Skip the bun? | Corewell Health

Carbs get a bad rap these days, being named Public Enemy No. 1 by followers of diets like keto, paleo, and Atkins.

And it’s sent a lot of confusing messages to people, especially those watching their weight and metabolic health, or both.

That’s a shame.

“We need carbs,” said Michelle Telemaque, RD, dietician and diabetes educator at Corewell Health. “They give us the energy to function well and get through the day.”

Carbohydrates are starches, sugars and fiber found in a wide range of foods, such as bread, potatoes, beans, rice, fruit, milk, candies, cookies and more .

As with many lifestyle choices, the problem is that many people struggle to moderate their carbohydrate intake.

Generally, for men, the right amount is less than 60 grams of carbs per meal. For women, the recommendation is less than 45 grams per meal.

It may seem like a lot, but consider that a slice of pizza and a soda weigh over 70 grams. Cheeseburgers weigh 33 grams of carbs and fries 50 grams of carbs.

A trip to your favorite Italian restaurant is more problematic: a standard serving of spaghetti with meat sauce contains 90 grams of carbohydrates. For these breadsticks, add another 25 grams.

sugar roller coaster

Too many carbohydrates can send blood glucose levels too high, too quickly. For people with diabetes, this can create a dangerous health situation. Learning to count carbohydrates and manage them consistently at every meal and throughout the day is essential for good health.

But we could all benefit from becoming a little more carb-conscious, Telemaque said.

Those glucose spikes and the inevitable crashes aren’t good for anyone.

For those looking to lose weight, understanding the role carbohydrates play in a healthy diet is even more important.

Télémaque suggested a simple visual rule for most meals: “Make sure your plate is half full of vegetables and a quarter of lean protein. And eat them first.

“Then, if you want other foods, switch to carbs when you’re not as hungry.”

Then, she says, read the labels carefully. While some bread products may have 15 grams of carbs, some may have double that, and some may have half the carbs.

“You want to look at the total grams of carbs, not the net carb value that so many companies use in labeling,” she said.

Companies calculate net carbs by subtracting the grams of fiber they add to products from the total carb count. This is standard marketing language in many keto-based labeling tactics.

Bad carbs or following an overly rigid eating plan is often not sustainable. And it’s just not necessary. It’s more about renegotiating their place in your diet.

Some of Télémaque’s favorite approaches:

Change the bun

The typical sandwich bread contains about 30 grams of carbohydrates. Same with two slices of bread. Wraps, tortillas, pitas and crackers can add as much.

But many newer products have far fewer carbs, usually achieved by adding lots of fiber, and some are delicious.

Telemaque particularly likes low carb tortillas for wraps or burritos.

“The more fiber in bread, the better,” she said. “These foods are less likely to spike glucose levels and make you feel full.”

Skip the bun, from time to time

Consider making a sandwich differently, perhaps using romaine lettuce or other lettuces to make wraps. Try a low carb tortilla, flatbread or open sandwich.

Add flavor to gifts

Many vegetables add lots of flavor and crunch for very few carbs or calories. If you have that sandwich or burger, add fiber to the veggies as well. Think pickles, lettuce, sliced ​​tomatoes and onions.

“Fiber is important and it would be nice if we could all add a few more grams to each meal,” Telemaque said.

Women should aim for 25 grams of fiber each day. For men, it’s closer to 40 grams.

Discover other cereals

Oatmeal, barley, quinoa and other grains are not only delicious, but also high in fiber and may improve heart health. In addition to counting as a serving of carbs, they bring many different textures and nutrients to the party.

Know your goals

Diets like keto, Atkins, and paleo can promise quick results, which is a tempting approach for many of us, including those who may be overweight. And weight management is important.

“It’s because of this extra weight that we don’t use our insulin properly or efficiently,” Telemaque said.

But often some diets add a lot of fat to make up for the lack of carbohydrates, which increases calories and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, she said.

The carbohydrate-exercise connection

Exercise helps with so many things, from stress management to sleep. But it also plays a crucial role in metabolic health.

People with diabetes who exercise at least 150 minutes a week have better blood sugar control than less active people, even if they don’t lose weight.

Activity lowers blood sugar and increases insulin sensitivity, countering insulin resistance. For people looking to lose weight, exercise can help.

“To lose 1 pound a week, people need to be in a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day,” Telemaque said. For many, eating at least 250 calories less and adding an activity that burns 250 calories is enough to make a difference.

And in that case, she says, you might be better off ignoring what your weight loss app is telling you. You probably didn’t gain an extra 500 calories from your morning workout.

Update your outlook

Often people cling to a way of eating because they always have.

“I will talk to people who say, ‘I’ve eaten the same food for lunch all my life,'” Telemaque said.

But bodies change over time. What worked for people in their 20s and 30s is different from their 40s, 50s, and 60s.

“It may be that what feels good in your 50s or 60s, both in terms of what you eat and how you exercise, is completely different than in your younger years,” said Telemachus.

“There are many ways to achieve success related to diet and exercise,” she said. “You have to define what works for you at your current stage of life.”