Welcome back to week two of our four-part series of my best nutrition tips.

Last week my number one nutrition tip was to balance your blood sugar.  If you missed it you’ll want to be sure to catch up here before reading on.

If you’re over a certain age then you’ve been through every food macronutrient being demonized at some point in your life.  Carbohydrates have gotten a bad rap.  Who here remembers the Atkins diet?

Let’s dive into the different types of carbohydrates and why understanding them is important to balancing your blood sugar.

Carbohydrates are important because they help to stabilize hunger, energy, and cravings. They are your body’s primary energy source.  The fiber in them helps to keep you feeling full and it feeds your good gut bacteria.

There are different types of carbohydrates:

1. Simple carbohydrates are things like: crackers, chips, cookies, cake, muffins, bagels, bread, pasta, pancakes, granola, snack bars, and candy.   Why are these not a good choice?  They’re easy to overeat because they’re engineered to be highly palatable.  They have little to no fiber giving them no nutritional value.  They are empty calories and will leave you feeling hungry, tired, and irritable. They spike your blood sugar.

The average person eats a whopping 133 pounds of refined flour per year 

65% of the total food we’re eating today comes from these ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods are stripped of nutrients, covered in chemicals, have lots of added sugars, artificial colorings and flavorings

The average American eats 80+ pounds of added sugar per year

The average adult eats 22 teaspoons and the average child eats 34 teaspoons of sugar per day

25% of our population has non-alcohol fatty liver disease caused by consuming too much sugar

1. Vegetables: Non-starchy complex carbohydrates that have a high water content: salad greens, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, bell peppers, etc.  Eat them raw, roasted, sauteed, steamed, however you like.  They’re filling, they have fiber and water, they won’t spike your blood sugar and you can’t overeat them.  Enjoy as many vegetables as you’d like.
2. Starchy complex carbohydrates are whole-food carbohydrates that either contain water or when cooked absorb water: Grains, beans, oats, lentils, corn, and potatoes 
3. Fruit: Whole fruit has fiber and phytonutrients that help to feed your gut microbiome.  Skip the fruit juices as they have no fiber and will spike your blood sugar.

Here's your carbohydrate formula:

As you build every meal you want to add as many non-starchy vegetables as you’d like.  Then pick either a starchy complex carbohydrate like rice or potatoes OR pick a piece of whole fruit. That's it! You've cracked the code on carbohydrates.

Aim to remove the simple carbohydrates from your daily life. If you find it hard to do so try taking them out slowly. Give yourself smaller serving sizes and for example substitute cut vegetables with some hummus which will give you crunch and a creamy texture. Small changes over time will add up to big results.

Life is meant to be enjoyed and celebrated.  Enjoy the cookie or piece of cake now and again.  If you do so try having it at the end of a meal.  This may help you to avoid a big blood sugar spike and crash.

I hope this removes the fear of carbs and helps you to understand how to make them work in your favor.

PS- If you're under the supervision of a doctor and/or are currently taking medications to manage blood sugar please be aware that changes to your diet should always be supervised by your provider. This is for educational purposes and is not in any way medical advice.