Carbs? or Keto ?

The guy who wrote the following article is a PhD and advocates strongly towards healthy eating. He has his focus on people with Type 2 Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes, but what he has to say applies to everyone.

It's a common misconception that eating carbs will make you gain weight no matter what. In reality, this is only true if the carbs come from the wrong places. In fact, high-carb diets can be healthy and beneficial for your body when they are sourced from nutrient-dense sources like fruits, starchy vegetables, legumes and intact whole grains.

In this article, we'll review the incredible benefits of a high carb diet that many people don't know about, which includes being the secret to reversing type 2 diabetes!

(Article by: Cyrus Khambatta, PhD)

First, we want to reiterate that when we talk about carbohydrates, we're not just talking about sugar or candy bars. Diets high in carbs should consist of natural, whole ingredients that came from the earth and aren't processed like "refined" carbs such as white bread and flour.

These complex carbohydrates give you long-lasting energy without making your body feel sluggish because they take longer to digest.

Studies have shown that people who eat whole grains and complex carbohydrates, like oats or quinoa, tend to be healthier than those who rely on processed carbs for their energy needs. High-carbohydrate diets can also help you maintain a healthy weight by making you feel full longer because of all the fiber in these foods!

More Easily Available Energy

One of the biggest reasons we like to recommend a high-carbohydrate diet is for energy. High carbohydrate foods are excellent sources of quick, ready-to-use energy that your body can easily access when you need it most!

Carbohydrates give us a burst of energy because they're directly processed and sent into the bloodstream as glucose - also known as blood sugar - which our cells can use as fuel.

Since foods that are high in carbs are packed with energy, they're often the body's go-to source when you need a quick boost of energy - whether that be from physical activity or just in your day-to-day life! These high-carbohydrate diets are also great for athletes because carbohydrates provide quick bursts of energy that can be used during intense physical activity to help you train harder!

Access to Key Nutrients and Minerals

Natural carbs also tend to have a higher nutrient profile than their low-carb counterparts because they usually contain more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In fact, these foods contain a wider variety of vitamins and minerals that you wouldn't be able to get from other food groups.

For example, fruits are great sources of many important nutrients like vitamin C, b vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and calcium - all of which have been shown to support energy production in the body!

Lower Calorie Density -- No Portion Control Needed!

Focusing on plant-based, natural carbs has another key benefit: because these carbs are lower in calories, they allow you to eat more!

For instance, a medium-sized piece of fruit contains about 100 - 200 calories while a small cookie will have around 200 - 400. So by choosing the fruit instead of the cookie, not only do you get all key nutrients and minerals that your body needs but also you get to eat more of it because the calorie density is so much lower!

High-carbohydrate diets are great for weight loss and maintenance, allowing you to feel satiated and energized the right way, without feeling weighed down.

Debunking the Fad of the Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet

One of the most popular diet fads right now is the low-carb diet. This is the science behind keto, Atkins, most paleo, and a number of other diets, and are often seen as a way to lose weight fast.

And while the low-carb diet has been shown to help people lose weight in the short term, when these diets are followed long-term (i.e., for over a year), studies show that they're not very effective at helping with lasting weight loss or preventing chronic diseases like diabetes.

In fact, many health professionals have started to realize that the long-term risks of a low-carb diet may be disastrous in the long term.

In fact, results have begun to show that this high-fat diet is actually a terrible idea for heart health, and people on a low carbohydrate diet have been shown to have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease.

As we mentioned above, eating low carbohydrate foods is a great way to lower your sugar levels in the short term, but it can have disastrous results over time.

So to carb or not to carb. He clearly wants people to move towards a plant based diet. I have a book titled "The Carb Lovers Cook Book" and it is just what it says, a cookbook based on eating plenty of carbs.

I have studied nutrition to the max and my takeaway for losing weight is just 3 simple things, standards, principals whatever you want to call them.

1. Move more.

2. Eat less.

3. Enjoy healthy food.

My takeaway for increasing your health and staying healthier is also quite simple. Fiber.

If you are thinking about going on a Keto diet, don't. If you are already on a Keto diet, or the South Beach diet, or anything like it, then be aware that you are putting yourself at risk. More than what is stated here.