Despite the common misconception, not all carbohydrates are detrimental, even if they're often viewed as such. In reality, certain carbs can significantly support your weight loss journey. However, we aren't referring to refined carbohydrates like white bread, cakes, muffins, biscuits or specific breakfast cereals. There exist a few types of carbs that prove beneficial when included in your diet- particularly aiming at weight reduction; these might just astonish you! Don't be surprised if this news stuns you too! Prepare yourself to discover more about the potentially 'unhealthy' carbs which help with losing weight according to experts.
We have conversed with The Nutrition Twins®, Tammy Lakatos Shames (RD,CND,CFT) and Lyssie Lakatos(RD,CND,CFT) who are part of our Medical Expert Board. They elaborated on several 'bad' carbohydrates that actually contribute towards weight loss effectively.
Potatoes
Shocking as it might sound, potatoes join the roster of ideal 'bad' carbs advantageous for weight reduction. Don't dismiss a medium-sized potato immediately - it is merely 110 calories with zero fat content and presents a satisfying meal due to its water composition and fiber content (five grams if consumed unpeeled), as stated by The Nutrition Twins. On the grounds that potatoes are frequently overconsumed, deeply fried (e.g., French fries and tater tots), or smeared in butter, sour cream, etc., they often receive poor reviews. However natural-form potatoes could fulfill carb cravings as a healthful element of your meals.
To smartly incorporate potatoes into your diet plan while losing weight is to garnish it with beans, Greek yogurt spoonfuls, or sprinkle some lemon juice accompanied by salt & pepper to create a "potassium and vitamin C powerhouse."
As per The Nutrition Twins' advice: eating baked potato post-cooling endows you with an extra benefit related to weight loss owing to resistance starch presence which aids in shedding pounds favorably. This resistant starch behaves like prebiotics supplying essential nourishment for gut probiotics thereby grooming microbiome wellbeing. A healthier microbiome facilitates easier weight loss.
Maize
Make it a must to slip some corn cob into your grocery bag pronto. This starchy food is an excellent pick for someone trying to shed off some pounds since it's full of fiber and necessitates substantial masticating. As The Nutrition Twins note, "Your brain has ample time to register the 'I'm satiated' signal." They further elaborate, "Moreover, seeing the stripped-down cob on your plate prevents you from losing track of what you've consumed – making it harder for you not remember what all you've eaten." Furthermore, each ear only contains around 100 calories along with three grams of fiber that keeps one satisfactorily filled.
Various health perks are related with habitual corn consumption according to this study. It helps in reducing the likelihood of chronic ailments like type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity among others. Nevertheless exercise caution when slathering your cobs with butter; as The Nutrition Twins warn: "Adding excessive amounts of butter unduly raises the caloric value by more than twice whatever contained in a serving size portion be it fresh corn or popcorn."
Bread
Contrary to popular belief, bread can be a beneficial part of your weight loss journey. "There's more to bread than meets the eye", The Nutrition Twins emphasize. "Whole wheat bread is your best bet here". A slice of whole wheat bread amounts just to 110-120 calories and it can immediately curb cravings for carbs. This becomes significant because people often consume excessive refined carbohydrates or sugar when they feel deprived of carbs, thereby adversely impacting their waistline.
Ingesting whole grains provides necessary nutrients and fiber that will make you feel satiated. Plus, a study demonstrates that those who include whole grains in their diet are more successful at achieving and maintaining an ideal body weight compared to those who do not consume any whole grains at all. "Some clients prefer taking open-faced sandwiches as a way of controlling carbohydrate intake while still satisfying their carb craving," suggest The Nutrition Twins.
Bananas
Bananas can often be misconstrued as merely a sweetened fruit, though their role in addressing weight reduction objectives is paramount. Primarily when you choose less ripe bananas. "Bananas are not just low in calorie content but also enriched with satiating fibres," comment The Nutrition Twins. Less mature bananas have resistant starch, which our bodies cannot digest and this plays a pivotal role by inhibiting the absorption of carbohydrates - crucial for shedding pounds. Resistant starch has been documented to enhance insulin receptivity, which is significant considering that an inadequate insulin response correlates to weight addition.
Beets
Our next discussion focuses on beets. Don't be discouraged by its high sugar count. The so-called Nutrition Twins refer to beets as " nutritious sweet miniatures". Their nutrients aid in body detox, boosting your physical endurance and fighting diseases. A two-inch beet provides merely 35 calories, adding onto that are 2.5 grams of fiber with plenty water content sufficient enough to satiate you thereby controlling consumption of foods heavy on calories," point out the Nutrition Twins. Beets also act as a good source for nitrates which aids in reducing inflammation by getting rid of harmful compounds from your blood.
Additionally, if you need some extra motivational push during workouts enabling you to go an extra mile and burn more fat, the nitrates available in beets have been associated with enhancing physical efficiency by helping mitochondria produce greater amounts of energy within cells.
Carrots
It might be a common belief that carrots aren't beneficial for weight loss due to their sugar content. This concept should be dispensed with immediately! There are no added sugars in Carrots, and they can combat the inflammation induced by sugar intake, impeding weight loss or encouraging weight gain – an insight given by The Nutrition Twins. Additionally, consuming two medium-sized carrots before your meal will offer you four grams of fiber within just 48 calories besides anti-inflammatory nutrients such as Beta-Carotene essential for ocular health and immune-boosting.
There's yet another reason why carrots increase their charm: They have high water retention ability! In other words, they hydrate you well while also making you feel satiated so that you consume less in your ensuing meals, thus warding off unnecessary calorie loads. Many of clients' feedback received by -once again The Nutrition Twins shows how consumption of this veggie-before sitting down at the table not only controls cravings but also ensures regular bowel movements leading to them feeling light and energetic. And here is more exciting news; raw carrots rank low on the glycemic index (with a score of 16); i.e., it does minimally spike blood sugar levels post-eating.
