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