Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Be Carb Smart! 1. Most health experts think American’s eat too much refined grain foods. That’s white flour and sugar in many forms. Try eating more whole grain every day this week – try for 3 a day! 2. Sugar Rush or staying power? Too much sugar can lead to a hungry crash later. Limit sugars: Count the teaspoons of sugar in your day! 4 grams of sugar is 1 teaspoon (don’t count fresh fruit) 3. Grain portions have gone over the top: It’s not unusual to be served 3 cups of pasta in a restaurant – that’s 6 servings! Do you really know how much you are eating? Measure your portions to get it right. Other “Tool Kit” resources at: http://livewell.carolinasmedicalcenter.org/body.cfm?id=133 Questions or concerns? Call us at: 704.355.8136 option 3 or email [email protected] What to eat to lose weight Carbohydrate FAQs What is a carbohydrate? Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients: carbohydrate, protein and fat. They provide most of the energy needed in our daily lives, both for normal body functions such as heartbeat, breathing and digestion and for physical activity. Which foods contain carbohyrates? • Grains • Fruits • Vegetables • Beans and legumes • Dairy products • Sugars Do I need carbs? High-carbohydrate foods are the best and sometimes only food sources of many essential nutrients, including: • Fiber • Vitamins C & E • The majority of B vitamins • Carotenoids and other beneficial phytochemicals • Potassium • The majority of trace minerals A diet that is low in or deficient in any of these nutrients leads to many health problems, including increased risk for osteoporosis, high blood pressure and heart disease. Are high-carbohydrate diets fattening? Not necessarily. Obesity is uncommon in Asia where most people eat a very-high-carbohydrate diet. But not all high-carbohydrate foods are created equal. Some, such as whole grains, potatoes, fruits and vegetables, actually help you eat fewer calories without hunger. What should I eat if I want to lose weight? • You should eat more fruits and vegetables, especially nonstarchy vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes and spinach. • You should also try to eat grains that are in a more whole, unprocessed state like the ones listed in the “skinny” carb list. • Get 3 servings of nonfat milk or yogurt for calcium. • Choose high-protein foods that are good for your heart, like beans, nuts (go easy on these since they are high in fat), fish and white poultry without the skin. If you eat meat, choose lean cuts and limit portions to 3 ounces or less. Prepare all food with minimal fat. Not All Carbs Are Created Equal Take a look at our lists below. The numbers on the right are a way of measuing the density of calories in a food by showing how much each food contains per pound. Nonstarchy vegetables, such as lettuce, tomatoes and carrots, are the lowest in calories while foods that contain white flour, sugar and fat, such as cookies, are the highest. “Skinny” Carbohydrates: Vegetables, nonstarchy 195 Fruits 135-425 Skim milk 158 Hot cereals 242-281 Brown rice 488 Potatoes, yams 494 Barley 557 Whole-wheat spaghetti 562 Beans 576 Calorie-Dense Foods: These include foods that are high in sugar, refined grains and/or fat. Ice cream 1,283 French fries 1,400 Cake with frosting 1,544 Pretzels 1,700 Sweetened dry cereal 1,701 Cheesecake 1,733 Baked potato chips 1,760 Doughnut 1,800 Croissant 1,800 Brownies 2,000 Snickers 2,163 Cookies 2,200 Crackers 2,268 Potato chips 2,450 © Food & Health Communications www.foodandhealth.com Not All Carbs Are Created Equal H igher-fiber carbs, such as whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables may help you eat fewer calories. These are very desirable for those choosing to control their weight and better their health. They are also the major food groups from MyPyramid and are emphasized in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans so you can get adequate nutrients in calories allotted. But refined carbs and foods, like cookies, crackers, cake, sugary foods, donuts, coffee cakes, muffins, waffles, pancakes, packaged sweet cereals, packaged snack treats and chips, all make it easy to eat too many calories. Glossary: Refined carbohydrate foods: Foods that have been processed from whole ingredients. Examples include sugar and flour and foods made with these ingredients. Refined foods usually lose fiber and important nutrients. For example, white flour is a refined food made from whole wheat kernels. Sugar is a refined food made from sugar cane. Refining foods increases palatability and calorie density. Palatability and calorie density make it much easier to eat too many calories. • Did you know that it takes 2,000 pounds of sugar cane to make about 192 pounds of raw sugar. It is very easy to eat 100 calories of sugar. But very difficult to eat that amount from the sugar cane itself. (We would liken that to eating bamboo!) • Compare grain products: - 8 ounces (1 cup) cooked whole wheat cereal = 149 calories - 8 ounces French bread: 403 calories - 8 ounces cookies: 1020 calories. The more you refine foods and add sugars and fats to them, the more palatable and high in calories they become. Unfortunately for so many, the more irresistable they also become! Whole plant foods: Minimally processed foods from plants that are in their whole, nearnatural state. These are generally lower in calories, higher in fiber, and higher in nutrients than their refined counterparts. Examples of whole foods are fruits, vegetables, beans or legumes, and whole grains. They are generally less palatable so you won’t tend to overeat them. Plus, whole foods are more satiating; that is, you feel more full on fewer calories. • Compare potato foods: - 4 ounces baked potato = 82 calories - 4 ounces French fries = 348 calories - 4 ounces potato chips = 608 calories • Fresh peaches contain 38 calories while the same amount of canned peaches in heavy syrup contain 73 calories - almost double! • A 5-ounce apple contains 73 calories. A 5ounce slice of apple pie contains 389 calories. People who lost 30 or more pounds and kept it off long term (more than 1-2 years) consumed a high-fiber, lowfat diet and exercised regularly. Source: National Weight Control Registry study http://www.nwcr.ws/ © Food & Health Communications www.foodandhealth.com