Carb Conundrum - Avoiding Good Carbs

Avoiding Good Carbs

If you're on a low carb diet, they tell you to avoid all carbs, good or bad. But avoiding good carbs is generally not a good idea. Why? Because they're some of the healthiest foods out there.

Avoidance is Not the Answer

You've heard it said before, "Running away is not the answer." Running away is a form of avoidance. Similarly, avoiding all carbs to lose weight is not the best idea either. You see, most good carbs contain a lot of fiber, which makes you feel full and keeps you regulated, if you know what we mean. Good carbs are found in the following foods:

Fruits
Vegetables
Whole wheat or whole grain products

Not only are these foods generally packed with fiber, but they also have lot of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. So by avoiding good carbs, you're avoiding many of the nutrients your body really needs to ward off illness. Therefore, avoiding good carbs is a bad idea.

The idea that all carbs are bad comes from the fact that many of the foods that are truly bad for you (in particular, those with refined sugar) are bad carbs. Many people are overweight because they eat too many sugary snacks like candy, cake, pie, cookies, brownies, etc. They aren't actually avoiding good carbs, they're just accustomed to these foods and don't know the difference. But once you do know the difference, fruit can replace those sugary snacks. Prefer chips? Eat fresh-cut veggies instead! And instead of having white bread on your sandwich, try whole wheat or whole grain bread. Even whole wheat pastas and whole wheat pizza crusts are tasty! In fact, there are a lot of tasty good carb versions of bad carb foods. So stop avoiding good carbs and give them a chance! You might just be glad you did! (Especially in a few months when you notice that you're losing a little weight too!)