Why a Carbohydrate Chart is Useful
A carbohydrate chart is definitely useful in order to help you select the correct types of carbohydrate sources to include in your diet on a daily basis. It may also help you control your carbohydrate intake by helping you determine the correct portion sizes. By selecting the correct sources of carbohydrates and controlling the portion sizes, you will be able to lose weight quickly and easily.
Carbohydrates are the most misunderstood macronutrient. This is because there has been so much mis-information about them over the years. Most of the mis-information has resulted from the influence of large food manufacturers and government bodies promoting certain foods for their own best interests rather than what is in the best interests of the population as a whole. This topic is discussed in more detail in the article, The USDA Food Pyramid History.
Food sources of carbohydrates can have a huge impact on your ability to lose weight. If you select the wrong types of carbohydrates or have too much of them, your blood sugar level will rise significantly, resulting in the pancreas secreting insulin. Insulin has the effect of storing the carbohydrates in the muscles and liver as glycogen but when those two storage sites are full the rest gets converted into body fat. To make matters worse, insulin also stops the body from mobilising and utilising fat as a fuel source; it stops fat burning in its tracks!
Therefore, it simply makes sense to keep insulin as low as possible throughout the day. By doing so, you can access and burn fat all day long. You can literally turn your body into a fat-burning machine! Plus, there are plenty of other reasons from a health perspective as to why you should avoid high insulin levels. As a result, a carbohydrate chart is a very useful tool in helping you avoid high blood sugar levels and insulin spikes.
The Macronutrient Information Table that is featured in my book, Look Good, Feel Great! is a thorough carbohydrate chart broken down into 3 groups: high-density, medium-density and low-density carbs. In each of these groups the carbohydrate source is listed along with the amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat contained is a certain amount of the food.
For example, 30 grams of rice contains 105 calories, 24 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of protein and 0 grams of fat. This becomes useful information to know when it comes to carb counting.
Here's some examples of the types of foods contained in each group:
High-Density Carbohydrates: bread, pasta, rice, cereals, jams and juices.
In order to maximise your weight-loss efforts it is best to consume 1-2 serves a day of the high-density carbohydrates, 2-3 serves a day of the medium-density carbohydrates, and 4-6 serves a day of the low-density carbohydrates. By doing so, insulin will stay low and you will be able to access and utilise stored body fat as a fuel source. If however, you have some degree of insulin resistance, i.e. you're a diabetic or a woman with poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, or you're over the age of 50 or take anti-depressant medication you may need to follow a low-carb diet instead.
Calorie counting and carb counting are useful tool to use in the very early stages of planning your nutritional plan. However, they are not something that needs to be done on an ongoing basis. You see, once you know the correct portion sizes for your body and consume the correct amount of the types of carbohydrates because of what you've learned by using a carbohydrate chart, you no longer need to count carbs or calories any more.
If you would like to get a comprehensive carbohydrate chart so you can quickly and easily determine the amount of carbohydrates contained in a certain food, then is recommend you get a copy of my e-book, Look Good, Feel Great!
Not only does it contain a carbohydrate chart but it also provides you with all the principles you need to lose all the weight you want and get in the best shape of your life. Each of the principles is explained in detail so you have a very good understanding as to why it has been included as one of the principles. Furthermore, the book takes you through a simple 10-step process so you can create your own, individualised weight-loss plan that suits you and your lifestyle.
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