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A simple way to lose weight: eat carbohydrates! What are simple carbohydrates? Eating simple carbohydrates

For those who dream of being slim, the very phrase “carbohydrates for weight loss” is perceived as something paradoxical. After all, most diets are based on their absence or minimal quantities. In fact, this approach is fundamentally wrong. It is because of this that the diet is called unbalanced and unhealthy. The right attitude towards carbohydrate-containing foods is the key to safe and sustainable weight loss.

Effect on the body

When losing weight, you cannot exclude carbohydrates from your diet for the simple reason that they perform vital functions in the body:

are the main source of energy;
form cell membranes;
cleanse the body of toxins (which is not a plus for weight loss, as opposed to);
protect against viruses and bacteria, strengthening the immune system;
stabilize the functioning of internal organs;
strengthen muscles;
create a feeling of satiety;
exclude afternoon depression, lethargy, drowsiness and fatigue.

This group includes substances:

glycogen - is gradually processed into glucose, there is a lot of it in pork, beef and chicken liver, yeast, crab meat;
starch - turns into dextrose, found in potatoes, grains and legumes;
fiber - is considered a brush for the intestines, as it thoroughly cleanses almost the entire digestive tract: leaving the body naturally, it takes with it toxins, waste, bad cholesterol and other harmful substances;
inulin - formed from fructose, sends a signal to the brain about saturation, is present in some plants (for example, chicory and artichoke), replaces granulated sugar for diabetics;
pectin - found in fruits and vegetables.

We conclude that slow carbohydrates are very useful for losing weight, as they eliminate spikes in blood sugar and provide a feeling of fullness for several hours. Isn't this the dream of everyone who follows a diet? And as a pleasant bonus, they act as an inexhaustible source of energy for intense physical activity, which allows you to burn as many calories as possible.

What is the glycemic index?

For weight loss, the concept of the glycemic index of foods, which is precisely related to carbohydrates, is very important. The faster they are digested, the higher the GI and the more undesirable it is to use such food as part of the diet. The slower the breakdown, the lower the GI and the more effective such food is for weight loss.

Wow! There is an opinion that a person does not gain weight from buns and fast food. To prove their theory, English scientists studied the lifestyle and nutrition of the Asian population in the past, when there was no talk of civilization. The basis of their diet was rice and baked goods. Despite this, they had slender and fit figures. Researchers say the main reason excess weight- not in carbohydrates, but in a sedentary lifestyle.

Product Lists

If you have successfully figured out which carbohydrates are right and which are not, it’s time to make a list of foods that you can safely include in your diet. And at the same time we are sketching out a second one - already one of the harmful ones.

You can eat (foods containing slow carbohydrates):

legumes, including soybeans;
dark chocolate (cocoa bean content - at least 75%);
mushrooms;
greens: dill, basil, lettuce;
porridge from cereals: oatmeal, millet, pearl barley;
pasta from durum varieties wheat;
natural yogurt without dyes;
vegetables: onions, leeks, zucchini, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, bay leaves;
nuts;
papaya, sweet potato, mango, persimmon;
fresh fruits with minimal fructose content: kiwi, cherry, apple, tangerine;
sunflower seeds;
bread;
berries: plum, cranberry, cherry.

You should not eat (foods containing fast carbohydrates):

quick soups;
baked goods: sweet rolls, white flour bread, biscuits, donuts;
carbonated drinks;
potato;
candies;
vegetables: turnips, celery root, carrots;
cookie;
beer;
syrups;
sweet fruits: bananas, watermelon, grapes;
fruit juices.

These are not all foods containing carbohydrates (there are too many of them), but it is quite possible to create a menu from them in balance with proteins that will protect muscle mass from breakdown, forcing the body to expend energy directly from fat reserves.

Rejoice! Researchers from Tel Aviv University said that eating carbohydrates for breakfast eliminates the desire to indulge in sweets throughout the day. But at the same time it needs to be combined with something protein.

Some useful tips will allow you to organize nutrition correctly and achieve results.

Daily carbohydrate intake

An adult needs from 100 to 500 g of carbohydrates per day. This figure depends on your lifestyle (sedentary or active), intensity of sports, height and weight. Those who engage in mental work need to eat about 400 g of carbohydrate-containing food, and if they do physical work, then about 500. For more accurate calculations, nutritionists offer the following formulas: 5 g of carbohydrate products per 1 kg of body weight (for office workers) or 8 g per 1 kg of body weight (for athletes).

Sports activities

Carbohydrates are not included in diets due to their high calorie content. In this regard, their use as part of weight loss must necessarily be accompanied by intense exercise. They will allow you to spend extra calories and speed up fat burning. Some nutritionists and trainers advise eating carbohydrate foods about an hour before training to provide the necessary energy, increase endurance and improve physical performance, eliminating the debilitating feeling of hunger.

Diet

Firstly, meals should be fractional. Secondly, meals should always be taken at the same time. Thirdly, carbohydrate foods should be eaten in the morning, for breakfast, so that the feeling of fullness lasts as long as possible and eliminates snacking. However, the last rule does not work for those who suffer and are used to eating at night. In this case, it is better to eat food rich in slow carbohydrates for dinner.

Constantly count the daily calorie content of the food you consume. The indicator should not exceed 1,200 kcal for women and 1,500 for men.
Drink enough water: medium daily norm- at least 2 liters.
To lose weight, choose foods rich in fiber.
Carbohydrates are ideally combined with proteins, since insulin, produced when the former is consumed, transports to the cells amino acids formed during the processing of the latter.
Do not choose mono-fasting - give preference to combined diets, so that the diet includes cereals, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
Cooking methods can be anything except frying.
Fatty foods (pork, mayonnaise, etc.) are excluded.
Have dinner no later than 19.00.

Carefully! Fast carbohydrates, according to scientists, can cause real addiction, similar to drug addiction.

Sample menu

Let's consider sample menu for a week. You can adjust the diet, but when forming it, consider the following points:

lunch portions of the first and second courses should not exceed 200 g;
breakfast and dinner - 200 g each;
for lunch you can eat 1 medium-sized low-calorie fruit;
for an afternoon snack - 1 glass of any low-calorie drink.

Dishes can be replaced with others to suit your taste, but the main thing is to maintain the BJU ratio and portion size in them. And always remember that fast carbohydrates will not bring you any good.

Where are the myths and where is the truth? Some scientists claim that carbohydrate foods contribute to the development of cancer cells. Others say that it prolongs life.

Recipes

To make it easier to create a menu, we suggest delicious recipes, which are very easy to prepare at home. Low in calories, made from slow carbohydrates, very nutritious, they will brighten up any diet and contribute to weight loss rather than weight gain.

Buckwheat porridge with mushrooms

For a glass of buckwheat - half a liter of water. Boil the cereal, add a little salt. Separately stew 300 g of champignons. Mix both dishes while they are still hot. Pepper and season with a little olive oil. An ideal carbohydrate breakfast for weight loss that will provide energy for the whole day.

Georgian lobio

Soak 300 g of red beans in 500 ml of cold water for 3 hours. Boil until tender. Finely chop a medium-sized onion and saute it. Pass 100 g of walnuts through a meat grinder, mix them with any spices (khmeli-suneli, pepper). Combine beans, onions and nuts, heat in a dry frying pan for 10 minutes.

Stuffed zucchini

250 g of freshly ground spelled (cereal, a type of wheat, sold in stores, contains slow carbohydrates), pour 500 ml of water, add 2 bay leaves, add a little salt and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Leave on low heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Peel, rinse and cut 1 kg of zucchini into halves. Scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Add salt and place on a baking sheet. Cool the spelled mass, remove the bay leaf. Add 2 egg yolks, pepper, mustard, 2 chopped garlic cloves. Fill the zucchini halves with the resulting mixture. Place in the oven preheated to 200°C and bake for 30 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Healthy, sustainable weight loss is not a mono-hunger strike, which first leads to physical and moral exhaustion, then to a breakdown, and ends in overeating and even more weight gain. Proper Use healthy carbohydrates will balance the diet and allow you to eat tasty and beneficial for your figure. Just differentiate them into good and bad: feel free to use the first (within reasonable limits, of course), and refuse the second or minimize their quantity.

One of the most important sources of energy for humans is carbohydrates. Usually, they are very high in calories and their content is almost half of a person’s daily caloric intake. If too many carbohydrates enter the body, they turn into fat. How to maintain the necessary balance? Let's talk about this today.

Benefits of carbohydrates

An important supplier of energy for humans are the so-called simple carbohydrates. These are sucrose and glucose. These types of carbohydrates are processed by the body very quickly, but do not provide a feeling of satiety. At the same time, these types of carbohydrates are important for.

But complex carbohydrates, which take a very long time to be digested by our intestines, play an important role in nutrition:

They ensure normal intestinal motility.
Removes toxic substances from the body.
Helps remove bad cholesterol.
Normalize intestinal microflora.

Another classification of carbohydrates is into complex and refined. Complex carbohydrates are part of natural products that are beneficial for our body.

Refined carbohydrates are found in refined foods, which do not provide any benefit to humans. They are found in baked goods, sweets, and sugary drinks. These carbohydrates are very high in calories and take a lot of useful substances from the body for processing. The process of processing complex carbohydrates takes a long time - about 6 hours. During this period, they break down into simple ones.

Glucose, along with sucrose, provides nutrition for the brain. Glucose is required for the liver - it is involved in the process of glycogen formation. Fructose is good for sick people diabetes mellitus, since insulin is not involved in the process of its breakdown.

Dairy products contain the carbohydrate lactose, which is converted into glucose and galactose. Maltose is found in molasses and beer. It is the result of starch processing.

The complex carbohydrate starch ranks first in its consumption. It is very slowly converted into glucose. It is found in potatoes, pasta and bread. Another complex carbohydrate is fiber. It is practically not digested, but is very important for the normal digestion process. Fiber stimulates intestinal function. Pectins, which are found in plums and apples, are useful for the same purpose. They are involved in removing toxins from the body.

Harm of carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are harmful to our body. They very quickly enter the blood from the gastrointestinal tract and are transported through the blood to every cell of the body. It would seem that everything is very good - thanks to fast carbohydrates, the human body receives the necessary energy almost instantly.

But that's not true. Available in fast carbohydrates and reverse side. They very sharply increase the amount of sugar in the blood. In order to bring the blood condition back to normal, the pancreas begins to intensively produce insulin, which is responsible for delivering glucose from the blood to the cells. This sharply lowers the level of glucose in the blood, a signal about this goes to the brain and the person begins to feel severe hunger.

In addition, excess glucose in the body is converted into body fat. Some of this fat is deposited under the skin, the other part entangles the internal organs, and the rest is transformed into harmful cholesterol, which settles on the walls of blood vessels and clogs them. Over time, a dependence on sweets may develop, since insulin is considered to stimulate the formation of the hormone serotonin, which is responsible for the feeling of happiness. That's why many people eat something sweet.

Types of carbohydrates

All carbohydrates can be divided into simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates have the following subtypes:

Monosaccharides, which include glucose, fructose and galactose.
Oligosaccharides are sucrose, lactose and maltose.

Complex carbohydrates are compounds in different combinations of glucose units. They are divided into:

Polysaccharides, these include starch (a plant polysaccharide) and glycogen (a polysaccharide of animal origin).
Fiber is dietary fiber, cellulose, present in bran, wholemeal, cabbage, beans and other vegetables. This group also includes lignin, found in cereals and vegetables. This substance enhances peristalsis and reduces the absorption of foods by the body. Fiber also includes gum, found in oat products, and pectin. These substances reduce the absorption of fat and reduce the concentration of cholesterol in the blood.

Why are carbohydrates needed?

IN recent years Carbohydrate-free diets, which almost completely exclude any type of carbohydrates from a person’s daily menu, are becoming increasingly popular. Of course, on such a diet, the weight comes off fairly quickly. But at the same time, the person becomes irritable, feels tired and apathetic. All this is a consequence of giving up carbohydrates.

As we noted above, carbohydrates are a very important component for providing a person with sufficient energy. To feel energetic, you need to include complex carbohydrates in your diet, which take a long time to process, give you a feeling of fullness and provide energy for a long time. For this purpose, carbohydrates should be consumed in the first part of the day. Then they will be completely processed into energy resources and will not be transformed into fat deposits.

Carbohydrates take part in the formation of bone and cartilage tissue, DNA synthesis and blood thinning. Carbohydrates are important for cancer prevention.

Where are carbohydrates found?

All products can be divided into those that are beneficial for humans and those that are harmful based on their carbohydrate content. Healthy foods contain complex long-lasting carbohydrates; they saturate the body for a long time and provide the main supply of energy. A harmful products They contain mainly fast carbohydrates, which only cause hunger.

So, the most simple carbohydrates are found in sweet foods: dried fruits, jam, honey, etc. There are also a lot of simple carbohydrates in baked goods, white bread, pasta, and semolina. All these products can be excluded from the menu, and you will only benefit from this and will not lose anything.

The most complex healthy carbohydrates contain buckwheat, rice, lentils, beans and peas, baked goods made from whole grain flour (usually they have brown). These foods should be on your table daily to provide sufficient energy.

The average number of simple carbohydrates contains fruits, berries and potatoes, and sweet drinks. Moreover, the sweeter the berry or fruit, the more simple carbohydrates it contains. It is better to eat potatoes boiled, and completely exclude fried and fried potatoes. It is also better to avoid sweet drinks - they do not contain any useful substances.

Dairy products contain the least amount of carbohydrates and fresh vegetables. They are low in calories and healthy. These products contain fiber and vitamins necessary for the intestines. Especially if in your diet large number squirrel. In this case, fiber is very important for its processing.

How many carbohydrates do you need?

The question of the amount of carbohydrates for a person worries many - both those who are on diets and count every calorie, and those who cannot live without sweet treats.

In order for the human body to function normally and to avoid a tendency to obesity and changes in hormonal levels, everyone should consume no more than 100 g of simple carbohydrates. This includes all sweet products, including confectionery, sugar, jam and honey.

Although carbohydrates are not as high in calories as fats, they are several times higher than the latter in terms of the amount a person eats per day. Meanwhile, for the body to function normally, the amount of carbohydrates must be a certain proportion in relation to the number of fats and proteins. So for 1 g of protein there should be 1.2 g of fat and 4 g of carbohydrates.

In practice it looks like this: a 70 kg middle-aged person with lungs physical activity should consume approximately 400 grams of carbohydrates. At the same time, the amount of fast carbohydrates from them should be less than 100 g. With age, the amount of carbohydrates should decrease. For example, after 60 years, 333 g of carbohydrates are required, and after 75 years, only 300 g.

Children require even less carbohydrates: up to 3 years, 180 g is enough, up to 6 years, this number increases to 250 g, and up to 9 years, 300 g of carbohydrates per day is enough.

To feel great and be energetic, you need to eat right. The diet should include proteins, fats and carbohydrates. If there is a shortage of any components, a person feels discomfort, lethargy, weakness and malaise.

Carbohydrates enable normal functioning. What are they for? These substances are a source of energy. As they are processed into glucose, the body becomes more active and alert. At the same time, you should know how many carbohydrates you need to consume per day so as not to harm your health.

Concept

Carbohydrates are organic substances consisting of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. About 2-3% of these components accumulate in the body in the form of glycogen. Blood contains glucose in the amount of 5 g. The more trained a person is, the more glycogen he can accumulate.

The human body is capable of synthesizing carbohydrates, but in very small quantities, so most of them come with food. These components are found in plant products. For example, there are about 80% of them in cereals. And sugar contains 99.98% of these substances. Carbohydrates provide the body with energy. What else are they needed for? They are important and necessary for the functioning of many organs.

Species

Before you find out how much carbohydrates you should consume, you should familiarize yourself with their types. These components are a nutrient for the brain and provide the energy needs of all people.

Carbohydrates are:

Simple;
Complex;
Easily digestible;
Difficult to digest.

Simple types include glucose, galactose and fructose. Such substances are quickly absorbed and sharply increase blood sugar levels. Doctors recommend that many people limit their diet as much as possible. This means that you need to consume sugar, honey, and sweets in smaller quantities.

Complex carbohydrates are starch, glycogen, fiber, pectin. Many nutritionists recommend organizing your menu so that it consists of 60% carbohydrates. Are substances needed for the proper metabolism of proteins and complex carbohydrates? Together with proteins, they synthesize hormones and enzymes, which is important for the functioning of the entire body.

Of great importance are those that are practically not digested in the intestines and are not a source of energy. But these hard-to-digest carbohydrates are important in the digestion process. Thanks to them, intestinal function is stimulated and digestion improves.

Starch is digested slowly, but it increases blood sugar for a long period. The body also needs it, but in moderation. The substance supplied with rice, semolina, potatoes, and bread is digested faster than that found in millet, buckwheat, and barley.

Glycogen, which is called animal starch, accumulates in muscle and liver cells. It is found in animal products. The component creates an energy reserve that can replenish the lack of glucose in the body at any time.

Difference between simple and complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates give you a feeling of fullness. What are they for? With them, a person does not want to eat for a long time. After these substances enter the body, it takes a long time before they are processed into glucose. This category includes cellulose, starch, and glycogen. Such substances are found in vegetables, cereals, and pasta.

Simple carbohydrates are needed for easy satiety, but after a while you will still feel hungry. When such components are present in the body, they are quickly converted into glucose. As the body fights sugar surges, it removes excess sugar into fat deposits. Therefore, a person quickly gets fat. Such components are found in sugar, sweets, grapes, bananas, buns, corn, and white rice.

Functions

Every person should eat carbohydrates. What they are needed for can be understood from their main functions:

They are sources of energy for the brain.
Maintains the tone of body tissues.
Protect the body from the proliferation of bacteria in the intestines.
Stimulates good absorption of fats.
Many carbohydrates are enriched with fiber, so consuming them will prevent constipation and other diseases.

Such functions are necessary to maintain human health. But like any other component, carbohydrates should be consumed in moderation. This will prevent the occurrence of diseases.

Other Features

A person should eat foods containing these organic components to prevent deterioration of the body's condition. Carbohydrates are needed for the functioning of the immune system and reducing the risk of colds. They support the body and protect against blood clotting.

Together with proteins, they influence the formation of hormones, enzymes, and various compounds. These organic components are involved in the synthesis of RNA, DNA, and ATP. 70% of the brain’s energy activity depends on them.

Sources of carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are found in sugar, sweets, chocolate, and dried fruits. They are present in baked goods - waffles, cakes, buns. Bread and pasta are also sources of this substance. If a product contains sugar and flour, then they are classified as fast carbohydrates. Those who are losing weight and athletes exclude them from their diet.

Complex carbohydrates are found in cereals - buckwheat, rice, rolled oats and legumes - peas, beans, lentils. They are found in whole grain bread. These components must be included in the diet, as they are considered a source of energy for the brain and muscles. Moderate amounts of carbohydrates are found in bananas, grapes, and persimmons. The more acidic the berry or fruit, the less such substances it contains. Carbohydrate foods include potatoes and juices. A minimum of such substances is found in cottage cheese, milk, and cheese. If you eat such foods in moderation, they will not harm your health.

Deficiency and excess

With a lack of carbohydrates, the metabolism of fats and proteins is disrupted, so harmful components accumulate in the body. Because of this, the pH balance changes to an acidic environment. How to determine that the body lacks these substances? Symptoms may include drowsiness, lethargy, hunger, headaches and nausea. To improve your condition, you need to include carbohydrates in your diet. This will increase the amount of sugar in your blood and improve your well-being.

There are cases of excess carbohydrates. This leads to obesity, increasing insulin in the blood. If you constantly eat a lot of such food, latent diabetes may appear. Doctors say that excess carbohydrates cause deterioration in the functioning of the pancreas. People with diabetes should not eat a lot of these foods to prevent complications. This is why it is important to know how much carbohydrates you should eat.

Norms

Nutritionists believe that these components should be equal to 45-55% of all calories per day. How many grams of carbohydrates do you need per day? A minimum of 130 grams is required. This norm must be observed to prevent the occurrence of diseases.

How many grams of carbohydrates do you need if you have a sedentary lifestyle? Doctors recommend 4 g per 1 kg of body weight. Such standards must be followed by men and women. More active people require 5-6 g per 1 kg of weight, and active people - 6-7 g. The last group includes people who play sports at least 3 times a week.

Athletes need to eat 8-10 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of weight. Since such people undergo intense strength training, the volume of organic components quickly burns out. If you follow these simple rules, you can protect yourself from a number of diseases for a long time.

A proper diet helps you stay fit and healthy. Food should be varied. Not only carbohydrates are needed, but also proteins and fats. If you want sweets, then it’s better to choose healthy products eg honey, dried fruits, fresh fruits. It will be better than confectionery.

To eliminate unnecessary snacking, complex carbohydrates should be included in the menu. Nutritionists recommend consuming 20% simple and 80% complex components per day. You should not eat simple carbohydrates, such as bananas and grapes, on an empty stomach. Because of such snacks, a feeling of hunger quickly appears, so a person will consume more calories.

A carbohydrate diet for weight loss is based on a sharp limitation or complete exclusion of simple carbohydrates from the diet and an increase in foods and dishes from them high in complex carbohydrates with a reduced intake of fat. This dietary program, which seems like a paradox to many, is based on accelerating processes, which is due to the relatively rapid absorption of carbohydrates in the body.

The importance of carbohydrates in human nutrition is extremely high. First of all, it is the main source of recycled energy that ensures life. The energy function is performed mainly by glucose, fructose, glycogen, sucrose and starch. An important role is played by “indigestible” carbohydrates (hemicellulose, cellulose, pectin), which stimulate the motor function of the gastrointestinal tract, adsorb toxic compounds, and create conditions for the normal functioning of the natural intestinal microflora.

Carbohydrates are presented big class connections and include both simple ones - monosaccharides , and complex - polysaccharides . Influence different types carbohydrates on metabolism varies significantly.

Simple (quickly digestible) carbohydrates - are broken down in the body into monosugars (glucose and fructose), which are quickly absorbed, and when there is an excess of them in the body and there is no immediate need for them, a complex mechanism of their conversion into subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat is triggered. This type of carbohydrate quickly increases blood sugar levels, which leads to a feeling of fullness, which goes away just as quickly. These include honey, sugar, confectionery, sweet fruits. Such sources of carbohydrates in the diet must be limited.

Complex (slowly digestible) carbohydrates - starch, pectin, glycogen, inulin, fiber. The structure of the molecule is complex and includes dozens monosaccharides . The process of their breakdown occurs in the small intestine quite slowly (the duration is 2-5 times longer), and the process of their absorption is slowed down by fiber. They slowly increase blood sugar levels and the body is evenly saturated with energy. It is these carbohydrates in food that should be the main source of energy and account for 95% of daily value. These include various products containing a lot of fiber, pectin, starch (cereals and cereals made from them, white rice, whole grain bread, bananas, pineapple, grapes, dried fruits and others).

1. Stay within the 120 calorie limit.
Are you giving up rich foods (sweets, jam) in order to lose weight? Unfortunately, such tactics lead to the opposite result - a passionate desire to eat a forbidden product. The solution is to allow yourself sweets, but only a little. “It is recommended to consume 120 kilocalories of simple carbohydrates per day, no more,” says Gavrilov, nutrition specialist, psychotherapist, chief physician"Center of Doctor Gavrilov." - This can be two caramels or 25 g of honey or. Our body cannot do without sugar at all: glucose is necessary for proper operation brain."

2. Combine Carbs with Protein or Healthy Fats
According to the theory, foods rich in complex carbohydrates - cereals - should be consumed separately from proteins, since they are poorly digested together, and their combination leads to weight gain. However, nutritionists do not take this rule seriously. Firstly, all food components - proteins, carbohydrates and even fats - are well digested in the duodenum. Secondly, the combination of proteins with complex carbohydrates is effective means in the fight against increased appetite. “It is complex carbohydrates, together with protein foods, that can normalize blood sugar levels, preventing “spikes” in glucose and insulin during the day, which can provoke disturbances in the appetite control system and contribute to the occurrence of many chronic diseases,”- says Mikhail Gavrilov.
3. Eat carbohydrate foods cold.
If you eat cold cereals, pasta and potatoes, the carbohydrates in them will be absorbed more slowly. This will ensure stable blood sugar levels and promote a long-lasting feeling of fullness. So you can safely afford rolls without mayonnaise and sushi with shrimp or tuna.
Don't like Japanese cuisine? Try adding potato wedges and spiralized pasta to fresh vegetable salads. “If you add shrimp to this salad, you can take it with you to work in your lunchbox as a light lunch,”- says Elena Tikhomirova, nutritionist at the SM Clinic.
4. Soak white rice before cooking
White rice contains quite a lot of starch and little fiber. However, this does not mean that you should abandon it and switch to brown. “White rice contains few useful substances, but is an enterosorbent that removes excess water and toxins from the body,”- says Margarita Koroleva, star nutritionist, author of the “Royal Diet” program. Before cooking, the doctor recommends soaking the rice for several hours in cold water and then rinse it under running water. “By doing this, you will remove excess starch from the rice and will also cook it faster.”- says Margarita Koroleva.
5. Make friends with sources of indigestible starches
Some products contain so-called indigestible (reduced) starches, similar in their properties to fiber: they are also excreted unchanged from the body along with toxins, ensuring timely cleansing of the intestines. “Indigestible starches are found in pearl barley, red potatoes, legumes, rye bread,- says Elena Tikhomirova. - People on a diet should pay attention to them and eat potatoes, beans and barley as part of soups, side dishes, and cereals. You should not give up rye bread, replacing it with whole grain bread. In fact, it’s even lower in calories.”
6. Don't get carried away with fruits
It is believed that fructose is much easier to convert into fat than glucose - provided that its sources, fruits, are consumed in large quantities. By the way, fructose also increases blood sugar levels and provokes the appearance of. That's why you shouldn't just eat fruit as a snack - it will make you want to eat even more. Also, you should not replace sugar with fructose - both products contain the same amount of calories, and blood sugar rises at the same rate. “In general, experts from the American Diabetes Association do not recommend consuming fructose for diabetics and overweight people,” says Ekaterina Belova, nutritionist, chief physician of the Center for Personal Dietetics “Nutrition Palette”. - In our country, for some reason, it has long and firmly established itself on store shelves labeled “Healthy Nutrition.”
7. Read labels more carefully
If sugar is not listed in the product, this does not mean that it is not there - it just may be hidden under a different name. So aliases for sugar are dextrose, galactose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, fruit juice concentrate, agave syrup, corn syrup and so on. Do you want to protect yourself from such surprises? Eat less carbohydrate-containing processed foods - cookies, muesli, fruit desserts
.IMPORTANT!
The optimal intake of carbohydrates for an adult is considered to be 55-60% of the daily calorie intake, which averages 300-500 g per day. In therapeutic diets (for example, for diabetes), it is permissible to reduce the carbohydrate intake to 130-150 g per day.