often. They provide you with ample amounts of energy to get through busy days and are the ones that will keep you from finding yourself at the pantry every hour or two. Here is why we love smart carbs…
- They are full of essential nutrients, minerals and fibre your body thanks you for. Our SuperFastDiet customer service queen and resident nutritionist, Kirsten, is a huge advocate for smart carbs, with the high fibre levels being so great for your gut health.
- They are full of fabulous wholegrains. These types of bread contain three key parts of the grain being the bran, germ, and endosperm, full of essential vitamins and minerals to keep your body happy.
- They are absorbed into the body slowly, moving the goodness mentioned to where it needs to be. This means that the bread is lower in GI – being a number of 55 or less, which makes you feel a little fuller much quicker and for longer, countering snacking and picking at unnecessary naughties, keeping you healthy and ingesting fewer calories than you need. You know what that means… those pesky kilos might drop off that little bit quicker.
So – what are our favourite smart carbs?
The list of the smart carbs with all of the awesome benefits we have mentioned above is pretty extensive (and absolutely delicious). It simply isn’t true that carbs = BAD! Here at SuperFastDiet, carbs are absolutely allowed, as depriving and restricting yourself of the things you love, long term isn’t sustainable! We promote eating the right carbs to fuel your body and make it as healthy as can be. Here are some of our favourite, unrefined smarty-pants carbs…
- Oats. Porridge is one of our absolute go-to breakfasts, especially in the cooler months!
- High fibre cereals such as Weetbix & Sultana Bran
- Grainy and Low-GI Bread such as Wholegrain, Cape Seed or Linseed
- Legumes. Including chickpeas, lentils and beans in your meals add texture, flavour and so much goodness!
- Starchy vegetables. Some of our go-to’s are corn, peas, carrots and sweet potato.
- Pasta
- Some rice, such as basmati or brown rice.
The list goes on! Some other yummy, smart carbs include potato, couscous and white rice. They are still considered smart carbs but are lower down the list.
Fruits and veg contain plenty of smart, healthy carbs that are extremely nutritious. As the rule goes, remember to go 2 and 5, 2 servings of fruit and 5 servings of veg! Some things never change!
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Reference: Food Watch, Catherine SaxelbyÂ
