Imagine eating a diet rich in carbohydrates and losing weight. It may go against the grain of popular diet trends, but I assure you, carbohydrates are not the enemy. Misinformation is. Then there’s the debate over good and bad carbs. Good carbs are found in whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Bad carbs are those processed hybrids: white rice and bread, and pasta made with white flour. When whole grains are stripped of their fibrous hull and endosperm, they’re stripped of nutrients. All that’s left is sugar, which rockets into our bloodstream like a “hot shot,” causing insulin spikes. The body doesn’t distinguish what form sugar is packaged in. Sugar is sugar. 

The secret is in knowing how the body breaks down carbs and utilizes them. There’s more than one type: complex, simple, and fibrous, and they aren’t created equal. 

• Complex, starchy carbs are found in potatoes, legumes, whole grains, and some fruit, like bananas.
• Simple carbs are in most fruit and dairy products. The body breaks down complex and simple carbs and uses the glucose as fuel.
• Fibrous carbs are leafy greens, squashes, mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, which act as a buffer to slow insulin spikes.

Each plays an integral role in fueling the body, regulating our metabolism, and eliminating toxins. Once the body absorbs the nutrients, the fiber is sent directly to the colon for elimination, which is why fiber is considered the colon’s best friend. In short, eat fibrous carbs like a king, and simple and complex carbs like a pauper.

 

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