Carbs to include in your weight loss diet

Carbohydrates, believe it or not, play an essential role in weight loss. However, do not confuse them with pizza, doughnuts, and other foods loaded with refined carbs. Carb intake for weight loss mainly revolves around whole grains, fruits, and vegetables instead of junk foods and sugary snacks. When aiming to lose weight, you need to focus on healthy varieties of carbohydrates that may actively contribute to the cause.

With increasing awareness of health and lifestyle issues, people’s struggle to manage their carbohydrate intake is on the rise, making them consciously look for low carb foods to lose weight. While it’s true that refined carbs are the nemesis of all weight watchers, you cannot altogether omit carbs as the body needs them for energy. This calls for a low carb diet for weight loss, whereby healthy carbs for weight loss replace refined and simple carbs. Such a low carb weight loss diet mainly focuses on a person’s consumption of foods containing protein, unsaturated fats, fibre, complex carbs, along with essential vitamins and minerals.

Types of low carb weight loss diet

A low carb diet for weight loss usually restricts carb intake from 20g to 50g per day. While the figure may appear to be challenging, there are plenty of low carb foods to help you meet your target. Some examples are lean meat such as chicken breast or pork, eggs, and fish. These items certainly increase the appetite of non-vegetarians, but others also have reasons to smile. Following a low carb diet means eating more juicy fruits such as apples and berries, green leafy veggies, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and dairy products (unsweetened), including plain whole milk or plain Greek yoghurt. All of them are rich in good carbs for weight loss.

Now that you know about the low carb foods to lose weight, you can include them in your diet while keeping in mind their portions.

Carbs for weight loss

When you eat complex carbs, your body takes more time to break them into simpler forms. As a result, you remain full for longer and do not feel the urge to overeat or indulge in binge eating. There are also some simple carbs that you can include in a low carb diet for weight loss, and one of them is fructose, which is found in fruits. Fruits are also an essential part of such a diet, as they are high in nutrients and a source of good carbohydrates for weight loss.

Apart from fruits, there are nuts, legumes, pulses, and cereals that can be counted on as carbs food for weight loss. They are filled with an abundance of fibre and complex carbs, which digest slowly. This, in turn, promotes prolonged satiety and are therefore considered optimal foods to consume when you’re on a weight loss diet. Here are some of the best foods with good carbohydrates for weight loss that you should fill your plate with.

1. Cereals
   Cereals top the list as carbs food for weight loss as they often comprise a part of several diets. While some are sources of simple carbs, there are many cereals that improve your intake of complex carbs and help you lose the extra inches. Quinoa, oats, barley, and black rice are a few of them. They have long been treated as superfoods for being powerhouses of nutrients. And in recent days, their demand among health-conscious people has only peaked, making them a sought-after source of good carbs for weight loss. They are a good source of protein, dietary fibre, good carbohydrates, phytochemicals, and other vitamins and minerals. They help slow down the process of digestion and promote better absorption of nutrients.
2. Pulses and legumes
   Pulse crops such as chickpeas, dry beans, common beans, and lentils are great sources of dietary fibre and to some extent, protein. Their daily inclusion in the diet helps people meet the suggested levels of fibre intake and remain satiated for long. These pulses are also high in micronutrients such as zinc, magnesium, iron, etc. Overall, they not only help in losing the extra kilos, but also assist in meeting your body’s nutritional requirements. Legumes such as fresh peas are a high source of protein, fibre, carbs, B vitamins, and minerals such as copper, magnesium, iron, etc. They are naturally low in fats, cholesterol-free, and have a low glycemic index. Their daily intake not only helps you feel full, but also keeps you away from junk foods. Research has also found that people who consume legumes tend to have less weight than those who do not.
3. Vegetables
   Increased intake of vegetables such as Ragi Uttapam, especially those rich in complex carbs, including broccoli, carrots, green beans, and sweet potatoes, not only help in reducing weight, but also in managing it. Similarly, high-fibre content vegetables such as beetroot, cauliflower, and eggplant may help in weight loss as well. Your hunger pangs remain in control as the body takes a longer time to digest them. Long-term consistent consumption of vegetables also reduces the chances of obesity and improves energy levels in people.
4. Fruits
   You may also include fruits such as avocados, raspberries, and granadilla for their high fibre content. Fruits such as watermelon, which is ubiquitous to the Indian summer, are high in water content and support weight loss. Other seasonal fruits with high water content that can help in weight loss include litchi, mango, pear, pomegranate, and orange.

Conclusion

Many people wonder about carb intake for weight loss. For effective weight loss, foods containing healthy carbs are as important as those containing protein and other nutrients. However, this does not mean you have to include a lot of food items in your diet. Many of the above-mentioned foods are a great source of multiple nutrients, including healthy carbs for weight loss. You may also try including options such as Oats and Wheat Pancake and Quinoa and Banana Halwa in your diet for best results. Another great recipe to try out and enjoy would be a burger with broccoli and quinoa.