15 Tips & Tricks To Cutting the Right Carbs

You may have heard some mixed reviews when it comes to carbs. Do you need them? Should you avoid [...]

You may have heard some mixed reviews when it comes to carbs. Do you need them? Should you avoid them? Carbs found in whole grains, fruits, and starchy veggies should definitely be included in your diet. They help to balance you out and keep you fueled. Cutting carbs can be a great weight-loss tool, but it's not a long-term solution.

carbs

You've got to be smart about your carbs! Know when to eat them and which to choose. Mind Body Green has developed 15 tricks to help you learn just that! They say, "foods containing carbohydrates typically have a high glycemic index (GI) value, which reflects the effect they have on your blood sugar. When our blood sugar levels are stable (meaning we're getting a slow and sustained release of energy) we feel more energetic and satiated, and we don't experience energy slumps."

Diets that consist mainly of low GI foods can help sustain a healthy body weight and reduce risk for diabetes and heart disease. To lower the GI of the cabs you eat, the simplest trick is to add fiber, fat and protein. This combination helps lower the overall glycemic index of a meal with carbohydrates.

Here are some tricks you need to be smart about your carbs:

1. Choose less processed foods. Fresh fruit, for example, has a lower GI value than dried counterparts and fruit juice.

2. Add avocado. A source of healthy fats is the perfect addition to a carbohydrate-rich meal.

3. Tomato juice, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Have one of these with your meal to help reduce the glycemic load.

>> Read more: Household Hacks: Apple Cider Vinegar

4. Say hello to slow-cooked oatmeal. Choose over quick oats for more fiber. Try our Slow Cooker Apple Pie Oatmeal recipe here!

5. Pair with protein. If you really want to have a piece of pie or cake, have protein with it. Try having a sweet food with a little peanut butter or cottage cheese.

6. Lightly steam your vegetables. Or eat them raw to maintain their fiber content.

7. Choose firm fruits that aren't overly ripe. The riper the fruit, the higher the amount of naturally occurring sugars. Stuck with ripe fruit? Click here.

Want more tips on carb consumption? Click here to be taken to the original story on Mind Body Green.

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