Cutting Through the Carb Confusion, Part 2

The Right Carbs:

Now that we have tackled the wrong carbs, I want to make sure you have a firm grasp on the right carbs. When it comes to your health and body weight, the difference between the wrong carbs and the right carbs is like night and day. In fact, including more of the right carbs in your diet can facilitate weight loss while simultaneously protecting you from a host of dreaded, chronic diseases. There are 4 delicious categories of right carbs: whole grains, beans, fruits and non-starchy vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are such an important nutritional topic that I will devote an entire column to them in the future. For now, I would like to expound on the virtues of the other right carbs.

Miracle Beans:

I consider beans the most underutilized, economical superfood nature has to offer. They are a nutritional powerhouse – loaded with healthy vegetable protein, high in fiber and teaming with B vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial phytochemicals. Additionally, they are digested more slowly which means they will not spike your glucose and insulin levels like the Great White Hazards. In other words, they fill you up without filling you out. Finally, we also know that beans lower cholesterol, decrease the risk of heart disease, stabilize blood glucose levels, improve gastrointestinal health, lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of some cancers.

When I say “beans,” I mean any of the delicious 24 varieties available – black beans, chick peas, butter beans, field peas, lentils, etc. Whether canned, fresh, frozen or dried, all beans are tasty, filling, cheap, versatile, convenient and fantastic for your waistline and your health.

*Check out my Healthy Grocery List. “This is an absolute must-have for those that want healthy eating made easy! Dr. Ann’s 2-sided laminated grocery list provides a comprehensive list of all the Dr. Ann approved foods, her ‘ground rules’ for healthy shopping, her preferred brands and her ‘superstar foods.’ You will love it!” Healthy Grocery List for a complete list of all the “Dr. Ann approved” carbs!

“Great” Grains

By all means, I want you to have your bread and your cereals. Your job is to simply be sure they are always truly 100% whole grain. True whole grains provide a wonderful package of health promoting nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber and are more difficult to digest than their refined, nutrient-stripped “Great White Hazard” counterparts. People that eat the most whole grains have greater long term success with body weight and experience less heart disease, cancer, diabetes and digestive illness.

To be sure you are getting only “whole grains” and not refined flour, make sure the label on your bread or cereal products say “100% whole grain.” If the ingredient list contains “wheat flour,” “enriched wheat flour” or any other grain without the word “whole” written in front of it, it’s nothing more than refined flour disguised as the healthier option!

It is vital to your health and your waistline to swap out the wrong carbs for the right ones. By eating “miracle” beans and “great” grains in lieu of the Great White Hazards, you will be taking proactive and powerful steps to maximizing your wellness and vitality. 

For more on this topic, you can join me this Thursday, February 17th at noon for my “Life or Death by Carbs…” live webinar

Cutting Through the Carb Confusion, Part 1