Are Carbs Bad for You? Your Guide to Healthy Carbohydrates
Are carbs bad for you? It’s a question those of us on a weight loss journey have been asking ourselves for decades. For those of us just getting into meal prep, we might ask ourselves, is the only healthy meal prep low carb meal prep?
In this blog post, the nutritional experts behind Superfit Foods, the best prepared meal delivery service in Florida, will answer your questions about the carbs in your daily meal plan once and for all.
Decoding Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, one of the three main macronutrients, are present in various foods like bread, pasta, rice, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. They are the body's primary energy source and provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Despite recent misconceptions, carbohydrates are not inherently harmful and strictly low carb meal prep isn’t advised; carbs are an essential component of a healthy diet.
Complex Carbohydrates vs. Simple Carbohydrates
The key lies in selecting the right types of carbohydrates: complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates. Complex carbs digest slowly, providing sustained energy, whereas simple carbs break down quickly, causing blood sugar spikes.
Aside from the negative health effects of high blood sugar, the short-lived blood sugar spike you’ll experience from simple carbohydrates means you’ll be hungry sooner and experience an energy crash, making you more likely to eat more than your body needs.
That doesn’t mean we should never eat simple carbs or that we should stick to solely low carb meal prep. What it does mean is that we should prioritise complex carbohydrates, which give us more energy and satisfy our hunger for longer, in our diet, and consume simple carbs less frequently or in smaller portions.
Good sources of complex carbohydrates:
- Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, and oats
- Fruits: apples, bananas, and berries
- Vegetables: sweet potatoes, carrots, and broccoli
- Legumes: beans, lentils, and peas
- Nuts and seeds
Sources of simple carbohydrates:
- Fruits: grapes, mangoes, and watermelon
- Dairy products: milk, yogurt, and cheese
- Sweets: candy, cookies, and cake
Do complex carbohydrates make you fat?
It’s true, even complex carbohydrates can contribute to weight gain if overconsumed. However, cutting these ingredients out of your diet isn’t recommended for most people – complex carbohydrates are an important source of energy, which we all need in a busy modern lifestyle. The trick is in eating a balanced diet.
Pre prepared Meal Prep for Carb Control
Superfit Foods’ fresh and healthy meal prep services focus on providing our customers with a nutritionally balanced, customized, delicious weekly meal plan, including low carb and high protein meal prep options, weight loss meal prep plans and more.
Delivered to your door or a collection point near you, our delicious meals cater to almost any dietary requirement. If you’ve made the decision or been advised to cut down on your carb intake dramatically, we also offer low carb meal prep, listed on our site as keto meal prep.
Our affordable and healthy meal prep service will enable you to:
- Save time and money
- Control your carb intake
- Ensure nutritional balance
- Lose weight
- Achieve your fitness goals
That’s why we’re the best meal prep service delivering to Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, Jacksonville, St Johns, and many more locations in the state of Florida.
