How To Eat Carbs Correctly

Knowing how to eat carbs correctly is fundamental when it comes to not gaining weight. The saying “serve breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar” is a popular way of remembering how we should distribute food throughout the day.

Juan Antonio Madrid, a professor at the University of Murcia, says that in order to lose weight and adopt a healthy and balanced diet, it is important to control the types of food we eat and the quantities. But that is not enough. We must also be careful how we consume them.

How to eat carbs properly

The time of day we eat influences how the body will metabolize nutrients. The appetite changes during the day and at night, depending on the circadian rhythms.

These rhythms are progressive, which means that the body does not reset at a certain time and converts unused carbohydrates into fats. For example, the carbohydrates we eat at dinner replenish the glycogen we consume during the day.

This is true as long as we engage in some type of physical activity during the day and do not overeat other foods. If we eat an excessive amount of carbohydrates, we store a lot of fat. It doesn’t matter if we eat at night or not.

Therefore, it is very important to know how to distribute carbohydrates correctly.

Ruben Bravo, a nutrition expert and spokesman for the European Medical Institute for Obesity (IMEO), says it is best to eat carbs in the morning. This is a matter of energy demand, because carbohydrates provide more energy – and faster – than fats and proteins.

Furthermore, he states that these carbohydrates should come from whole grains, for example:

In addition to breakfast, lunch and dinner, we should also adapt what we eat when we have snacks between meals.

If you have a snack in the morning, eat fruit and yogurt, for example. These foods contain carbohydrates and proteins, which attenuate the sudden rise in insulin due to the sugar in the fruit.

How to eat carbs properly when it comes to physical activity

When it comes to exercise and even while exercising, it is good to consume items that provide carbohydrates with a higher glycemic index. The glycemic index refers to the intensity with which carbohydrates increase blood sugar. You should do this 30 minutes before you start training. Foods that contain carbohydrates with the right glycemic index are fruits, oatmeal and quinoa, among others.

Once the physical activity is over, you need to consume protein to facilitate muscle recovery.

After 6 pm, stop consuming simple carbohydrates

Avoid eating carbs after 18:00. At this time of day, your body enters the recovery phase mentioned above. After 18:00, it is better to consume proteins and fats, which are nutrients that encourage cell recovery.

For example, you can eat yogurt with nuts as a snack and then fatty fish or lean meat for dinner. Chicken or turkey are great options. Adding a small portion of complex carbohydrates is not a bad idea.

Avoid consuming simple carbohydrates, as the body will quickly turn them into fats.

Conclusion

The correct distribution of carbohydrates does not mean giving them up. They are essential nutrients that provide the body with energy. Therefore, experts suggest increasing carbohydrate intake in the morning and reducing it in the evening. Remember that you should avoid simple carbohydrates, such as those found in industrial bakery products.