Are Carbs Really Evil?
Nowadays, protein is in and carbs are out.
The idea (started with the Atkins diet in the early 2000s) is that eating a diet high in protein and low in carbs will help with weight-loss by inducing ketosis (which means that your body burns its own fat for energy instead of using the carbohydrates that you eat).
The trouble is that although this type of diet can be effective at helping with initial weight loss, it can be very difficult to sustain (leading to increased weight-gain long term). It can also encourage the consumption of more animal proteins than is recommended for good health.
How to Eat Carbs
If you would like to adopt a long-term way of eating that will lead to sustainable weight loss, you must eat carbs. In fact, 65-85% of your diet should be carbs! Carbs provide you with the energy your cells need to keep you moving and are a hugely important part of what you eat each day.
The easy thing to remember about carbs is this: quality is more important than quantity.
Low-quality carbs
Low-quality carbohydrates are those that have been refined (meaning the majority of the nutritional benefits have been removed). These contribute to weight gain and do not improve your health. Examples of these are white breads, white pastas, white rice, potato chips, sugary desserts, candies, sodas, etc. Feel free to enjoy these as an occasional treat, but not as the bulk of your diet.
High-quality carbs
High-quality carbs are those that are nufiwa (nutrient, fiber, water-dense), such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. High-quality, nufiwa carbs will energize, hydrate, and nourish you. They will even help with weight loss! Make sure to make these nufiwa carbs the bulk of what you eat each day.
Remember, you will feel a difference in your energy levels, health, hydration, and weight if you are eating the right kind of carbs.
*If weight loss is your goal, you might consider eating a diet that is high-er in protein (like 40% protein instead of 25%), but realize that you can still maintain a nufiwa way of eating by increasing your protein intake with plant proteins.