Healthy Carbs

Carbohydrates are not all created equal. When it comes to staying lean, you actually do need a certain amount of carbs in your diet on a regular basis. Don’t forget that anything taken to extreme can be bad for us but in moderation, we can enjoy carbs and they should be part of a well-balanced diet. Let’s take a look at what they do in the body.

Healthy Carbs Keep your Body’s Systems Running Smoothly

One basic piece of information that many health enthusiasts forget is that our bodies utilize carbohydrates to make glucose, which is the fuel that gives us energy and keeps our systems all functioning. Yes, it is possible for us to get that energy from fats and proteins but there’s no reason not to get them from some healthy foods containing carbohydrates. Certain systems actually crave those foods.

When we eat these foods, they are digested and turned into blood sugar (glucose). Our bodies can use that sugar/energy right away or store it in the liver and muscles for later use. Your brain, red blood cells and nerve cells cannot adequately use any other form of energy. If you go too long without carbs, you may experience brain fog and not be able to think clearly.

Glucose does a few other things in the body too. In the liver and muscles, carbs end up as stored glycogen, which is essential for maintaining blood sugar when you don't eat. If you’re planning an intense work out, then it’s important to have those carbs; they will equip you to enjoy a much better work out.

Eliminate the Junk Food but Keep the Good Stuff

The problem comes when we eat too many of the wrong carbs. Regardless of your age or health, it’s never a good idea to consistently eat things like donuts, bagels and rolls. Though we do need a few carbs each day in order to maintain brain and muscle health, eating a regular diet rich in processed carbohydrates such as white flour, white sugar or high fructose corn syrup will overwhelm your body with junk that it was never designed to process.

Keep the good carbs in your regular diet for best results in any fitness and health program. These include fresh vegetables, legumes, and raw fruit. In moderation, you can also enjoy whole grains, nuts, and sweet potatoes. Sometimes these foods actually have more positive side effects than negative. Let’s take the sweet potato for instance.

Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbs, beta carotene, fiber, potassium, manganese, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. This is also true for most nuts, fruits and vegetables. Our bodies need these foods to function properly and we can still get those excellent results that we’re looking for in our fitness program.

 A great exercise, health and fitness program is all about balance and common sense.