Hmmm… that’s kind of like cutting back on alcohol and drinking more beer, or cutting back on fat and eating more butter. The scary thing is, is that the magazine didn’t even realize how stupid the statement was and used it as a pull-out quote (which in publishing is usually reserved for witty, poignant, or quotes that sum up what the story is about.)
Fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates! Carbs are nothing more than food from plants. Carbs are a body’s preferred source of energy, because plants create easily accessible energy from solar energy. It’s true that refined carbohydrates, like white pasta (made from wheat which is a plant) and white bread (also made from wheat) elevate your blood glucose level too quickly without offering adequate fiber to buffer the sugar spike. Unrefined carbohydrates, like broccoli, apples, and whole grain breads, provide both energy and fiber at appropriate amounts. So it isn’t that carbohydrates are bad. Healthy eaters consume about 60 percent of their calories from carbs. Some are just better options than others.
One of my missions is to cut through the myths and misunderstanding about nutrition, and make it simple enough to apply to everyday life. Critical to that is knowing how to read a label (do you know how many grams of sugar = one teaspoon or where trans fat is hiding even when the label says Trans Fat Free?), knowing when buying organic pays off, and knowing how to plan a meal that helps you lose weight, boosts health, and saves money. Take the time to learn (see the Grocery Tour below)… once and for all!
Healthy Eating Seminar/Grocery Tour, Tues. Sept. 29, 6:30 p.m., free for Empower Fitness clients, $20 non-clients, limited spaces available, 817-326-6321
Tags: carbs, diet, eleminate carbs, low carb, nutrition labels, reading nutrition labels, sugar, Truth about nutrition, understanding food labels