10 Carbs for Weight Loss

People tend to think that carbs are their worse enemy when they want to slim down. But the truth is: If you want to burn calories fast, you need carbs. Carbs are your primary energy source and if you don’t eat carbs you will feel weak and in no condition to rock the gym. There is two things you should consider when prepping your meals: Choose good carbs which means the ones that are packed with fibre like all of the sources I listed here. Other than that just make sure you eat your carbs with some protein and healthy fat. I guess that no one is going to eat pasta or potatoes by its own, but I wanted to mention it anyways. The reason is that the protein and fat are going to balance out the sugar rise that comes with the carbs. But again, when you choose high fibre carbs that rise is going to be slower and less than if you had white rice or white bread for example. I promise, you won’t put on weight as long as you move. Carbs are good for you, carbs are important for your brain. Make wholegrain and vegetables your carb sources and you will feel super energetic throughout the day and your workout. These are my favourite carb sources:

QUINOA

Quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa exists in three different colours: white, black and red. The nutrition values and taste don’t change significantly. All grains are high in fibre, magnesium, vitamin B, iron, potassium, calcium and various antioxidants. The glycemic index of quinoa is around 53 which is considered low. This makes quinoa a great carb source because it is good for blood sugar control.

WHOLEWHEAT PASTA

I had my kids try wholewheat pasta about 3 years ago first time. They didn’t like it and made me continue buy the white one. I gave it an other try about 2 years ago and they were totally fine with it. These days we all together enjoy wholewheat pasta. While the kids would love to have them even for breakfast, I try to have my portion for lunch so I have lots of energy throughout the day.

SWEET POTATOES

I love sweet potatoes. They are so much more interesting than potatoes. I truly feel inspired to try new recipes whenever I get some. My favourite combination is with pineapple, orange peel and pecan nuts but the fries baked in the oven are also pretty awesome. You just mix herbs with a little olive oil and brush it o the sticks before baking them at 200˚C. Sweet potatoes have more fibre and vitamin A than white potatoes and their GI is lower but that doesn’t mean that you cannot eat white potatoes. They are healthy too as long as you don’t eat them in form of chips or just by itself which no one does anyways. You can lower the GI by having the potatoes with cottage cheese or chicken on the side.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

You can eat bread if it is not white bread and if you don’t have too much of it. I want you to go to a bakery and ask for wholewheat bread. Don’t get these toast bread ones from the grocery store. They are spiked with chemicals to stay fresh longer. I had one sit in my fridge for literally two months and nothing happened. You may also bake your bread yourself. Cut it in slices once you get it out of the oven and freeze part of it. You may defrost it in the toaster and prepare an avocado sandwich in the mornings.

OATMEAL

If you want to eat healthy you better start stocking up your pantry on oatmeal. It is the most delicious carb ever. Make sure you soak them over night or cook them with milk so they soften until you are ready to eat them. I also make flour from oatmeal and use it to bake muffins or make healthy pancakes. You really cannot tell the difference from white flour taste wise.

GREEN PEAS

Peas are low fat, low calorie and they boost your immune system and have anti-aging effects because of their high levels of anti-oxidants. Peas are carbohydrates but because of the high fibre content the blood sugar digestion is actually slowed down. Have a bowl of peas as a snack in the afternoon. Buy lots of fresh peas when it is the season and freeze them for winter. That will be a much healthier option for winter than canned peas.

ROASTED CHICKPEAS

Chickpeas are among the most healthy foods because they are packed with dietary fibre and protein. I like to have chickpeas with brown rice, in my buddha bowl, my salad or my protein bars. My kids like roasted chickpeas. I sometimes make them so they have a healthy snack for when we do homework or watch a film at night. Check out this link for the recipe Best 7 Pre-Workout Snacks

AIR-POPPED POPCORN

The popcorn you get at the cinema or in those bags that you put in the microwave are not healthy of course. But if you pop them yourself without any oil or toppings, then you can enjoy a bowl as a snack. You may also eat a corn cob if it is cooked in water or on the grill. It contains about the same number of calories as an apple and less than one quarter of the sugar. Just remember when you eat corn or popcorn: it is healthy as long as you don’t slather on butter and salt.

ZUCCHINI

When you think of carbs you mainly have bread or pasta in mind but vegetables are carbs too. They are my favourite source actually because they taste great and and you can eat big portions without feeling stuffed or putting on weight. Did you ever make zucchini pasta with a fresh tomato basil sauce? It is such a nutritious alternative to spaghetti.

STRAWBERRIES

Fructose, the naturally occurring sugar in fruits, is a carbohydrate. There is a big difference between eating a bowl of strawberries and some white bread though. The fibre in the fruit prevents your blood sugar levels from spiking the way they can with flour. Eat maximum two portions of fruit in a day and preferably have them for breakfast or your snack. If you eat an apple or pear, wash it well and don’t peel it since a lot of that valuable fibre is in the skin.