Carbohydrates and Weight Control

What is generally misunderstood with a low carbohydrate weight loss program is the notion carbohydrates should be completely removed from daily food intake. There is no energy without an intake of carbohydrates of some form on a daily basis, carbohydrates are necessary for the body to function properly. The preferred source of energy in the human body is carbohydrates that have been converted into blood glucose, or sugar. Converted carbohydrates cannot be consistently stored by the human body, by the liver and muscles, and must be taken in on a regular basis. The brain itself will not use any other energy than carbohydrates, except in cases of malnutrition and starvation. The balancing act that is required to maintain healthy weight is to intake sufficient carbohydrates for the body to use as fuel, but not so many carbohydrates that the excess intake is stored as fat. Many dieticians believe a healthy diet should contain up to half of the daily intake of food as carbohydrates. Without sufficient fuel for energy, muscles cannot work to optimum efficiency and burn excess fat cells.

Someone looking to undertake a low carb diet plan which severely restricts carbohydrates should examine their current food intake very carefully. Not only the quantity of food should be determined, but specifically the types of food that are eaten during the day. Most people who claim they need to completely remove carbohydrates from their diet feel their cravings for carbohydrates are the cause of their weight gain. Those people are generally not craving only carbohydrates, they are craving the fats that are attached to the carbohydrates they enjoy eating. It is not just sweet food, like candy, starchy foods, like pasta and sauce, or filling foods, like bread with butter, that cause the weight gain. It is the fatty portion of the food, such as the processed chocolate, the sauce on the pasta and the butter on the bread.

The key to efficiently burning calories and losing weight is to reduce the intake of fatty foods. Choosing smart carbohydrates over hunger satisfying foods is the best way to change the way the body uses food that is eaten during the day. Hard candy, such as cherry drops or peppermints, fruit juice or a piece of fruit is the best way to ease the craving for something sweet. Pure carbohydrates, in moderation and eaten in small portions several times during the day, can prevent hunger pangs and binge eating that can maintain a cycle of weight gain. One looking to start a sensible diet should absolutely avoid starving in order to make the body burn fat.

Carbohydrates are not as bad as generally thought for a diet plan. Carbohydrates attached to fatty topping or in fat filled foods, such as dessert foods, can be the downfall of any diet. Any diet plan should be discussed with a doctor prior to undertaken and should be connected to a healthy exercise plan. Feeding the body’s muscles, with their preferred fuel, will allow the muscles to work efficiently and the body to increase metabolism to burn fat.