Choose Your Carbs, But Choose Wisely

Choosing the Right Carbs

In the cult classic movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the adventure-seeking globetrotter Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford), must solve the riddle of the Holy Grail to save his father. When he reaches the Knight guarding a large collection of goblets, cups, and grails, he has to make a choice. "You must choose," the knight says. "But choose wisely."

Spoiler alert. It's Hollywood, so even if you haven't seen the movie, you already know the star of the show makes the right choice. If you want to eat healthy, making the right choice about the carbohydrates you eat is important, too.

Why? Not all carbs are created equal. In fact, the vast majority of carbohydrates that most people eat are refined or simple carbohydrates (white rice, white flour, white bread, pastries, sweet treats…). And that can be a problem. When you eat these kinds of carbs, your body digests them carbs rapidly and converts them to glycogen for energy. And unless you're burning calories like a chain-saw wielding lumberjack or marathon runner, you're probably not going to use all that glycogen. And what's left over gets stored as fat.

Fortunately, not all carbs are bad. In fact, carbs are one of three essential macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins).your body needs for good health. Choose to eat more complex or unrefined carbohydrates, and you'll reap a host of health benefits you won't get from simple or refined carbs. Like what? Complex carbohydrates found in foods like whole-grain bread, cereal, and pasta, brown rice, vegetables, and legumes are good for you in more ways than one. Eating complex carbs can help control hunger, aid in weight management, control blood sugar levels, and provide you with a more nutrient-dense diet than eating a lot of simple or refined carbs.

If you have diabetes or you're trying to lose weight, cutting back on carbs can help. But that doesn't mean you should avoid all carbs. We get it. And it's one reason we created 30-plus Low-Carb Meals. Want to stop worrying about counting carbs? Take a look at the selection, place an order, and enjoy.