It is becoming more and more known that it is advisable to limit the amount of carbohydrates that we eat. However, it is difficult to determine what are good and bad carbohydrates and how many carbohydrates per day we should consume. This article will provide important information about carbohydrates in the diet and how to know how many carbohydrates we can have in our diet.
With books like The Keto Diet, Grain Brain, The Paleolithic Diet, The Mediterranean Diet, and The South Beach Diet, it becomes clear that a high-carbohydrate diet can be detrimental to our health. The old “food pyramid” used as a dietary suggestion consisting of very little fat, a little more protein, and a lot of carbohydrates has been shown to have a paucity of scientific evidence and little anecdotal evidence to convince anyone that it had much validity. . . In fact, many health professionals believe that it is the main reason we have such poor health in the United States. Lifestyle pathologies such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, dementia and others can be directly related to a high carbohydrate diet.
The most recent guidelines have established standards that advise against consuming large amounts of “starchy” carbohydrates such as cereals, bread, pasta, and grains. These are the foods that can ruin your health. Of all cereals, wheat is the most harmful. It contains high amounts of a protein called gluten. For many of us, gluten is an allergen that is classified as causing food sensitivities. Gluten sensitivity or gluten allergies are very common in the American population. Not surprisingly, we find myriad types of gluten-free foods on the shelves of most of our grocery stores.
If one wants to use a safer grain, oatmeal and rice would be the best recommendation. Rice and oatmeal have little or no gluten. However, they are still problematic because they are starchy carbohydrates.
It should be said that vegetables and fruits are also considered carbohydrates. But they can be removed from this discussion of limiting carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables are a completely different type of carbohydrate than grain carbohydrates. Still, it would be best to eat a limited amount of fruit, as some contain high amounts of carbohydrates called fructose. It is suggested that a person eat 3 servings of vegetables for every 1 serving of fruit consumed.
How many starchy carbohydrates should be consumed per day? Many experts suggest approximately 100-200 grams/day. This amount is certainly reasonable, achievable, and provides enough appetite satisfaction to work for most people.
What is sometimes difficult is being able to measure or count carbohydrate grams in various foods. However, the food labels on our food packaging provide the necessary knowledge to determine how much we should consume. There are two features on a food label to look for. The first is the serving size. The second is total carbohydrates. As an example, let’s say you want to eat a food bar. Suppose the label said that a meal bar was one serving and the total carbohydrate list was 20 grams. You would know that eating such a food bar would have consumed 20 grams of starchy carbohydrates. Another example might involve eating oatmeal. Let’s say the food label states that a serving is 1/2 cup and that one serving yields 100 grams of total carbohydrate. Now we would know exactly the amount of carbohydrates consumed. If the serving size were reduced to 1/4 cup, you would get 50 grams of total carbohydrates.
By using food labels, it is very easy to determine the amount of carbohydrates/day that a person eats.
If a food label is not available, it is very easy to go online and simply provide the browser with the carbohydrate type, serving size and request the amount of total carbohydrates listed. By using this method, it is quite simple and easy to determine the amount of carbohydrates that we consume per day.
Again, 100-200 grams per day of starchy carbohydrates is a good goal to aim for. Many of us who initially use this approach find that within a year we reach a desirable weight, eliminate chronic pain, increase energy, and sleep better.
This diet does not have to be excessively strict. Most people who do not have serious metabolic diseases could certainly afford to have one or two “cheat days” each week when they might exceed 100-200 grams of starchy carbohydrates and eat some sweets.
Limiting the amount of starchy carbohydrates, consuming reasonable amounts of protein and healthy fats, and supplying our diets with plenty of organic vegetables will allow most people to achieve a healthy diet. Many health professionals, dietitians, and nutritionists believe that this type of diet would allow the majority of the American population to reduce lifestyle health pathologies to a point of essential national insignificance.