Still think carbs are the devil?
This is an article from Wieght Watchers / I found it very usefull :
Still think carbs are the devil? Still avoiding bread, rice, and pasta like the plague? Time for a reality check. While it is a good idea to drop white versions of these staples, their whole grain counterparts deserve a place on your plate. Here’s why :
The Truth About Carbs
The fad-diet debate has left many health-conscious people baffled about the best way to include carbs in their meals. With all the confusion, it's important to remember that carbohydrates provide essential nutrients and can (read: must) be included in any healthy weight-loss plan. In fact, fruits are loaded with carbs, and they're also prevalent in vegetables and dairy products. Now that says a lot for the credibility of no-carbohydrate diets!
Carbs are to our bodies what gas is to a car — a primary energy source. Without enough, we just can't make it up that hill. And the vitamins, minerals and fibre in carbohydrate-rich foods help keep us healthy. "Many of the nutrients in carbohydrate-containing foods are needed for protein and fat metabolism -— they help fight infection, promote the growth of tissue in the body and lubricate our joints," says Sam Rose, CN, MS.
Carbohydrates can be divided into two main types: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are composed of simple sugars like those found in milk, fruit, regular soda and candy. They're easily broken down by the body and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Complex carbohydrates take longer for your body to break down and therefore don't produce as rapid a "sugar rush" — instead they often make us feel more energetic in the long run. Good sources of these energy packers include whole grains such as wheat bread and bran cereals, legumes and vegetables.
So why do some people try to steer clear of carbs? They wrongly fear that eating that piece of bread or a pretzel will shoot their blood-sugar levels sky-high and route calories directly to their thighs. But it's not carbs alone that pad the hips. Too many calories in general is typically the culprit. Eating more calories than you need — whether those extra calories come from protein, carbohydrates or fat — results in your body converting the excess into fat.
Including the Right Carbs in Your Diet
The key to successfully implementing carbohydrates into a diet plan is choosing the right ones. When planning a meal, think of carbs in terms of their nutrient density, or the amount of nutrients (such as vitamins and minerals) and fibre the food provides. A couple of homemade doughnut holes, for example, which has a low nutrient density, costs a lot, but gives little nutritional reward in return. On the other hand, a cup of oatmeal offers a large nutritional payoff.
Starting the day with some complex carbs, then fueling up properly for the rest of the day, should provide protection against that mid-afternoon "I need a cookie" craving. But eating well isn't solely about carbs. "It makes sense to include carbohydrates for breakfast to provide your body with a ready source of energy after an overnight sleep," says Weight Watchers' chief scientist Karen Miller-Kovach. "However, a balanced breakfast is not made exclusively of carbs. Rather, it contains some protein and fat, which can be as simple as adding some low-fat milk on cereal or enjoying a hard-boiled egg."