When we talk about carb intake, we think that simply minimizing carb intake and eating less will help control calories, blood sugar, and weight. However, cutting carbs outright in a body that is genetically and culturally predisposed to eating carbs as a major part of its diet means that cutting out carbs serves no purpose. It only creates denial and craving. Any diet should be sustainable, so it is important that a healthy, balanced diet is a combination of healthy fats, proteins, fiber and even carbohydrates. The last is not quantity management. It’s about how, why, what and when to eat carbs.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) new guidelines on carbohydrates, which shift the focus of the conversation to where carbohydrates come from. “We are more specific about where we are. [nutrients] is coming from We are particularly interested in fiber containing more complex carbohydrates. We focus primarily on fiber from whole grains, fruits and vegetables, which have been shown to have cardiovascular protective effects,” the official said.
So what are complex carbohydrates? They are made up of polysaccharides, which are longer and more complex chains of sugar molecules, and make up both starch and dietary fiber. Starches are carbohydrates typically stored in peas, beans, grains and vegetables that provide a quick source of energy. Fiber found in legumes, seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables helps intestinal health. Both have a long satiety index and prevent hunger, thereby reducing food intake, slowing digestion and slowing the postprandial rise in blood sugar.
So how many carbs should you distribute per meal?
I think 25 percent of your meal pie should be complex carbs. In other words, refined carbs are junk, and eat fiber and complex starches like whole wheat, brown rice, and millet. Another big dietary adjustment that can help control blood sugar is to count potatoes as part of your body’s total carbohydrate intake and not as a vegetable. In fact, if you put potatoes in the carbs section, the amount of roti and rice should automatically go down. The next 25 percent of your daily diet should be lean protein such as legumes, legumes, low-fat milk, curds, lean poultry, and fish. About 50 percent of the dish should be vegetables.
How should I consume carbohydrates?
Start eating a meal platter that includes protein and fiber. This can take the form of a fruit and vegetable salad with tofu and sprouts. For example, start your breakfast with egg whites (if you want to lose weight)/eggs, then eat boiled vegetables, pair them with avocado, then toasted bread made with millet, quinoa, or sourdough. Add vegetables to the hang curd. You can also add dahlias or crushed wheat along with the soy granules.
Your mid-meal should be protein-rich so that you don’t get too hungry by lunch. We usually tend to eat biscuits and cookies made with refined wheat, but they make us even more hungry. Nuts are also a good option. Mix peanuts into puffed or flattened rice, or add a handful of almonds, walnuts, or pista. This premeal load prevents overeating and suppresses the release of sugar. Soluble fiber such as isabgor, ragi, or husk dissolved in a glass of water before lunch can have a similar effect.
For lunch, start with a salad that includes diced vegetables, as well as soaked chana dal (chickpeas), moong dal (grams), and tofu. A good balance of protein and fiber. Next, have a roti with vegetables, lean meats, chicken, fish and cottage cheese. Try making roti with bran and peel to increase the fiber ratio. Try making roti with flour from chickpeas, soybeans, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and millet (all high in protein). The glycemic index (a value used to measure how much a particular food raises blood sugar levels) comes down to roti. Don’t stop at fruit. This is a common mistake we make, treating fruit like a dessert when it should be used as a mid-meal snack. You can repeat the same pattern for dinner, with minor changes here and there. Curd and dal can be added, but be sure to reduce the amount of carbs even further and wait at least two hours before going to bed. 10-15 minutes after the food has settled, take a short walk around the house itself. All of this reduces the release of sugars from food.
how to cook carbohydrates
Contrary to our taste buds, pasta eats up sugar faster, so it’s ideal to eat it hot, soft, and without vegetables. When pasta is cooked al dente and chilled, the sugar rise is much lower. Best if you can eat rice and wheat roti overnight. That’s because the starch molecules rebuild overnight and become resistant. Called resistant starch, this is a type of carbohydrate that is not digested in the small intestine. Instead, it ferments in the large intestine, feeding the “good” gut bacteria. The body begins to react to the resistant starch as fiber, and the peak of sugars slows down. This is why stale roti and rice won’t cause a sugar spike when served cold. This way, you end up absorbing fewer calories.
Finally, eat the right food at the right time. Staying realistic means personalizing your diet according to your activity, age and schedule. Also, our bodies respond differently to different foods, so what foods does your body need, how much should you eat, and how to prepare them to preserve their nutritional value. It is important to consult with a diabetes educator to understand whether or not
at a glance
*Imagine that your plate is a pie chart. It should be 25 percent complex carbs and fiber, 25 percent protein, and 50 percent vegetables.
*At every meal, serve salad on a platter, followed by protein, carbs, and vegetables.
*Rice and wheat roti can be served overnight. That’s because the starch molecules self-reassemble overnight, creating tolerance and improving insulin sensitivity.
Date first published: Jul 31, 2023, 09:56 IST
