Weighing Your Carb Choices

All carbohydrates are not created equal. And carbs are not monsters. They are just a force to be reckoned with in your healthy lifestyle. Healthy carbs, in general, are unprocessed foods and contain a good amount of fiber. On the other side of the carb coin lie the not-so-healthy carbs, which are usually refined or processed foods. Take responsibility for being the judge and jury of the carbs in your food. Here are a few factors to consider in making your daily judgment calls:

• How the carbs you choose affect your blood sugar

• Your metabolism

The total calorie count

Substitute a couple high-calorie foods, such as high-fat meats and fast foods, with natural foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, and lean meat every day, and you can reduce your carbs as well as your calories while you increase your intake of nutrients that your body needs.

Healthy carbs

Healthy carbs are those that are as unprocessed as possible in their natural and whole form. Include more healthy carbs in your low-carb lifestyle. Some healthy carbs need to be consumed in moderation, and some choices in each group are considered more low-carb acceptable than others. Here are some examples of healthy carbs:

• Plant-based foods (veggies are key)

• Certain fresh fruits

• Certain dairy products

• Lean meats

• Fish and seafood

• Poultry

• Nuts and seeds

• Whole grains (in moderation)

Legumes (in moderation)

Because healthy carbs are slow to metabolize in your body, they help you avoid spikes in your glycemic index.

Sharpen your carb consciousness and discover that fresh is best. The more fresh foods that you can pack into your low-carb healthy lifestyle, the more of a winner you become.

Carbs that aren't so healthy

Simple carbs are absorbed by your body so quickly that they immediately hit your bloodstream with a rush, and an almost instantaneous gush of insulin follows. This gush floods the cells with the simple sugar of energy for your body. This process takes you on what you might know as a sugar high, whether you have ingested sugar or another simple carbohydrate. You experience a quick surge of energy and then a crash that usually comes with a craving. Not a healthy situation for you or your healthy low-carb lifestyle. Some of these "not-so-healthy carbs" include but are not limited to the following products:

• Refined sugars and products containing refined sugars, such as doughnuts, cookies, cakes, candies, and soda

• White flours and products containing white flours, such as breads, pizza, pastas, and noodles

• White rice

• Highly processed foods of all kinds, even foods like luncheon meats, some frozen meals, and meals in a box