Thursday, January 10, 2013



CARBS: Yes??? No???? When??? GOOD NEWS for "Carb-O-Holics!"

It's always the same proverbial question when it comes to wanting to eat a bit healthier, and keep the waistline in bounds!  CAN I STILL EAT CARBS???  And of course, the answer is a resounding YES you can, with a few suggestions!


Carbs are a very necessary part of your everyday diet. I do not approve of too low or no carb diets. I just suggest you understand that eating more complex(unrefined) carbs, vs. ALL refined, simple carbs, (white sugar/white flour products and pop namely) is healthier and will help you in the battle of the bulge!  So while you enjoy those special treats, and may eat some simple carbs now and then,  you will have an edge relying more on Complex Carbs because they empower the body WITH:

1)  A long term  energy that lasts longer, without spiking insulin and blood sugars.
2) Weight Loss and Maintenance:  FAT/weight gain=Insulin output.
3) Intact enzymes that weren't robbed in processing are still in unprocessed, Complex Carbs, so you digest easier w/out bloating.
 4) Fiber, so vital to disease prevention, giving a feeling of fullness and aiding in eliminations.
 5) Vitamins essential to health, especially B-vitamins, crucial to the nervous system & hormone health.

And there are many many more reasons the right kind of carbs are essential to wellness and weight management!


Here are the Complex Carbs you will want to incorporate more than the simple, stripped, white or sugary ones. Remember again, it's all about moderation.....a lot of the good, a little of the bad, and don't sweat it. But if you eat refined carbs as your main carbs, expect your body to be starved of nutrition, to be acidic (not alkaline Ph where you thrive)  and therefore leave you open to diseases and to battle your weight continually!  And you may have candida, or yeast in the body, which can cause a myriad of problems from migraines to an impaired immune function!

Complex Carbs You may Want to Eat:
Sweet Potato/Red potato/Yams:  in order of first to last in how they break down.
Sweet potato is a good choice w/butter. If you do potatoes, red only. NO RUSSETS!
Oat bran or steel cut oat hot cereals from scatch/or dry cereals that are whole grain but 
Gluten-Free. You'll only find these at Whole Foods/Health food stores. Try KIND cereal.
Brown rice/brwn.basmati rice/wild rice.  Limit white rice, as it turns to glucose asap!
Lentils/Kidney beans/Black beans/Garbanzo beans/Hummous/Split peas/even refried!
Whole grain/gluten free breads in moderation. If you want to go midway, use SPELT.
Dave's Killer SPELT bread, or any Spelt bread.  For optimal health, Gluten Free!
Most vegetables, Excluding white potatoes and corn, and fruits like apples/berries/pears in the raw. Choose a sm/med organic apple, fresh or frozen blueberries/raspberries! Vegetable juicing is great. Smoothies, watch the FRUIT!
While getting into this, and still feeling like you need chips/crackers??? Just read the label, go Gluten Free, and try to baggie the bag into sandwich baggies the minute you are home!


I eat mainly Complex Carbs. And when I want a dessert, I do eat one, without guilt. As I choose dark chocolate, cupcakes/pies/cookies that are  delish, but just have some twists on the recipes, such as being made with an all purpose, gluten-free flour, using  LESS and NO refined sugar! ( Brown sugar in the store is JUST caramel colored WHITE refined sugar! Do not think it is less refined.) We'll talk about "legal" sugars, for now use Turbinado, Evaporated Cane Juice, or I like Trader Joe's Maple Sugar Granules for cookies/etc. MORE on this later!

So this week, I will be having Maple Custard  from Marlene's Market and Deli in Federal Way, Wa.  It is "off" my normal routine of  Total Complex Carbs, and that's fine. I don't eat Simple Carbs, as a rule,  but I've been at this a long time!  I will teach you the recipe for gluten free red velvet cupcakes, and other goodies!  If you need to bake, follow the ingredients I will share w/you! If you overeat, OVEREAT on the good stuff!   I personally DO NOT bake, because willpower does not exist for some of us recovering  Carb Addicts...SMILE!  However, some of you have families who want cookies/desserts, so I'll provide those recipes w/substituting!  Planning/Re-Education is KEY!  For me,  I'll buy a wholesome, but decadent dessert and eat ONE PIECE, THERE!  Let's not have deprivation,  let's not make this a science,  but let's go back to WHOLE LIFE/WHOLE FOOD LIVING and SOAR!  Please ask questions! I welcome ANY and ALL!!!

2 comments:

  1. Check out Billington's brown sugars -- real brown sugar, not white with color added. And watch out for most of those GF flour mixes. They tend to be based on white rice flour and empty starches.

    What do you think about hi-maize resistant starch?

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  2. Oh, indeed, TY Karen. I don't suggest when I get to Gluten Free any but the ones made with brown rice flour/garbanzo/almond/coconut! Otherwise, one still gets dead/nutrition less food. Actually, I have crafted my own flour recipe and it is sooooooo much cheaper!

    I have been researching hi-maize resistant starch. I love the concept of it...and the fact that it would be great for recipes where I used corn starch. My research is focused on finding out if there are any companies that product it, that proof positive are NON GMO corn. Monsanto has taken about 97% of the corn production in the U.S., and that would be my only concern.

    I shall check out Billington's sugars. To be honest, I had not heard of them! Thanks. You add so much as usual :-)

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