Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Low Carb Diets, What to Eat and What Not

By Ricardo d Argence

Foods containing sugar and starch are designated as carbohydrates. These foods are the ones that provide the fuel and energy for our bodies. All food groups, including carbs, are the pieces that make up a balanced diet. The basic concept is to take pleasure in eating foods in healthy portions and select compex carbohydrates whenever you can.

When you hear the term Carbs it is the shorter version of this energy source. Talk about Carbohydrates usually focuses on sugary or starchy food. If you research this, you will realize that most of the foods we eat have carbohydrates in them.

Most high carbohydrate foods are such things as candies, white bread, pasta, potatoes and all kinds of processed foods. You need to stay away from canned foods and choose fresh fruits and vegetables, if you want to follow a low carb diet. Stick to unprocessed foods like brown rice and whole wheat bread. If you desire to have cereal, a plain bowl of oatmeal is an excellent food to try.

Two kinds of carbohydrates exist, one being simple carbs, including sugars, candy, white bread, pastas as well as dairy products and also several fruits. This is the body's top source for energy. Complex carbohydrates are second in terms of furnishing our energy source. Your body takes longer to break down these carbohydrates which is why you can go longer between meals and not feel hungry. Foods such as veggies, various fruits, beans, potatoes,pasta and whole wheat bread include these types of carbohydrates.

When partaking in a low carb diet, one should be sure that their daily intake does not exceed 20-50 gm per day. If you are maintaining your weight, 180-300 gm per day of carbohydrates will work nicely. Choose lean turkey or other protein rich foods if you want to maintain a low number of carbs in your daily diet.

Glucose can be pulled from the liver for energy if carbohydrates are not present in the bloodstream due to a low carbohydrate diet. Without the immediate energy source of carbohydrates, the body will reluctantly begin to burn some of the fat supply existing in its cells.

Low carbohydrate foods include most vegetables, except corn, potatoes, some mushrooms, green peas, and rhubarb. Even Shiitake mushrooms are almost 25% carbohydrate. Even a lowly cucumber can contain 10gm of carbohydrates, which is not high unless you are totally watching that carb count. Most lean meats are good for low carb diets, so a dieter can enjoy baked or grilled chicken or turkey breast, fish or lean beef. Beans are a good choice although they can add moderate amounts of carbs to your daily total. Stay away from canned foods of any type and restrict processed foods, sugars, and starches.

Don't forget the exercise if you want to diet right. Even a low carb diet is not enough to successfully and quickly burn fat. You need to exercise daily to encourage the fat burning process. Exercise is good for you but there is a tip for you to use. Spend 15 minutes doing some brisk walking, or any exercise that can cause you to get your heart rate up into the target range.

If you do this, for the next 30-45 minutes your body will be burning fat cells to supply your energy needs. This is because it takes about 15 minutes for your body to use up its supply of stored glucose. You should not eat just before exercising, you do not want to have extra carbs in your bloodstream for your body to burn, you want to target the fat. - 15359

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