The myth of Carbohydrates and Paleo
The Paleo lifestyle is not a low carb diet, it’s a lifestyle in which you chose healthy carbohydrates over the refined carbs. We will replace the processed crap and exchange it for fruits and vegetables.
To fully appreciate what carbs do for your body, you should first understand the basics about glucose and insulin. Carbs are the bodies quick go to source for energy. All of the carbs your body consumes are changed into glucose. From the banana nut muffin you ate for breakfast to the broccoli for lunch. Your brain, and other body cells will use this glucose as fuel. Everything you do during the day is brought to you by glucose. You can thank glucose for being able to read a book, hug your kids, or workout at night.
On the other hand Insulin helps you store fat for energy use later. If you want to control your weight you need to be able to control insulin, and in order to do that you need to eat the right type of carbohydrates.
The best carbohydrate choices are locally organically grown fruits and vegetables. Since I live in Iowa, the fruit choices are very scarce. You need to choose fruits and non-starchy vegetables in all the colors of the rainbow. Dark colored fruits like black and blue berries are filled with antioxidants while deeply colored vegetables such as carrots and kale are loaded full of vitamins and minerals.
Here are some good choices of non-starchy vegetables. Asparagus, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Onions, Peppers, Spaghetti Squash, Tomatoes, Vegetable Greens (Kale, Collards, Swiss chard, Mustard Green, Spinach, etc.) and Zucchini.
You should steer clear of starchy sugar loaded vegetables such as: white potatoes, rice, corn, bread (including whole grain), cereals, pasta, fruit juices, and soda-pop. These sugars are instantly absorbed and will affect your blood sugar insulin levels quicker than the Flash can run.
So in closing, just be smart everyone. Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and stick to the outside of the grocery store. Almost everything in the inside isles are processed foods and are not good for you. Yes you can get some sustenance out of it and it might taste good, but is your heath really worth a few minutes of happiness?
