I don’t know about you, but if I were to skip carbs, I would feel tired, irritable, hungry and just plain miserable physically and mentally. While I certainly encourage finding enjoyable ways to eat vegetables, I’ll eat pasta, rice and bread with zucchini, cauliflower and lettuce. I’ll say it again – feeling full and satisfied from your meals is your solution. Not feeling full and satisfied is what leads to problematic behaviors.
When you skip the carb, you are likely to experience carb cravings. In fact, inadequate carbohydrates and energy signals famine in the brain. Naturally, it increases hormones to encourage you to eat more, commonly referred to as “carb cravings”. Instead of judging yourself for it, maybe it’s time to get curious about how to best meet your body’s nutritional requirements and innate desire for food satisfaction.
There are more nutritious carbohydrate choices than others. Those with minimal processing will retain the most fiber and nutrients to provide nourishment and sustained energy. In fact, high fiber carbohydrates like oats, brown rice, whole grain pastas, whole grain breads, potatoes, corn, and beans will likely help you feel better than not eating any carbohydrates at all. The fiber and bulk found in these foods will provide regularity and rhythm to the digestive tract, help to eliminate unwanted substances (part of natural detoxification), feed healthy gut bacteria (essential for immunity), and maintain digestive regularity (and very common concern).
If you have concerns about how much, which ones and how often, I would encourage you to visit these posts on Nutrient Density and Balanced Meals:
Adapted from an original post from Emily Fonnesbeck RD, CD