No, you don’t need to be on a low carb diet to be healthy or to lose weight! You just need to look at what kinds of carbs you are consuming. While there is nothing wrong with white bread or pasta, they are not as nutrient-dense as whole wheat and whole grains. Here are some tips to help you tell the difference between starches and carbs and for replacing starchy foods with healthy, complex carbohydrates.
Free Report: 6 Daily Habits To Boost Your Energy LevelsWhat is Wrong with Starchy Foods?
Changing your diet isn’t about eating clean 100% of the time, but just making small changes to increase the nutrients and health of your meals. Which means starchy foods aren’t bad for you, but there are some good reasons to reduce them if possible.
For example, starchy foods tend to have a higher amount of carbohydrates and sugar, but not as many vitamins and minerals that your body needs. They can also affect some people when it comes to lowering their blood sugar levels.
Types of Starchy Foods to Reduce in Your Diet
Not sure what a starchy food is? Here are some easy examples:
- White bread
- Sugary cereals
- White pasta
- Baked pastries and donuts
- White rice
- White potatoes without the skin
As you can see, most of these are highly processed foods that don’t contain many nutrients. But the good news is they are really easy to replace with healthier foods that will be very similar, but provide more nutrition in your diet.
Healthy Carbs to Replace Them With
Don’t worry – you don’t have to give these foods up or go on a low-carb diet! You are just going to replace them with their healthier counterpart.
- Enjoy whole wheat and whole grain bread – Make the switch from regular white sandwich bread to whole wheat bread.
- Switch to brown rice and quinoa – For rice, if you want to eat less white rice, you can enjoy brown rice, wild rice, or quinoa.
- Switch to sweet potatoes – While it’s completely fine to eat white or red potatoes, you can reduce starches by enjoying sweet potatoes instead.
- Try whole wheat or brown rice pasta – There are many varieties of pasta that aren’t just white pasta, including those made from whole grains, brown rice, and chickpeas.
As with all diet transformation strategies, you don’t want to completely change everything you eat right from day one. Consider just switching out the starchy carbs one meal or variety at a time, like going with brown rice this week, then trying whole wheat bread next week.
Beat The Highs And Lows of Starches and Carbs
Remember that a balanced diet and plenty of exercise is better for you than a diet that tries to eliminate calories, starches and carbs and promises a quick solution. Lifestyle choices, poor diet and a lack of physical activity all influence your energy levels. This free report, 6 Daily Habits To Boost Your Energy Levels reveals simple to follow routines that will keep you going day-in and day-out.
