Never Waste a Carb

It's important to have a balance of protein, fat, and carbs. But the type of carb you choose is critical. Carbs can be beneficial or empty/bad. To determine whether a carb is beneficial, study the fiber to sugar ratio. Natural carbs that have sugar, always have fiber. Processed carbs have lots of added sugar, and little or no fiber.

Examples of good carbs:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Oatmeal and granola
• High fiber bread
  example: Franz Great Seed / Dave's Good Seed
• Beans and lentils
• Nuts
• Potatoes
• Quinoa
• Low sugar yogurt
• Popcorn
• Brown rice

Examples of bad carbs:

• Foods with added sugar
• Pasta
• White breads, buns
• Chips
• Beverages with sugar
• White rice
• Tortillas
• Processed foods

The problem with processing is not that a machine or process is somehow evil, but that typical processing involves removing fiber and adding sugar. This certainly makes food "taste" better and score better with the focus groups employed by major food brands, but it upsets the proper balance that God designed. Healthy carbs have a benefit and will help you to feel full. Bad carbs will encourage you to overeat right away, and later after the crash.

Tips for transforming your eating:

• Cut out one bad carb per week or more, and keep it out.
• Don't think of it as a diet, this is permanent.
• The Lord will give you the strength.
• It's not a legalism thing where you feel guilty about having a bite of something "bad". Sometimes you go to a potlock or party and it's just nice to eat what is served. But bad carbs need to be excluded from your purchasing, regular meals, and snacking.
• I like to grind flax seed and mix it with water, and chug that before attending a BBQ. That helps to infuse my meal with the fiber that is otherwise lacking.
• My favorite "cheat" food is ice cream. The presence of fat helps to balance out the sugar and prevent a crash.