Are All Carbs Equal?  

We are getting low carbs trust down our throats right now - literally. Everywhere we look these fads are being thrown at us. Then there will be a major health scare and everyone will back off for a bit, only for someone else to pick up the gauntlet. 

So let's put the record straight. You cannot cut out a major food group to such ridiculous amounts! There should be no such thing as a no/low carb diet. 

In principle, the theory works. You lose weight (whether you do it healthily and keep it off is not for me to say). Eating good quality proteins definitely keeps the hunger at bay. However, if you are a normal individual cravings will start to kick in for those forbidden carbs and the whole thing goes down the pan. 

So why don't we change the concept slightly' Instead of concentrating on low carbs why don't we start thinking about GOOD carbs' Because of course all fruit and veg are carbohydrates and everyone knows you have to eat plenty of this group for vitamins and minerals, right' 

So consider changing tact. Miss off all the heavy, sugar laden carbohydrates like bread, pasta, potatoes etc and pile on the veg! Don't stint, don't worry about the carbs ' they are good for you! Have a salad on the side tossed in a light dressing and three to four portions of non starchy veg with your chicken or fish.

Have an apple to satisfy your sweet tooth. Fruit contain fructose, which has a different make up to other sugars and glucoses. When glucose hits your body the levels in your blood rise rapidly. The body has to deal with this surge by releasing  insulin to clear the blood and direct this energy source to right place ' that not required for muscle energy is shoved along to the liver to be stored for future use and the remainder gets stored in your fat cells. (ie, you get fat!) You are left with insulin in your blood which causes a huge drop in blood sugar. So how does body react' It wants more sugar to counterbalance! Fructose is metabolised direct in blood stream, does not cause a surge of insulin and hence the blood sugar remains stable. In other words, you won't get an addictive craving for more, like you do with that pack of biccies! It is difficult to overeat on apples, isn't it' You don't often fancy eating the whole bag, do you' 

Not all carbs are equal, just as not all proteins are equal.

For successful weight loss a quality and good level of proteins must be adhered to (and the level necessary is different for each individual) to stop the body starting to burn muscle up for energy. Quality protein maintains muscle mass while decreasing the body fat density. A good carb programme incorporates body fat testing into its regime, wherever possible. 

Prehistoric man wasn't fat. He existed on lots of protein from animals, nuts and seeds, fresh fruits and natural vegetation. Grains, potatoes and rice did not exist and although our world has evolved to grow and produce these ingredients, our bodies have evolved at a much slower rate and are not as yet primed to cope with them. So really as we have brought the troubles on ourselves it is up to us to rectify the problems. 

Just why did we make them taste so good? Here's to successful weight loss!