Over the past twenty years, carbohydrates have become a bad word in the diet genre. More and more people have been cutting out carbs since Dr. Atkins came out with a revamped low carb diet in his book, “Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution” in 1992. This book alone sold more than 15 million copies. People latched on to the theory that carbs were the culprits in making them fat. That includes foods like pasta and bread, which quickly became be no-nos. He even said in a famous quote that “carbohydrates are the bad guy, you have to see that.” So he was pretty serious about his no carb lifestyle and trying to spread that idea to the world.

On the flip side, now there have been studies that have come out that advocate not being so strict about carbs. Be your own health hero to discover what works best for your body in maintaining your healthy weight. Dr. Nandi advises a whole body approach to increasing your wellness, including a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Carbs aren’t out to get you, and here are 3 reasons why carbs are not the enemy.

The Right Carbs Can Actually Help You Lose Weight

Scientists at Brigham Young University in Utah did a study on a group of women for two years who increased their fiber consumption and lost weight. You know where they got the additional fiber from? The right carbs! By sticking to 100 percent whole wheat bread, high fiber cereals, and other foods that are considered carbohydrates with a high nutrient density, the weight gradually came off. Other healthy carbs include sweet potatoes, lentils, and even milk. So by practicing a carb elimination diet, you might be short-changing yourself on a variety of truly healthy foods that can benefit your body and won’t make you gain weight. Plus, when you eliminate the good carbs or all carbs in general, you might initially lose weight but will gain it back very quickly once you start eating carbs again. It’s hard to maintain that low carb, or no carb lifestyle forever. You are eventually going to want a slice of pizza at some point. Check out some of Dr. Nandi’s delicious and nutritious recipes.’

You Need Carbs For An Active Lifestyle

There is no doubt about it, carbohydrates give you energy. You just aren’t going to feel that great on a no carb diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that you should get around 300 grams of carbohydrates per day. That translates into about 45-65 percent of your caloric intake. You can easily look up the carb nutrition facts on packaged foods by checking out the label if you want to be specific about it. The Mayo Clinic recommends that for a 2000 calorie a day diet, that around 900-1300 calories be from carbs alone. Having those carbs come from fruits, vegetables, and whole grain sources is going to be preferable to a large pizza. Dr. Nandi has a variety of filling recipes that feature good carbs on his website. One of the best recipes is Dr. Nandi’s Sweet Potato Soup, which features blended sweet potatoes, red lentils, and spinach. A terrific option for a quick and easy lunch that won’t derail your healthy eating goals, but tastes like it should, because it’s delicious. 

Helps Prevent Diseases

Having the right carbs incorporated into your lifestyle can over the years help to prevent certain diseases. Whole grains and dietary fiber can guard against cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 Diabetes, and obesity. That’s just to name a few conditions it can fortify your body against. The fiber in carbohydrates can also do wonders for your digestive tract in keeping it in balance. That, in turn, can prevent certain types of cancers of the colon, stomach, and intestines. Not that anyone enjoys talking about tummy troubles, but Dr. Nandi’s expertise is as a doctor of gastroenterology, so it’s par for the course.

Dr. Nandi advocates moderation, organic food choices with better recipes, and mental wellness for a life filled with robust energy.