Eat Carbs, Stay Slim

(BlackDoctor.org) — Many fad diets give carbohydrates a bad rap, leading you to believe that they’re the cause of unwanted weight gain. But carbs are an essential part of a healthy diet. Before you feast on chicken and boycott carbs, take a closer look at the U.S. Food Pyramid. Carbohydrates are highlighted as an important part of a healthy diet, and not banned by any means. Your body needs a wide variety of foods to function and stay healthy.

While fats and protein are also necessary for energy, they’re more of a long-term fuel source, while carbohydrates fulfill the body’s most immediate energy needs. Why does the body prefer carbs? Specifically, because they’re easier and faster to break down and use than proteins or fats. So don’t deny your body what it needs to keep up with your active lifestyle.

What Are the Types of Carbohydrates?

There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Complex carbohydrates, which should make up most of your carbohydrate intake, require more work and take longer for your body to break down.
It’s a slower process, but that’s a good thing — while simple carbohydrates are broken down more quickly, they don’t do much for your body. Because complex carbohydrates are broken down slowly, they give your bloodstream a more consistent level of energy, so you avoid the “highs and lows” that simple carbohydrates can give you.

What’s the Best Source of Carbs?

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