Are You Avoiding Bread, Tortillas & Pasta?
“But won’t bread and pasta make me fat?!”
The fear of carbs and starch runs deep, I know.
We were all brainwashed by the media, even if we never quite bought into the Atkins craze.
As a former low carber, I get the carb fear and it took me a while to get over it and realize it was just a bunch of poo poo ca ca.
The sugar in starches are NOT converted into fat.
After eating, complex carbs found in starches are digested, then transported to trillions of cells to provide energy. Carbohydrates (sugars) consumed in excess of the body’s daily needs can be stored (invisibly) as glycogen or burned off as heat (a process known as facultative dietary thermogenesis).
The body NEEDS carbohydrates to function properly – it’s the primary fuel source! And diabetics need not fear carbs either. (Dr. Neal Barnard’s book on diabetes will rock your world! Click here to watch his TEDx Talk.)
The thorny issue with carbs is the more processed they are, the easier it is to overeat, because the fiber chains are broken and you don’t feel as full as fast.
It’s all too easy to eat several slices of white bread or a handful of pretzels (say, 300 calories worth) and not feel full, but eating that calorie equivalent of brown rice or baked potatoes would leave you feeling very satisfied.
I can eat a baguette or a big bowl of white pasta effortlessly in one sitting – a blink and 600 calories is gone, but I can’t do that with potatoes or corn – or even corn tortillas! After three or four (50 cals each) I’m very satiated.
The problem isn’t the carbohydrate, but overeating because you don’t reach satiety.
This is why we base the meal plans around caloric density – more food, less calories.
We choose whole foods over processed foods because the fill-me-up fiber is still intact.
(Plus whole foods are healthier.)
But that doesn't mean there isn't room for more processed grains like bread or pasta on occasion.
Breads, tortillas, and pastas can add great variety and depth to your culinary landscape.
And they can ABSOLUTELY be enjoyed in a way that aligns with your nutritional goals.
In fact, that's one compliment we hear all the time! That our pasta dishes are not only delicious, but surprisingly filling, too.
Part of that (shh… this is our big secret!) is because we never just serve you pasta.
We always balance it with vegetables and other nutritious foods to boost satiety and maximize nutrition.
But when it comes to pasta, breads, and tortillas…
There are good choices and not-as-good choices.
There are things to look out for (and avoid) especially if you’re trying to lose weight or feel awesome.
Tomorrow you’ll find out EXACTLY what to look for in bread, pasta, and tortillas
(with specific brand recommendations!)
Have you ever noticed that rice fills you up more than bread? Or potatoes more than rice?
Share your experiences in the comments below.
For now, I want you to answer an honest question:
What fills you up more? Rice, potatoes, pasta, tortillas or bread? (There’s no wrong answer!)
Share your answers below.
P.S. Remember that heavily processed carbohydrates tend to keep poor company, which is another part of the problem. It's not the potatoes in fries that's the problem, it's the oil. Likewise, it's typically not the pasta, but all the cheese surrounding it. These amigos don't just pack a calorie punch, they also tend to be addictive, making you even more likely to overeat.