Okay — so here are some simple solutions to help you shed some of those extra pounds. Remember: everything you do and eat can affect your weight. But don’t despair — it’s not as complicated as you think to stay slim and trim. You don’t need to follow fad diets or starve yourself, or write down everything you eat and tally the calories. Let’s start by reviewing the basics, so that you are clear about what the relationship is between your weight, food and exercise.
You need three basic types of food to live: carbohydrates; protein; and fat. Carbs are the main source of fuel for your muscles. Protein helps your cells grow and repair themselves. And fat can be burned as an alternate fuel in times of hunger. So — your body takes in carbs and changes them into glucose for energy. If you eat more carbohydrates than you can burn off, your body will turn the extra carbs into fat. Now you know how the process works and that carbs can sometimes be problematic when it comes to weight gain. Everyone needs carbs though; the trick is to eat the right kinds of carbs — mainly whole grains.
You probably know whole grains are supposed to be healthy and they’re less fattening than refined grains. You’ve been told before that it’s better to have whole wheat bread, rather than white bread. And oatmeal is better for you than packaged cereals with lots of sugar and salt. But what exactly are whole grains and what can they do to keep you healthy? Whole grains contain all three parts of the grain: the bran; the endosperm; and germ.
The bran layer contains fiber, B vitamins, and 50% to 80% of the grain’s minerals and phytochemicals. The endosperm portion is full of complex carbohydrates, protein, and some more B vitamins. And the germ is full of vitamin E, trace minerals, more B vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. Refined grain foods like white bread contain only the endosperm. Typically, refined foods have the germ and bran removed during milling. This causes the loss of 25% to 90% of a grain’s nutrients. So it really is best to eat whole grains!
In one recent clinical trial, researchers gave either whole wheat sourdough bread or white bread to study participants. They found that the group given whole wheat bread had significantly lower levels of LDL cholesterol as well as lower body weight and waist circumference, and better fasting glucose levels. All the evidence you need to ditch refined grains and start making whole grains part of your everyday diet.
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Read This if You’re Still SmokingTags: carbohydrates, Cholesterol, diet, exercise, glucose, vitamin b
