The general perspective currently held on carbohydrates is that they are to be avoided. But while bread baskets and pasta dishes are being shunned by the perpetually thin, their diets are still heavy on fruits and certain dairy products like yogurt. And while there is some truth to thinking that the latter are healthy and the prior are not, they are, in actuality, all carbohydrates.
Thinking that all carbs are evil is an unfortunate approach to eating and one that won’t serve you well if you’re looking to live a healthy lifestyle and to manage or lose weight. There are two different types of carbohydrates—simple and complex—and by understanding the difference between the two and which foods that fall in each category, the no carb adage can be thrown out the window.
Simple carbohydrates are found in refined grains (wheat, rice, etc.) and refined sugars and in fruits. The body more-or-less processes simple carbohydrates as it does white sugar, so unless simple carbohydrates are eaten in a form that includes other healthy and necessary vitamins and nutrients—as is the case with fruit—they should be avoided.
Complex Carbohydrates are digested more slowly than simple carbohydrates, but they carry additional nutrients and fiber that are lacking in processed flours and sugars. Fiber has many health benefits, but in terms of dieting, it makes the body feel fuller faster, curbing food intake. Complex carbohydrates can be found in numerous sources—from whole grains to legumes (beans, lentils, etc.) and many vegetables.
When the reality of carbohydrates is considered it becomes very clear that writing carbs off as the enemy of dieting is a drastically oversimplified concept. A diet without fruits, vegetables and dairy (a carbohydrate as well) would not only be seriously limiting but very unhealthy. So even if you do choose to shun bread and pasta, just be sure to make things clear: very specific simple carbohydrates are the culprits, not all carbs across the board. That’s why Healthy Curb was developed. It changes many simple carbohydrates into fiber in your diet, so they are eliminated like fiber. You no longer have to avoid carbs at all!
