Nutrition

Low carbohydrate diets play an important role in weight loss. While healthy low-carbohydrate diets are effective and nutritious when based on scientific principles, cutting out all carbs doesn’t follow the rules of good nutrition and can be dangerous. Not all carbs make you fat. Some carbs can help you lose weight while providing important nutrients.

There are good carbs, and there are bad carbs.

Carbohydrates are macronutrients and are primarily considered a source of energy. There are three categories of carbohydrates, simple, complex, and fiber. Simple carbs include sugar. They digest quickly and cause blood sugar levels to spike. Complex carbs are starchy carbs. They are harder to digest and include most vegetables, legumes, and grains. Fiber is the third type of carbohydrate. It slows the absorption of sugar, adds bulk, and feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Sugar, simple carbs, provide little nutrition.

Simple carbs tend to be bad carbs. Simple carbs deliver an energy high quickly, but just as quickly as it spikes, it also drops because of a big increase in insulin levels. That can lead to insulin resistance, and ultimately to weight gain, and if left untreated, type 2 diabetes. Most simple carbs have little or no nutritional value, but plenty of calories that increase weight. These are the bad carbs and include highly processed foods, sugar, and food with added sugar.

Healthy carbs get a bad rap.

Complex carbs and fiber are often clumped with bad sources of carbs. That’s a mistake. You need these for both a healthy body and weight loss management. Complex carbs are loaded with nutrients, which include vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. They slow digestion so you’ll feel fuller longer. The fiber in good carbs slows the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber mixes with water to create a gel that softens stools and feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut. Insoluble fiber isn’t digested but adds bulk to the stool to make it easier to pass. Studies show a diet high in soluble fiber can promote heart health and lower the risk of developing high cholesterol.

• Good carbs are found in the produce section since fruits and vegetables contain them and are in whole-grain products. Bad carbs are located in areas that sell baked goods, cookies, refined wheat products, and white rice.
• Eating healthy doesn’t mean eliminating any of the macronutrients, protein, fats, or carbohydrates. It means choosing the healthiest option in each category.
• If you’re trying to reduce the bad carbs in your diet, start by cutting out food with added sugar. It’s hard to do since sugar is addictive. It stimulates the opioid receptors in the brain that bring pleasure, similar to addictive drugs.
• Healthy carbs can become unhealthy if they’re highly processed or cooked in an unhealthy manner. While onions, cauliflower, eggplant, broccoli, and peppers are healthy, the deep-fried counterparts of these vegetables aren’t.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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Who doesn’t want a healthy, powerful immune system that helps protect you from illness and serious conditions? Nobody, that’s who. One way to give your immunity a boost is to consume more fruits and veggies. Clients who come to VIP Fitness in Fort Lee, NJ get nutritional counseling. It includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Some help lower blood pressure, others help lose weight and still others can help boost your immunity. So which vegetables are the best if you want a strong immune system to prevent colds, flu, and other illnesses?

You don’t have to eat citrus to get the benefits of vitamin C.

Vitamin C plays a role in many of your bodily functions, including immune function. It boosts the immune system. When most people think of vitamin C, they think of oranges and lemons, but many other fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C besides citrus fruits. For instance, red or yellow sweet bell peppers are high in vitamin C, just as green chili peppers are. One green chili pepper provides 121% of your daily requirement for vitamin C. Kale and broccoli also provide high amounts of vitamin C.

It takes more than just vitamin C to keep your immune system healthy.

Your body needs zinc, iron, and vitamins A, D and E to maintain a healthy immune system. You also need phytonutrients. Legumes, nuts, and seeds are good vegetarian iron sources. Focus on orange and yellow vegetables like sweet potatoes or squash for vitamin A. Spinach is another good source. The sun and animal products like egg yolk and oily fish provide most vitamin D, but certain mushrooms also contain it. Scientists classify mushrooms as fungus but for nutritional purposes, they’re a vegetable. Vitamin E is in many plants. Green leafy ones, like spinach, are a good source. So are asparagus, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.

Phytonutrients play a significant role in immune health.

Phytonutrients are part of the plant’s defense system. They’re natural chemicals in plants that protect them from fungi, bugs, germs, and other threats. Some phytonutrients give plants their color. Anthocyanins, for instance, make purple, blue, and deep red veggies that color. Other phytonutrients include polyphenols, flavonoids, resveratrol, carotenoids, and limonoids. A good example of how well they boost your immune system was the study that found elderberries as effective as Tamiflu for preventing the flu.

• Any food that improves the gut microbiome can boost your immune system. Sauerkraut and Kimchi, both fermented vegetables, are excellent choices. Vegetables with soluble fiber, like broccoli, are other good choices.
• Herbs and spices, such as garlic, cayenne pepper, saffron, ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric won’t make a meal, but they come from plants and boost your immune system. It’s the curcumin in turmeric and allicin in garlic that helps.
• Folate is another nutrient to improve immune health. It’s made of leafy greens, lentils, and beans.
• While eating food that boosts your immune system is beneficial, it’s just as important to avoid food that interferes with it, like sugar. To be your healthiest, remove food with added sugar from your diet.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center