10 Easy to Remember Commandments of Health and Fitness (Commandment 3): Eat COMPLEX carbohydrates; avoid SIMPLE carbohydrates

There is a lot more to carbohydrates than we will tackle in this blog.  The idea is to make us aware of what we are putting into our bodies for fuel.  What you use as fuel is vital to a well running body and complex carbs over simple carbs is best. Simple carbohydrates cause you to continually crave more and more.  Have you ever just eaten one cookie or one chip.  Even when you take one out and roll the bag back up; you still go back for more.  Complex carbohydrates will not make you have that crash feeling after the buzz of what simple carbohydrates gives you. 

Examples of complex and simple carbohydrates:

Complex Carbohydrates include 100% whole-grain (bread/pasta), starchy vegetables (potatoes; sweet potatoes; beans; peas; lentils), oatmeal, and brown rice.

Simple Carbohydrates include sugar, syrups, fructose, fruit juice, enriched flour, cookies, white rice, white bread, crackers, candy, French fries, chips, doughnuts, and soda.

Best and worst:

The point is to make us aware of the basic concept of which carbohydrates are better for us than others.  One of the best foods on these lists is the sweet potato; however, don’t add a bunch of butter and sugar to it.  One of the worst items on these lists are sodas, even diet sodas!  Just because they say it is “all-natural” does not mean it is good for you.

 

Bread in our culture:

Bread is not a good way to get your carbohydrates.  Many breads are high in calories and added sugar.  Avoid bread where enriched flour is the first ingredient such as white bread and wheat bread.  Make sure if you are going to eat bread the first ingredient is 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat and it is low in added sugar.

Hidden sugars:

There is hidden sugar (simple carbohydrates) in foods that you don’t think about such as in spaghetti sauce.  We are not striving to avoid all carbohydrates, but we want to avoid as many hidden sugars as possible.  Yogurt is good for you, but make sure the kind you get is not full of sugar!  It is also amazing all the hidden sugars found in salad dressings, barbecue sauces, dried fruits, and energy drinks.  Check the labels.

Cooking trick:

Instead of adding crackers (simple carbs) when making salmon patties or meat loaf; add oatmeal (complex carbs). My family has never noticed the difference and it is a better for you too!

Alternatives:

Instead of cookies, eat a piece of whole fruit.  Instead of potato chips, grab a handful of lightly salted peanuts.  Instead of soda, slice an orange into water and drink throughout the day.  Instead of sugar; try a little xylitol or stevia.

Don't forget to click the links to check out Commandment 1 and Commandment 2.

In Christ Alone and continuing in prayer,

Chad

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