GET CARB SMART ©Cooking Light Diet Boost your carbohydrate IQ so GET CARB you can make better choices to SMART reach your weight-loss goals. High carb, low carb, no carb—what’s best? If you’re ready to lose weight but confused about carbohydrates, you’re not alone. Start by testing your knowledge with our Carbs and Weight Loss quiz, then read on to learn the real answers on how to drop pounds while eating carbs. CARBS AND WEIGHT LOSS: TRUE OR FALSE? BREAD, PASTA, AND POTATOES IT ONLY MATTERS THAT I CUT BACK 1 WILL MAKE ME FAT. 3 ON TOTAL CARBS, NOT NECESSARILY WHERE I GET CARBS FROM. FALSE. It’s not the bread, pasta, and potatoes that cause weight gain or prevent weight loss; it’s the extra calories. FALSE. Sugar highs and lows affect all of us. Even in Starchy foods like these are comfort foods, and most people healthy individuals, too many refined carbs and added have trouble stopping at one healthy portion, which means sugars cause a blood sugar spike. What then follows we eat more than we need. In addition, pasta and breads are is a blood sugar crash, leaving you craving more refined often in refined forms with added butter, cheese, or sauce, carbs and feeling hungry again. This doesn’t do you any which also adds extra calories. You can lose weight while favors when trying to lose weight. What does help you eating bread, pasta, and potatoes. The key is measuring with weight loss—as well as long-term health—is a steady portions, choosing whole-grain options when available, and blood sugar curve. A steady blood sugar curve equals using healthy ingredients and cooking methods. balanced energy, and the only way to keep that curve steady is to eat balanced carbohydrates—those with fiber, protein, A LOW-CARB DIET IS BEST vitamins, and minerals. 2 FOR WEIGHT LOSS. I MUST AVOID SUGAR TO LOSE WEIGHT. NOT USUALLY. While several recent studies have tried to 4 compare the effectiveness of low-fat and low-carb diets, TRUE, KIND OF. Sugar is one of the most misunderstood the results didn’t point clearly toward one over the other. nutrition terms. Not all sugars are bad. Natural sugars Low-carb diets like Atkins may work well for some, but like fructose in fruit and lactose in milk are considered people don’t stick with them long-term because they’re healthy and come packaged with other nutrients. restrictive and hard to sustain. With that being said, a lower Sugars and sweeteners added during processing increase balanced carb diet is likely the ticket to weight loss. calorie count with no nutrient gain. It’s these added sugars The reason has to do with the typical American’s current that have been linked to weight gain, obesity, and heart diet, which is high in carbs from refined foods and added disease. So, yes, it is strongly encouraged to avoid or sugars. Cutting out refined carbs and added sugar and limit food and drink with added sugar to help keep health, consuming more vegetables, fruits, beans, and some whole calories, and cravings in check. However, don’t skip a glass grains often results in a diet with fewer carbs (but still of milk or piece of fruit because you’re scared of sugar. at a healthy intake), fewer calories, and increased satiety. The natural ones are encouraged and don’t affect blood sugar the same way as added sugars. 2 ©Cooking Light Diet CARBOHYDRATES: GOOD VS. BAD Banishing carbs altogether in an effort to lose weight isn’t realistic or even desirable. We love carbs. Carbs are our main source of fuel. But there are good carbs, and there are bad carbs. Knowing which carbs to choose is key to weight-loss success. GOOD CARBS The good ones keep blood sugar steady; come with bonus nutrients like protein, fiber, and vitamins; and are balanced, unprocessed, and slower to digest. These more complex carbs burn slowly and provide a steady supply of energy. Sometimes referred to as balanced carbs, these are the ones you want to fill up on. BAD CARBS The bad ones—white flour and sugar—are quick to digest, send our energy levels into extreme highs and lows, and leave us less satisfied and hungry more often. These simple carbs burn fast, causing a spike in blood sugar followed by the notorious crash. Often referred to as refined carbs, these are the ones that are easy to grab and the ones you want to avoid. GOOD CARBS AKA BALANCED CARBS BAD CARBS AKA REFINED CARBS FRUITS – fresh, whole fruits BEANS – dried or canned Refined carbs are typically foods made with refined or (example: apples, (example: black, garbanzo, white flour. Refined carbs lose nutrients and fiber through oranges, berries, grapes, cannellini, kidney) processing, and they may have added sugar and/or fat. clementines, pears) WHOLE GRAINS – as SNACK FOODS – crackers, FRUITS WITH ADDED VEGETABLES – fresh or unprocessed as possible pita chips, pretzels, puffs, SUGAR – canned fruit in frozen whole forms with (example: steel-cut French fries, potato chips syrup, frozen fruit in syrup, sweetened applesauce little added fat oats, brown rice, quinoa, REFINED GRAIN (example: leafy greens, amaranth, bulgur, PRODUCTS – white rice, DAIRY PRODUCTS broccoli, carrots, whole-wheat flour, white flour, pasta, instant WITH ADDED SUGAR – peppers, green beans, wheat berries, whole-grain oatmeal, most cereals, sweetened yogurt, radishes, squash) bread and pasta) pizza crust, flour tortillas ice cream, flavored milks STARCHY VEGETABLES – SOME DAIRY PRODUCTS – BAKED GOODS – muffins, OTHERS – candy and fresh, whole forms with skim or low-fat with bagels, scones, white bread, desserts, jam and jelly, no added sugar and little no added sugar wheat bread sugar, honey, syrups, foods added fat (example: milk, (not 100% whole-wheat), with added sugars (example: corn, sweet Greek yogurt) cookies, biscuits, doughnuts or sweeteners potatoes, white potatoes, butternut squash) SUGARY DRINKS – sodas, sweet tea, flavored coffee drinks, energy drinks, lemonade 3 ©Cooking Light Diet OUR FAVORITE CARBS FOR WEIGHT LOSS 6. EDAMAME These fresh soybeans have These 10 balanced carbohydrate a crisp outside with a nutty, foods are our favorites for keeping creamy texture inside and are a good source of protein, fiber, and meals delicious and carbs in check. heart-healthy fats. When boiled, steamed, or roasted, use them in place of beans or nuts, or serve as a snack by themselves. 1. GARBANZO BEANS 7. ANY VEGETABLE THAT YOU CAN ROAST Inexpensive and full of fiber and protein, garbanzos are also Broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, versatile. Toss them on salads in place of croutons, and peppers—the veggie doesn’t matter. Just toss it with roast in the oven for a savory snack, or blend to make a little olive oil, garlic, and salt, and bake on high heat for a hummus dip for crunchy vegetables. a quick and easy side. Roasting is ideal for many vegetables because it concentrates their natural sugars to give a 2. SPAGHETTI SQUASH caramelized, slightly crisp product. They’ll tempt even the This large, oval squash gives you several cups of spaghetti- most veggie-resistant eater in your family. like strands when cooked. Swap it for pasta or rice in recipes to cut calories and carbs and to gain valuable nutrients. 8. TORTILLAS Corn or whole wheat, keep tortillas 3. SWEET POTATOES on hand for quick and healthy Sweet potatoes are a nutrition meals: Wrap up scrambled powerhouse full of vitamin C, eggs, melt cheese and veggies beta-carotene, and potassium. between two for a quesadilla, Their natural sweetness makes or top with rotisserie chicken and them delicious when baked, salsa for a quick taco dinner. roasted, or mashed. They pair well with savory herbs and spices, too. 9. GREEK YOGURT Thicker and creamier than conventional yogurt, plain 4. QUINOA Greek yogurt is also higher in protein. Choose plain for the The protein and fiber content in this tiny whole grain is lowest sugar content, and flavor with fresh fruit, toasted more than what most other grains offer. Use quinoa in place nuts, and a tiny drizzle of honey. Use it as a protein-packed of rice or pasta in salads, soups, and main dishes. base for smoothies or as a healthier sub for sour cream, too. 5. BERRIES 10. CAULIFLOWER Berries provide a subtle sweetness This plain Jane veggie has become and keep you full thanks to their quite the rage thanks to its fiber and water content. newfound versatility. Riced or Serve alone; blend in a smoothie; finely chopped, cauliflower can toss in a salad; or top be used in place of flour to cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt. make lower-carb pizza crusts and biscuits and as a low-carb substitute for rice. Hesitant? You’ll be pleasantly surprised. We promise. 4 ©Cooking Light Diet THE 5 SECRETS TO EATING CARBS AND LOSING WEIGHT Yes, you can eat carbs and lose weight. The key is following these five strategies. PAIR WITH PROTEIN Pairing protein with carbs serves up a double whammy when it comes to shedding pounds. First, the body spends more energy (calories) digesting protein than it does carbs. Secondly, protein helps shut down appetite 1 and promote feelings of fullness both during and long after meals. The key is to choose healthy proteins—nuts, lean meats, fish, dried beans—and pair them with balanced carbs such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. BE PORTION SAVVY Monitoring the amount you eat is key with all foods but especially with carbs since they’re what we often find ourselves craving.