Often carbohydrates get a bad rap. Many diets eliminate eating all carbs. Atkins was one of the first diets, and now another trendy low carb diet is the Keto diet. Now there is a Zero Carb Diet fad going on. These diets restrict all carbohydrate consumption and replace them with foods containing a higher percentage of fat and protein. Many very healthy vegetables contain 3 to 4 grams of carbs per serving. An ounce of nuts or seeds has about the same. A truly zero-carb diet eliminates many health-protective foods more than any other diet. A while ago, fat was the villain. Any fat was considered evil and avoided. This led to many deficiency side effects that we have since learned about. Now we realize the difference between saturated fats, which are unhealthy, and unsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are healthy for us. As with fats, not all carbs are created equal.
There are good carbs and bad carbs. Carbs are made up of three things: fiber, starch, and sugar. Refined carbs are the kind that is bad for us. These are sugar-laden foods and drinks. Sugar is added to almost every processed food today. So many foods which are marketed today are incredibly high in sugar. Plain white sugar, white flour, and white rice are stripped of any fiber or natural nutrients and cause glucose to spike in the body. This causes inflammation and disease in the body. Refined sugar is addictive and makes you eat more and more of it without thinking.
Complex carbs are healthful and loaded with fiber, nutrients, and natural starches. These complex carbs digest slowly; this eliminates a spike of glucose in your body. Nutrients are a natural part of complex carbs. Many of these nutrients cannot be found any other way than eating complex carbs. Fiber is a massive part of complex carbs. Fiber protects health by promoting elimination in your bowels. It also scrubs your whole cardiovascular system. Fiber acts as a brush inside your veins, removing harmful plaque which leads to heart disease and strokes. The primary source of fiber comes from fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains. Complex carbs are essential to high vibe health. Complex carbs make it easier to maintain a healthier weight because they fill you up and digest slowly. Complex carbs you should be eating include whole grains, which are excellent sources of fiber, as well as potassium, magnesium, and selenium. Grains such as whole wheat, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat are good examples of high vibe carbs to enjoy often. Fiber-rich fruits such as berries, bananas, apples, peaches, and pears are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients linked to excellent health. Fiber-rich vegetables include leafy greens, carrots, broccoli, peas, and sweet potatoes supply nutrients and phytonutrients to your body. Beans such as kidney, navy, garbanzo, and black beans are full of fiber and healthy starches that supply essential amino acids and phytonutrients.
Zero Carb diets are dangerous and lead to premature death in many new studies being held recently. In Munich, Germany, the European Society of Cardiology Congress examined the links between low-carb diets and the risk of premature death. Twenty-five thousand people were studied, and a causal relationship was found between cancer risk and coronary heart disease and low-carb diets. In a second part of the study, 450,000 people participated, and their lives were followed for 15 years. The data from the study found that 51 percent of people on low-carb diets were more likely to die prematurely from coronary heart disease, and 35 percent were more likely to die from cancer. The people were found to be non-obese individuals on low-carb diets. From the University of Lodz, Poland, who headed the study, Professor Banach concluded that low-carb diets should be avoided at all cost. These low-carb diets exclude many vital phytonutrients, which we are just beginning to understand the meaning of. The lack of specific fibers, vitamins, nutrients, and phytonutrients are involved in premature death. Professor Banach says, "Low-carbohydrate diets might be useful in the short term to lose weight, lower blood pressure and improve blood glucose levels, but in the long term, they are linked to premature death."
I love complex carbs. Many of my recipes are filled with whole complex carbohydrates. Ingredients such as wheat and legumes, sweet potatoes, fruits and beans. I have several varieties of wheat which I grind to make my bread. The dietary guidelines from The Mayo clinic say that 45 to 65 percent of your daily intake of calories should be from complex carbohydrates. If you eat 2000 calories a day, between 900 and 1300 calories should be from carbohydrates. I encourage you to look through my recipes here on High Vibe Time and choose some to try. Here is one of my latest videos, Double Whole Wheat Focaccia.
Enjoy this tasty high vibe, healthy Italian specialty your whole family will love. The recipe is on the site also!
High Vibes!
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