http://www.carbcarnival.com/carbohydrate/ Low carbohydrate diets offer quick weight loss, but we need carbs for proper body functioning. Instead of cutting your carbohydrate intake down to none or nearly none, try cutting down to the amount your body needs instead. Feel me? en-us Wed, 22 Feb 2006 09:56:11 EST Wed, 22 Feb 2006 09:56:11 EST Weblog Editor 2.0 In today's world, we have more food choices than ever. This is both good and bad. On the one hand, you have variety. You can make low fat choices, no fat choices or full fat choices. On the other hand, you have variety. Think of all the fast food places and convenience foods that are in existence today that weren't around 50 years ago. And with today's hustle-bustle world, a lot of people rely on this kind of lifestyle. But this can also lead to obesity. Eating foods that have low carbohydrate counts Are you one of those people who eats a candy bar for an energy boost? Or do you just eat without thinking, or base what you eat on what you want, rather than thinking of how healthy the food is or isn't? The truth is, most of us weren't raised being taught why we eat the way we do. We aren't taught what a carbohydrate is, what foods are high in fat and calories, etc. Nor are we taught the difference between good and bad carbs and what kind of effect each has on our bodies. Most of us learn the basics--ice cream, cake, cookies, pies and other desserts are all great treats, but your mom was always pushing you to eat fruit instead. The most she would tell you about why was simply that "it's better for you." That's the simple answer to a complex issue. Speaking of simple and complex, those are the two different kinds of carbohydrates. The simple carbs are carbs like sweets, and they're also found in foods made with white flour, like white bread, pasta and rice. These don't take long for your body to digest, so you feel hungry again sooner, and when you eat, it's likely to be more simple carbs. It's a vicious carbohydrate circle! The thing is, you're probably not even aware of it. Complex carbohydrate foods and situations Then there are the complex carbohydrates. These are foods that are rich in fiber and take your body longer to break down, so you feel full longer. They include whole wheat and whole grain breads, whole wheat pasta, brown or long grain rice, vegetables and fruits. Chances are, you might benefit from an effective and easy carbohydrate counter to help you keep this kind of thing straight, so that you never have to worry about the kind of problem you are getting yourself into. Chances are you don't know any of this until you start a low carbohydrate diet. As you start to read food labels and carbohydrate counts, you'll be surprised at how many carbs are in foods you thought were healthy, like bagels, orange juice and yogurt, just to name a few. Then if you get a carbohydrate counter, whether it's in book form or computer form, you will see that the carb counts in foods like fruits, most vegetables and potatoes are high too. But those carbs are complex carbs. When deciding which low carbohydrate diet to choose, choose one that limits your intake of simple carbs, not complex carbs. After all, your body needs 130 grams of carbs a day to function properly. Most low carb diets take you down to 20 a day for the first two weeks, then maybe you'll get 60 grams a day after that. Most of us eat far more than 130 grams a day, so cutting down to just 130 grams a day is a form of low carb diet all its own. Wed, 22 Feb 2006 09:56:11 EST http://www.carbcarnival.com/carbohydrate/low-carbohydrate.html Low carbohydrate dieters beware! Being on a low carbohydrate diet has side effects. en-us Tue, 04 Oct 2005 10:18:18 EDT Tue, 04 Oct 2005 10:18:18 EDT Weblog Editor 2.0 http://www.carbcarnival.com/carbohydrate/carbohydrate-counter.html Carbohydrate counter madness is gripping the nation. You have got to get one of these! en-us Wed, 22 Feb 2006 10:35:31 EST Wed, 22 Feb 2006 10:35:31 EST Weblog Editor 2.0