What are the non-fattening carbohydrates? The complete list!
When we are on a diet, the first thing we do is deprive ourselves of bread, pasta or rice, but is it really necessary and effective? Do all carbohydrates make you fat? Can we lose weight by eating carbohydrates? The answer is yes, just opt for low carb foods.
Here is the list of carbohydrates that do not make you fat, but first we reveal the apparently healthy foods that make you fat.
Carbohydrates are not only found in refined bread, sweets and pastries. They are also present in cereals, fruit and vegetables, they perform a decisive function: they provide us with energy (in the form of glucose), from which the brain and the nervous system in particular are fed. This is why many people find it difficult to undergo weight loss diets based solely on protein consumption.
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Why shouldn't we give up all carbohydrates?
Protein diets are based on the total absence of carbohydrates with the aim of bringing the body to ketosis. What is the purpose of ketosis? The body gets the energy it needs from fat stores, which would help it lose weight. This type of protein diet can be effective in the short term, but there are people who are unable to give up carbohydrates, mainly for the following reasons:
- they feel discouraged
- with lack of concentration
- grumpy
- without force
We must also take into account that diets that completely suppress carbohydrates and increase proteins too much end up being very dangerous for our body and, moreover, produce the dreaded yo-yo effect. Therefore, it is best to choose low-carb foods that make you fat less, in other words, that provide fewer calories, but still do their job.
What are the most suitable carbohydrates for the diet?
Believe it or not, the best allies for your diet are complex carbohydrates, i.e. those that do not sharply raise the body's glucose levels. On the other hand, simple carbohydrates, ie sugars, sweets or fruit juices, are absorbed quickly: they produce highs and lows in glucose or spikes in insulin, making you hungry in a short time.
Here are some low-glycemic foods that can help you lose weight:
- Fruit: rich in vitamins and antioxidants, you can take as many as you want.
- Vegetables: These foods contain carbohydrates, but they are not a problem for your diet.
- Wholemeal bread: no matter what cereals it is made of (wheat, rye, spelled ...), the important thing is that it is 100% wholemeal, as it contains less carbohydrates.
- Whole Grains: Forget refined breakfast cereals, opt for oats or other whole grains instead.
- Legumes: while being rich in carbohydrates, they also contain proteins and many other nutrients essential for our health.
Complex carbohydrates are found in legumes, cereals, bread, pasta, rice ... And if they are eaten whole, they are even healthier, because they are rich in fiber and also contain more vitamins.
Low-carb recipes
We propose below three recipes that exploit the use of complex carbohydrates, giving taste and lightness together.
Tacos, with a low carbohydrate content
To make tacos healthier and less high in carbohydrates, we will replace the refined wheat tortilla with complex carbohydrates such as iceberg lettuce leaves.
Ingrediants:
- Iceberg lettuce leaves
- Chicken breast
- Natural crushed tomato
- Red and green pepper
- 1 onion
- Garlic powder
- pepper
- salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
Method:
- Chop the chicken breast
- Cut the onions and peppers into strips
- Heat a pan with a splash of extra virgin olive oil
- Stir-fry onions and peppers
- When tender, sauté the chicken
- Add garlic powder, pepper and salt to taste (you can include as many spices as you like)
- Wash the lettuce leaves
- Fill the leaves with the chicken and vegetables
- Add some natural tomato paste
Zucchini spaghetti
Do you fancy pasta? This time we will replace the carbohydrates with courgettes, which have far fewer calories.
Ingrediants:
- 2 medium zucchini
- 500 g of peeled shrimp
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic
- salt
- White wine
- Lemon juice
- Fresh parsley
Method:
- Cut the zucchini into thin strips
- Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Add the garlic cloves and cook for a minute
- Sauté the shrimp with garlic and a pinch of salt for a few minutes
- Remove the shrimp
- Add 100ml of white wine, 1 or 2 tablespoons of lemon and the spaghetti with courgettes
- Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes
- When the broth has evaporated, add the prawns again and mix
- Serve with fresh parsley
Low-carb mushroom and vegetable pizza
Yes, it is also possible to eat pizza. The main carbohydrate in this recipe is wheat, but it is whole wheat, which is a much healthier complex carbohydrate. It is also accompanied by many vegetables that make the recipe very nutritionally complete.
Pasta ingredients:
- 300 g of wholemeal flour
- 5 g of brewer's yeast
- 2 dl of hot water
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
The rest of the ingredients:
- 2 grated tomatoes
- 100 g of broccoli
- 4 wild asparagus
- 100 g of mozzarella
- Mushrooms
- Salt and oregano
Method:
- Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl
- Add the olive oil
- Incorporate the hot water gradually
- Mix everything and knead for 5 minutes
- Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 30 minutes
- Cook the broccoli for 7 minutes
- Making the tomato sauce
- Chop the asparagus and sauté with the mushrooms
- When it has rested, roll out the dough and shape it
- Spread the tomato on the pasta, arrange the cheese and then the rest of the ingredients
- Cook at 220º for about 10 minutes
Now you know that you can go on a diet without totally giving up carbohydrates, because it is not good for your health. However, if you want to lose weight, you should choose foods with a lower calorie value such as vegetables or whole grains, which are much less fat, and moderate the consumption of those carbohydrates with more calories, such as pasta or bread made with flour. refined.
Of course, exercise is also very important for further weight loss.
