I think that the majority of people love to eat carbohydrates (carbs), especially when we combine them with fat. They are delicious and it is very easy to over eat them. There are many reasons for this, one of the main ones is that when we eat carbs we don’t necessarily use them in connection with activity, so they can increase our blood sugar to high levels, especially for people who are already sensitive to this. If we consider that many people are struggling with type 2 diabetes then that can potentially be very dangerous. I personally would suggest that anyone who is already overweight and has type 2 diabetes should not consume many carbs, however that is easy to say but for most of us it is hard to apply. So what can we do to reduce the risk of eating too many carbs, especially in one sitting?
Your ideal carbs intake will vary depending on your activity levels, what type of exercise you do, how much insulin sensitive or resistant you are, and your health history. I will go into more detail about this in some of my next articles. But let’s say that you love to eat carbs, and you can tolerate them well, what are the best options?
The first one is sweet potatoes. They are my personal favorite, you can find them in beautiful orange, yellow, white or purple colors, they are sweet and full of nutrients. They have high potassium and a low glycemic load, which means that eating them will not spike your blood sugar. They contain vitamin A, which is very important for the immune system and eye health. They are also high in fiber and low in sugar — one cup (around 130g) of sweet potatoes has 4g fiber and 6g sugar — and they are filling and help with digestion too. You can bake, boil, air fry and steam them.
The second option is old fashioned oats (rolled oats). You can eat them as a breakfast porridge, but also in many other ways. Oats are high in fiber, and just like sweet potatoes they make you feel fuller for longer and you can use your creativity to make them sweet or savory too. Oats act as antioxidants, and some studies show that possible benefits include reducing the risk of colorectal cancer and coronary artery disease, and helping with high blood pressure, obesity, and digestion issues as well. Oats contain many varieties of nutrients such as B vitamins, magnesium, iron, folate, zinc and niacin.
Oats are naturally gluten free, however most companies that make them also produce other products containing gluten, so if you are sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease make sure that you specifically choose gluten free oats. Also I don’t suggest quick oats (instant oats) — yes, they are quicker to cook, however you may see a quick spike on your blood sugar as well. Old fashioned (rolled oats) are preferable, they are oat groats that have been steamed, rolled and flattened into flakes, and then dried to remove moisture so that they will keep for longer.
My favorite way to consume oats is with overnight oats, and I also use oat flour for baking pancakes, waffles, cookies and meatloaf. When I make overnight oats for one serving I add 1/2 cup of dry oats, one tbsp chia seeds, a sprinkling of nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts etc) or nut butter and a choice of sweetener (such as honey, monk fruit, raisins or dates). Then add your choice of milk (I use cashew milk). You can eat them after 4-6 hours and you can store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Carbohydrates are not required for life but they are so convenient and cheap too. And of course they are delicious. We just need to make sure to control our portion size so that we don’t end up having to cut back on our favorite meal to lose weight. Especially if you don’t have an active lifestyle you would most likely feel much better if you try consuming half the amount of carbs that you normally eat.
References:
• Sweet Potatoes 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/sweet-potatoes
• What’s to know about sweet potatoes? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/281438
• Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/benefits-sweet-potatoes
• Are oats good for you? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270680
• Oats https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/oats/
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Ayda Ersoy is a nutritionist (Dip.C.N., Dip.S.N.); master trainer (CPT ACE, NCSF, CanfitPro); registered yoga teacher; founder, Health Angel Nutrition, Fitness and Wellness; and founder, SMS (Stability, Mobility Strength) Intuitive Training System.
