A number of popular diets are focused on carbohydrates. Some
demonize them. Then warn you against eating any carbohydrates.
Others in fact,
emphasize a high carbohydrate intake. Here is
how high-carbohydrate diet plans treat carbohydrates. (Such as
Ornish, Pritikin, and Food for Life)
For years you’ve been hearing that eating a healthy diet. Means
cutting back on the total amount of fat. While eating more
complex carbohydrates. Thousands of “low-fat” alternatives now
crowd your supermarket shelves.
But is simply cutting back on fat. Then loading up on
carbohydrates a healthy way to eat or to lose weight? Current
research suggests that it isn’t. Just like researchers have
learned that not all types of fat are bad. They have also
discovered that not all types of carbohydrates are good for you.
It’s easy for you to fall into a low-fat trap. Gram for gram.
Fat has more than twice as many calories as either protein or
carbohydrates. Then it seems logical that choosing low-fat
products will help you with your weight loss. However, all too
often the low-fat products on supermarket shelves are packed
with sugar. And highly processed carbohydrates. Making up for
the taste that’s lost when fat is removed.
These low-fat alternatives often contain just as many calories
as the full-fat versions. Some may even have more! Another
problem is that you mistakenly think that because a food is low
in fat. You can eat as much of it as you want without gaining
any weight.
As far as your body is concerned. Calories are calories. No
matter where they come from. Eat too many calories (whether
from fat, carbohydrates or protein) and you’ll gain weight
period.
Aside from weight loss. The popularity of low-fat food has
broader implications for your health. Commercially prepared low-
fat foods tend to be rich in highly processed carbohydrates.
Thus causing big spikes in your blood sugar level. Over time
this can increase the chances of you developing heart disease
and diabetes.
For example, in a study of 80,000 nurses. Harvard researchers
calculated that replacing a given number of calories from
polyunsaturated fat. With an equivalent number from easily
digested carbohydrates. Increased the risk for heart disease by
over 50 percent.
Some other studies have found that a low-fat, high-carbohydrate
diet. Particularly one high in sugars. Can worsen your blood
cholesterol and triglycerides levels. Both of which are risk
factors for heart disease.
You can minimize or avoid any diet deficiencies associated with
high-carbohydrates diets. When you approach your high-
carbohydrate diet as an integrated part of your *-lifestyle-*,
not solely an ingredient focus.
