Why You Should Not Quit Carbs Altogether When Dieting

If you are trying to eat more healthily while getting fit, you need to pay attention to the various food groups to ensure your diet is healthy and serves all your needs. This is particularly true when it comes to carbohydrates.

Carbs have something of a bad name when it comes to dieting and are notorious for adding weight and leading to health problems like diabetes. This includes refined carbs like sugar and white flour, which cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels and lack fibre for good gut health.

However, as Eat This, Not That highlights, this is far from the whole story. There are healthy carbs that include fibre, vitamins and minerals, provide plenty of energy for exercise and supply essential food for brain and muscle function. While eating healthily means you should cut some carbs out of your diet, there are others you should eat lots of.

Eat This, Not That listed 20 common foods as healthy carbs, and when you visit our bar and café, you will find plenty of these on the menu.

If you look at our sample menu, examples include hummus (made from chickpeas), sweet potatoes, beetroot, couscous, carrots and bananas.

Other fruits are also classed as healthy carbs, including apples, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries (which also contain lots of antioxidants, as well), and we serve fruit with some of our dishes. 

Many people have bought into the idea that eliminating carbs is the best way to diet, whereas at one time, carbs were seen as a good alternative to fat. However, it really isn’t that simple. Energy comes from carbs, fat and protein alike. The key is to have the right balance.

Just as healthy fats in things like avocados are good while trans fats are bad, so there are healthy and unhealthy carbs. By moving away from processed foods and having more fresh ingredients, you can stay healthy while also fuelling yourself in the right way to give you abundant energy for exercise.