Table of contents:
- What to do to reduce eating high carbohydrate foods
- 1. Stop drinking sugary drinks
- 2. Eat more vegetables to get full quickly
- 3. Start consuming fat by choosing the right fat source
- 4. Choose snacks that are low in carbohydrates
- 5. Read the nutritional value information in each food product
- 6. Cut back on carbohydrate foods slowly
A carbohydrate diet is the most common way to start a healthy lifestyle. In addition to making you fat, eating mostly starchy and high-sugary foods can cause diabetes to heart disease over time. Here are some ways you can cheat from now on to reduce your intake of high carbohydrate foods.
What to do to reduce eating high carbohydrate foods
1. Stop drinking sugary drinks
If you are trying to reduce carbohydrate foods, stay away from sugary drinks as much as possible, such as sweet teas, syrups, soft drinks, packaged fruit juices, canned coffee or sachetans, and others. If you want to drink tea, coffee, or milk, cut back on the sugar.
The sugar in sugary drinks can quickly raise blood sugar levels without making the stomach feel full. That's why you can continue to eat a lot after drinking sugary drinks. As a result, this high sugar content actually adds unnecessary calorie intake. According to the Hardvard School of Public Health sugary drinks are a major risk factor for obesity and diabetes
Your best choice of drinks is plain water or mineral water. If you are craving flavored drinks, you can mix your own fruit juice at home using fresh fruit (no sugar, yes!) Or infused water from fresh fruit slices. You can also make plain tea and bitter black coffee as an alternative to sugary drinks.
2. Eat more vegetables to get full quickly
Vegetables are a high-fiber food source. Consuming fibrous foods can help you feel full longer, without having to add a lot of calories to your body.
Fiber is not digested like carbohydrates, fat or protein that enter the body. Fiber is slow to digest so it can fill the stomach space for a longer period of time. This then stimulates the brain to think that your body is full and should stop eating. Foods high in fiber also do not cause an increase in blood sugar.
Vegetable fiber also works to prevent and / or treat constipation, a side effect that occurs when you start cutting off carbohydrate foods.
Choose vegetables that are low in carbohydrates, such as bean sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, cucumber, bokcoy, lettuce, and spinach.
3. Start consuming fat by choosing the right fat source
To replace the energy intake lost from high carbohydrate foods, you are allowed to eat fat. But pay attention to the type of fat. Foods high in saturated fat, such as fried foods, fatty red meat, chicken skin, and fast food can increase bad cholesterol in the body. This source of fat should be very limited in portions.
Expand to eat foods high in good fats, such as avocado, salmon, sardines, sunflower seeds, olive oil, almonds, fish, and lean chicken meat. Good fats, aka unsaturated fats, can keep blood vessel function and heart work stable.
4. Choose snacks that are low in carbohydrates
If you often eat french fries as a snack, change these habits. Choose snacks that are low in carbohydrates but high in protein. Snacks that are high in protein are a great way to reduce hunger between main meals. Examples of snacks that can be consumed are nuts such as almonds and edamame, yogurt, tofu and tempeh.
5. Read the nutritional value information in each food product
To find out the carbohydrate content in a food product, read the nutritional value information label. Remember, the nutritional value of a food product is based on the portion serving size, not the net weight of the product. Don't be fooled into reading it.
For example: You buy product X with a net weight of 60 grams. The product information label states 10 grams of carbohydrates. The total carbohydrates do not represent the contents of the entire package. You should also look at the serving information. If the label says 30 grams serving, that means that every 30 grams of the product contains 10 grams of carbohydrates. That way, if you eat the packet straight to the end, it means you are already consuming 20 grams of carbohydrates instead of 10 grams.
6. Cut back on carbohydrate foods slowly
Changing the type of diet will have an impact on the body's metabolic work. Low carbohydrate diets make the body lose its greatest source of energy. This can make your body's metabolism run slowly, as a way for the body to conserve remaining energy reserves.
To reduce these side effects, make changes little by little. Give your body time to adapt to the changes it makes. For example, start by reducing the amount of sugar commonly used in the food or drink you consume. As you get used to it, you can try to avoid sugar altogether for some time. However, don't forget to adjust it to your body's abilities and your daily activities.
Following a low-carb diet does not mean eliminating carbohydrate foods altogether. Be wise in managing your daily diet, because the body still needs carbohydrate intake to function properly. Lack of carbohydrates will actually endanger your health in the future.
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