| You may think after all of the talk lately | | | | to "sample the delicious spectrum" when it |
| about carb reduction that you need to avoid | | | | comes to the many different colors and |
| eating carbohydrates. But the exact opposite | | | | varieties of fruits and vegetables. |
| is the case. The kinds of carbohydrates you | | | | |
| get from fruits and vegetables are a | | | | You will get your "five a day" if you eat one |
| necessary basis of your daily diet. Instead | | | | cup of dark, leafy greens, one half cup of |
| of helping you "pack on the pounds," they | | | | red tomatoes, one half cup of yellow peppers, |
| actually help you to burn fat. They are also | | | | six ounces of orange juice and one half cup |
| a major source of fuel for your body, | | | | of blueberries. This is only one example of |
| especially your muscles, brain and nervous | | | | how you can consume "five a day" of fruits |
| system. | | | | and vegetables to keep your complex carb |
| | | | ratio up. Please notice this includes only |
| You may think after all of the talk lately | | | | one serving of fruit juice. Various nutrition |
| about carb reduction that you need to avoid | | | | experts state that you should eat whole, |
| eating carbohydrates. But the exact opposite | | | | fresh fruits more often than drinking fruit |
| is the case. The kinds of carbohydrates you | | | | juice, which keeps those simple sugars from |
| get from fruits and vegetables are a | | | | adding to your weight problem. |
| necessary basis of your daily diet. Instead | | | | |
| of helping you "pack on the pounds," they | | | | This is because simple sugars are more |
| actually help you to burn fat. They are also | | | | concentrated in fruit juices than in whole |
| a major source of fuel for your body, | | | | fruits. You should eat at least two cups of |
| especially your muscles, brain and nervous | | | | fruit a day, in a variety of fresh choices, |
| system. | | | | such as one small banana, one large orange |
| | | | and one quarter cup of fresh or canned |
| Carbs occur in two types: simple and complex. | | | | apricots or peaches. Also, eating fresh fruit |
| They are broken down into glucose, or blood | | | | adds more fiber to your diet and helps flush |
| sugar, which is metabolized by your body for | | | | toxins from your system better than only |
| energy. Glucose not immediately used by you | | | | drinking fruit juice does. |
| is stored in your muscles as glycogen, but if | | | | |
| your body has an excess of glycogen, it is | | | | You should also eat plenty of dark, leafy |
| converted into fat. However, because carbs | | | | green veggies, which are among the best foods |
| prime your metabolism, you need them in order | | | | for you. Eat broccoli and kale, as well as |
| to burn fat. This is one of the major reasons | | | | mustard greens and spinach. Also, you should |
| you must not starve yourself and eat too few | | | | eat "orange" veggies such as carrots, sweet |
| carbs. You must eat a good intake of complex | | | | potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash. For peas |
| carbs, such as those found in fruits and | | | | and beans, among the best are pinto beans, |
| veggies. | | | | kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, |
| | | | split peas and lentils. Foods such as these |
| Simple carbs, such as those found in candies | | | | are extremely healthy, low in fat, and |
| and sweets, and also fruit, are turned into | | | | terrific for raising your energy levels. |
| glucose quickly. These are the kind which can | | | | |
| add to your weight problem. Complex carbs, | | | | Eating fruits and veggies will also greater |
| such as those found in brown rice, veggies, | | | | lower your risk for cancer. Researchers at |
| legumes (peas, beans and lentils), and whole | | | | the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging |
| grains breads and cereals are digested and | | | | at Tufts University have made "top ten" lists |
| thus used at a much slower rate, giving your | | | | of the best antioxidant (anti-cancer) fruits |
| body time to prime its metabolism. | | | | and vegetables. Here are some of the most |
| | | | antioxidant members of the fruit and |
| There are four calories in each and every | | | | vegetable families of foods: |
| gram of carbohydrate. Nutritionists say that | | | | |
| 50% of your diet should consist of complex | | | | 1) Fruits: prunes, raisins, blueberries, |
| carbs. Simple carbs are high in calories but | | | | blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, |
| low in vitamins and minerals. These are the | | | | plums, oranges, red grapes and cherries |
| so-called "empty calories" that you find in | | | | |
| sodas, deserts and other such sweets, and to | | | | 2) Veggies: kale, spinach, Brussels |
| some extent in fruits -- especially fruit | | | | sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, beets, |
| juices and fruit juice drinks. You should be | | | | red bell peppers, onions, corn and eggplant |
| getting your major carb intake from whole | | | | |
| fruits, whole grains and vegetables. | | | | While the average American seldom gets as |
| | | | much as two servings of these good foods per |
| Good high carb veggies are peas, peppers, | | | | day, nutrition experts say that five to seven |
| pumpkin, radishes, spinach, squash, | | | | servings a day need to become a staple of the |
| succotash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and | | | | ordinary American diet. You can easily sneak |
| turnips. Succotash, sweet potatoes and green | | | | these into your family's eating patterns. Try |
| cooked peas are the highest in carbs. You | | | | serving raw veggies at every meal, and take |
| need several servings per day of complex carb | | | | advantage of packaged, prepared veggies. Put |
| foods such as these to maintain your energy | | | | veggies into your breakfast and lunch, and |
| levels and keep you from getting those | | | | start each family dinner with a mixed green |
| "sluggish" feelings that make you feel sick | | | | salad. Serve a salad entrée dish once per |
| and tired. | | | | week, fill your spaghetti sauce with |
| | | | vegetables, and begin ordering a weekly pizza |
| By eating five or more servings of fruits and | | | | - with an extra serving of healthy |
| vegetables every day, you will be boosting | | | | vegetables. |
| your health through better carb consumption. | | | | |
| The National Cancer Institute recommends that | | | | If we were to eat more veggies and fewer |
| you have fruit juice -- or better yet fresh | | | | processed foods, we as a country would lose |
| fruit - every day for breakfast. You should | | | | weight, clean out our clogged arteries, |
| have a fresh fruit or vegetable snack every | | | | balance our blood sugar and shut down a large |
| day. You need to stock up on dried, frozen | | | | number of hospitals in the process. This |
| and canned fruits and veggies. You must make | | | | would roughly solve America's growing health |
| these foods visible and easy to access | | | | and obesity problems - in a nutshell. |
| throughout your daily routine. And you have | | | | |