How Carbs Play Into Your Health & Weight - Both Here & Abroad

The modern American diet (sometimes called the Standard American Diet - or SAD) tends to include a lot of refined flours, sugars, and bad carbs.  Unlike other parts of the world where life is a bit slower paced, we in the United States want everything fast, and we want it now, and we're used to getting it now.  We want the convenience of fast food, instant food, frozen food, prepackaged food, and microwaved food.  And we get it.

What we get along with it is a growing epidemic of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems....

(Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Unfortunately, we are all so busy with our fast-paced lives that the majority of us don’t put healthy eating first.  This is also a big reason that our country is growing quickly into an obese nation.   An uncomfortably large percentage of our population eat the wrong types of food and lead sedentary lifestyles.  Then, there are others who are really trying to eat healthy, but are confused about how to eat right.  These folks may not have all the information, but are trying to make wise choices. With all the conflicting information and different choices out there, it can definitely be confusing!

This is probably why so many of us have been hopping from one fad diet to another. At one point, it seemed those little frozen 'diet meals' were the best way to lose weight and get healthy.  Then I learned to read nutrition labels and I realized there was no fiber, high amounts of sodium, and unhealthy additives.  Those easy weight loss plans quickly lost their appeal.  What are we to believe and what do we really need in our diets to eat healthy and lose weight?  Let's compare what works and what hasn't worked:

Food and Fitness in Europe

If you visit northern Europe, you'll see people are walking the trails alongside all of the roads.  Many people do not own cars; they walk, ride bikes, or take public transportation.  There are ferry boats, buses, and company vans that pick up crowds of people to bring to work.  Getting from Point A to Point B is somewhat of a task, which takes some energy, aka burning calories.

Shopping at the corner store, you'll find freshly baked whole grain breads wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine.  There are fresh whole chickens and meats available only at the butcher counter.  There are fresh fruits and vegetables almost on every corner.  Barely any processed and refined foods are to be found (although this is changing in recent years.)  Oh, and don’t even think about soda pop!  The only 'pop' or 'cola' available is in the  occasional convenience store that caters to the American tourist, where you may find a bottle at three or four times the cost as in the United States.

You will not only notice people eat cleaner and healthier, with more raw organic foods that are farm-grown or raised, but our European neighbors also stay more active in general day-to-day activities.  In fact, in much of the world, people do not lead sedentary lifestyles like many of us in the United States.  Of course this is a generalization, but statistics still prove this to be the sad truth.

Food and Fitness in America

The way we want things here, convenient and fast, has caused food manufacturers to add plenty of refining, processing, preservatives, and food additives into our food to get the job done.  We speed up the production of food so we have a lot more food to fill the grocery store shelves.  In order to do this, we fatten up animals with hormones to grow faster, faster, faster.  We treat produce with chemicals so they get bigger, bigger, bigger (at the cost of nutrition, which comes from good, healthy organic soils).

(Image courtesy of Witthaya Phonsawat at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Couple this super-charged food production with the fact that most Americans hop in their car to drive even a few blocks to the grocery store, and you can see why we have a serious health and obesity problem.  Fast food filled with bad carbs purchased while sitting in a car driving through a pick-up window is a formula for disaster when it comes to your diet and health.  Again, it boils down to wanting it fast, wanting it all, and wanting it now.  But, there's more.

Another factor along with 'fast, all, and now' is CHEAP!  We can't ignore the fact that you can buy a frozen pizza at your local grocery store for $2.50 when to make that same pizza with fresh, nutritious, high fiber foods could cost around $4 to $5.  We also can't ignore the fact that stretching a meal to feed a family is easier and cheaper to do with macaroni and white bread than with protein and produce.

The thing is, what do you want - to eat a lot of empty calories and get fat and unhealthy, or to eat healthy?  We can read labels, prepare ahead of time, and budget properly to get more of the high nutrition, high fiber foods into our diets and avoid or limit the bad carbs from our diets.  Becoming aware is the first step.  Bad carbs aren't only about putting on pounds.  A diet of bad carbs is creating a nation of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and a host of other health problems.

I think that's reason enough to take a lesson from those who live a slower lifestyle, choose more natural foods, and spend more time on their feet than their bottom.  When you stock your pantry with nutritious, high fiber, low carb foods, you are taking a step in the right direction. 

I know you want it all, you want it fast, and you want it cheap... but when it comes to your health, that mantra just doesn't work.  You've taken the first step by just becoming informed.  Now take the second step, and do something about it.  Congratulations on choosing a healthier lifestyle!

Stay tuned in the coming weeks, as we discuss how to eat fewer unhealthy carbs, and more healthy, delicious, and nutritious whole foods. We'll also be sharing some simple, tasty recipes for enjoyment and good health.
 

The Theory Behind The Low Carb Diet: A Quick Study

Our society has become overrun with fast food restaurants, microwave dinners, and unhealthy eating habits.  It’s no wonder obesity and other health issues have become a scary reality for many people.  All this bad news has us looking for the perfect diet to live a healthier lifestyle and lose that excess weight. 

There is a ton of information surrounding any type of diet, but it seems the low carb diet has more than its fair share of confusion.  When it comes right down to it for any diet program, we just want to know if it works.  But, knowing HOW a diet works will help us decide if it's the right diet for our needs. 

Example of a low-carb meal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Why has there been so much hype behind the low carb diet?  When we hear the term 'low carb diet' we may think 'Atkins' or 'South Beach.'  But even low carb diets differ.  Many of us have moved away from the old  low-fat, calorie-counting diets of the 80's and embraced these newer low carb diets, and I might say with great weight loss success.  But, will a low carb diet work long-term?  And, is it truly healthy and safe?  To answer these questions, we need more information.  Let's take a look at a few basic theories of the low carb diet:

1. Carbohydrates are a source of fuel, producing energy for our bodies to run on.  When we reduce the amount of carbs we take in on a daily basis, it is believed that the body will start burning fat as the main source of energy instead.

We are required to eliminate 'bad carbs' from our diet when following a low carb diet.  All foods with added sugars and empty calories are no longer permitted.  It makes sense that we are going to lose some weight due to just these simple changes in our eating habits. 

2. Proteins and fats tend to make us feel fuller for a longer period of time.  Thus, we should be able to avoid overeating and snacking between meals because we feel satisfied and do not crave more food.

3. A low carb plan is easier to stick to than some other diets out there.  A dieter is going to track carbs rather than fat intake and calories.  Foods that are higher in fat and calories are often okay as long as the total carbs remain low.  For this reason, we can still enjoy some of our favorite foods on this diet without feeling like we are cheating.

The low carb diet idea has been around for several years, and there has been much debate on whether the long-term effects are good or bad.   If you do any type of research, you will find success stories, but also concerns about heart and kidney problems, nutritional imbalance, and a multitude of other issues.  Before beginning any diet, take the necessary steps to become familiar with all aspects of it.  Consult your doctor and see if this plan fits your particular situation.

Remember to use common sense when dieting.  This may seem so simple, but many people who have weight or health issues can get excited about finally finding the right diet.  Then they go overboard and remove many necessary nutrients from their diet in hopes of losing weight.  No matter how many debates, studies, or theories arise from research, the key is to know your own body and determine what is right for your own health and fitness.  And remember to consult your health care professional before beginning any diet program.

Exploring The Pros And Cons Of A Low-Carb Diet

These days it seems we have an unlimited supply of information at our fingertips, whether at the library, bookstore, or the internet.  It's easy to find research on diet plans.  The hard part comes as we sift through all the pros and cons of the diet in question. 

Avoiding information overload can be difficult when trying to decide if the good actually outweighs the bad.  The key is to understanding the difference so you can choose the best diet plan to promote a healthy lifestyle.  Let's take a look at some of the information on low-carb diets so you can make an appropriate decision for yourself:

THE PROS:

Simple carbs. (Photo credit: Newbirth35)

Weight Loss - The reason a majority of people begin dieting is to lose weight.  Low carb diets focus on eliminating the "bad" (or simple) carbs which include white bread, potatoes, pastries, soda, and candy.  These foods have either added sugars, starch, or empty calories.  These bad carbs are not easily burned off so they quickly turn into fat in the body.  Eliminating the bad carbs from your diet and replacing them with good carbs and lean proteins will typically result in weight loss.

Health Benefits - Replacing bad carbs with good carbs in your diet helps regulate spikes in blood sugar which in turn may lower blood pressure and promote heart and circulatory system health.  For those who have diabetes, this is a critical part of a healthy eating plan.  Eating low carb may also help promote low cholesterol levels.  Many diets that help you shed those pesky pounds will also help improve your cardiovascular health.

Mindset Shift - With any diet, we set a goal to start eating better and living a healthier lifestyle.  But, when other diets may fail because they're all about limits, the low carb diet is more about simply choosing healthier foods.  After all, we all know sugar and empty calories are bad for you.  The low carb diet plan goes beyond limits and focuses on selecting good foods you can enjoy.  Counting calories, weighing your food, and looking at a plate of lettuce for dinner just doesn't work long-term for most people.  Having a wide variety of good carbs, proteins, and yes, fats, is the way you will experience the proper mindset for a healthy lifestyle.

THE CONS:

 (Photo credit: fantasyhealthball)

Eating Too Many Fats - With a low carb diet, bad carbs are replaced with good carbs, and lots of protein is permitted.  But, along with the protein often comes fat.  And not only the fat that comes with meat, poultry, or fish, but other sources, as well.  You'll find cheeses, mayonnaise, and even cream on the list of healthy foods on some low carb diets.  Nuts and oils, along with whole eggs are also included.  Depending on your individual needs, this fat may be undesirable.  Foods high in fat, even the 'good fat', are high in calories, and those looking to lose weight usually need to reduce calorie intake - not increase it.  Even within the low carb diet world, opinions differ greatly as to how much fats are allowed.

Health Problems - Wait.  Didn’t I just say there are health benefits to this diet?  Yes, I did.  But, with any diet there are going to be risks.  Following a diet to the letter is difficult, and people can make mistakes or get overly ambitious with the diet plan.  For instance, if you cut out too many carbs, you may experience headaches, fatigue, and other health problems.  (The trick is to reduce your intake of simple carbs - not to eliminate carbs altogether.) Eating the fat allowed in a low carb diet may increase calorie intake.  Fruits are not allowed in the first phases of some low carb diets, causing some dieters to miss out on certain nutrients if they are not replacing them with vegetables.  Red meat is a great source of protein in a low carb diet but is another concern for fat, especially if you are choosing unhealthy conventionally grown meats raised on grains instead of grass.  In some people with digestive problems, eating great amounts of vegetables along with dairy products, both acceptable foods on a low carb diet, may cause flareups.

Just like any diet, eating low carb has good points and bad points.  It’s imperative to talk to your doctor and do your research to decide what sort of diet fits your lifestyle and your health needs.  Every diet needs to be approached in a common sense way.  It's most important to focus on mindset, discipline, and changing your bad eating habits for the long term if you really want to succeed. Part of that is finding good, healthy foods that you enjoy eating. Check back here later this week for some tasty low-carb recipes to get you started!