Good Carbs for Weight Loss

Carbs are not created equal. There is no reason to cut carbs completely out of your diet unless you are carbohydrate sensitive. Some carbs are not only healthy but provide necessary nutrients to the body and can assist in losing weight. Here are some good carbs for weight loss.

In order to lose weight, you need to burn off more calories than you consume. A balance of a healthy diet and exercise is the best way to accomplish this. The higher your metabolism, the more calories you burn. Exercise is the best way to raise metabolism, but many foods are believed to help your body burn calories more efficiently as well.

Your body uses carbohydrates as energy before turning to protein and fat. Processed foods that are high in carbohydrates break down quicker and are used quicker, but this has its own problems. A high energy boost from refined carbs is short-lived and may cause you to crave more of these processed carbs. By eating more of these bad types of carbs, your body never gets to move on to use fat stores as energy.

On the other hand, good carbs that are from whole and minimally processed foods take longer to digest, and give you energy at a slower rate. If your body needs the energy and it is not readily available from carbohydrates, it can move on to use fat stored in your body.

Good Carbs for Weight Loss. Foods that fill you up with less calories or foods that help raise your metabolism will help in your weight loss goals. If you combine these good carbs with exercise, you can burn fat while building essential lean muscle.

Whole Grains are Good Carbs for Weight Loss. Whole grains have been processed less than refined starches that you find in most bread and pasta products. Not only does the refining process remove a lot of essential nutrients from the grain, it breaks down the fiber before you eat it.

By eating whole grains, you get the added benefit of fiber which makes you feel fuller longer and may help raise your metabolism with the effort your body takes to break it down. Good whole grains that provide good carbs include wheat, oats, barley and brown rice.

Vegetable Contain Good Carbs for Weight Loss. Vegetables are excellent for weight loss in many ways. They are generally low in calories and fat and many contain fiber. The best vegetables contain little starch and offer multiple health benefits.

As you may already know, choose dark colored vegetables for the most benefits. Dark green, leafy vegetables should top your list. Other great vegetables choices include are broccoli, carrots, tomatoes and peppers. Choose from a variety of colors for maximum benefits. Potatoes and yams contain more starch but may also be helpful to your weight loss efforts.

Nuts and Beans Have Good Carbs for Weight Loss. Nuts and beans both have the added benefit of protein. Both are filling so you eat less. Many nuts also contain healthy fats which can help boost your metabolism to help you lose weight. Good carbs work even better for weight loss when combined with a protein source.

Just remember that nuts do contain fat, so keep your portions small. Processed beans are not as good as starting with dried beans. Be sure to cook dried beans thoroughly so your body can break them down properly.

Good Carbs Can Help with Weight Loss. Including carbs in your diet is not a bad thing. It all depends on the type of carbohydrates you choose. During my weight loss, I found it best to fill up mostly on vegetables, then fill in with proteins and whole grains to get my nutritional needs. Carbs are necessary for your body to function properly. Choose wisely to get your good carbs for weight loss.

SOURCE REFERENCED:

Harvard School of Public Health; Carbohydrates: Good Carbs Guide the Way