Cutting carbs may be doing you more harm than good

Grains may be an important part of your health plan…

In the quest for weight loss, carbs and grains always seem to be the first thing to go.  The Paleo and keto diets have been popular in the last 10 years and various versions of low-carb diets before that.  

But, cutting carbs may be doing you more harm than good.

The Mediterranean-style diet is the diet that has the best research amongst the vast majority of health conditions. It has research supporting its benefit in relation to managing cholesterol, autoimmune conditions, mental health, heart disease, diabetes, etc.  One of the key pillars to the diet is the consumption of whole grains.

Whole grains contain beneficial soluble and insoluble fiber which is very helpful in terms of bowel movement regularity as well as microbiome balance (it feeds the good bacteria in your gut!).  Whole grains also contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

Where grains may not feel great for someone is when they have a plate of pasta with very little protein and colorful fruits and vegetables. It's not that the pasta is the problem per se, it's that the portion size is large and there are other important pieces that are lacking in that meal.  If you’re consuming a lot of pastries laden with butter and sugar that will inherently be higher in calories and harder to digest.  If you’re just having a bagel with butter for breakfast, that’s not going to keep you full.  So if you cut these things out of your diet, you may see changes in terms of how you feel.  It’s not that the grains were the problem, it’s that the meals/snacks were missing other important components, and you may be replacing them with more satiating and nutritious options.  

Cutting grains altogether might contribute to tummy troubles and bowel concerns.  Many people also find they just are not as satiated without the whole grains.  Grains in their most whole form such as brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat, and oats especially are a healthful part of a nutrition plan.  

So keep the grains in, but be mindful to pair them when possible with protein and colorful fruits and vegetables to create more balanced meals.  The closer to the whole form the better!

Have questions about how to make these changes in your diet, book a visit!