Yes, it's true there are actually good types of carbohydrates for your body, and you NEED them in order to obtain a healthy, strong body. In this article I want to educate you on the right types of carbohydrates and the wrong types as well. Hopefully, you will be a bit more aware of the whole carb thing once you read this. Let's categorize carbohydrates into 3 different types.



First you have the starchy carbohydrates. These guys are the "meat and potatoes" of your diet. Primarily, your diet should consist mostly of these foods, especially if you are an avid exerciser. Remember that your muscles need energy to perform optimally and your brain also needs glucose, the simplest form of sugar to work effectively as well. You will also get a certain kind of fiber, vitamins/minerals and water from these foods. Good staples of these types of carbohydrates include: sweet potatoes, yams, brown rice, oats, cream of rice, whole-wheat pasta, sprouted grain bread, waffles (non-white flour based), bagels (non-white flour based), potatoes, corn, peas, kidney beans, lima beans. Key thing to remember with these foods is that they are generally slower digested then their simple sugar counterparts giving more sustained energy when combined with other foods correctly.

Second, you have the fibrous carbohydrates. Basically, your green veggie groups are considered your fibrous carbohydrates. This group gives your body a second type of fiber, vitamins/minerals, and water as well. Also a key point with this group is that they have a high nutrient value, and very little calories. You can eat lot of them and never gain weight. Another important point is that when you eat fibrous veggies, you will dampen the hormone insulin when you eat them with the starchy carbohydrates, keeping you feeling fuller longer, producing more sustained energy, and will help control body fat levels. A very important carbohydrate group. Good staples are the following: green beans, kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, peppers, green leafy vegetables. You also obtain a high level of certain antioxidants, namely Vitamin C with this group.

And lastly you have the simple sugars. These types of carbohydrates should be limited or avoided as much as possible for a firm, healthier body. The main reason is that many of the simple sugar type foods, are also caloric dense with very little if any nutritional value and they raise the hormone insulin too much, too soon causing a production of fat stores. You also don't get the sustained energy you would get from the complex carbohydrates I mentioned above, due to the fact that they are digested very easily and will give you a rush of energy followed by a quick crash. Know that any time you ingest carbohydrate, the digestion starts in the mouth and breaks down very quickly. It does not take a whole lot of calories to break down carbs. The key for fat loss and hunger management is to have sustained energy throughout the day and never getting to the point of where your really hungry. Examples of these types of carbs are the following: cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, candy, all dairy and alcohol products. You also want to watch the intake of too much fruit juice, which has a lot of simple sugars. Just look in your cupboard and really take inventory of how much of the simple sugar foods you have at the present.

One last note here is the topic of fruit. I understand and realize that fruit has a lot of enzymes (substances that make chemical reactions occur), vitamins/minerals, fiber and water. A highly nutritious food, however, if your goal is to be firmer, you may want to limit the amount of fruit in your diet or stick with less sugary fruits like green apples, granny smith apples, kiwi, and the berry groups. You will reap a lot of the benefits that fruit offers, without the high amount of simple sugar intake.

Copyright (c) 2007 Brian Gurneak