Last week I talked about simple and complex Carbohydrates, this week I am going to explain how eating carbohydrates at the wrong time can encourage the body to store fat.
Now research completed over the last several decades suggests that if you are eating a diet that is appropriate for your levels of daily activity, little to no carbohydrate is converted to fat in your body. For most people (unless you have a metabolic disorder) when you eat carbs they are digested, broken down to glucose, and then transported to all the cells in your body. They are then metabolized and used to support cellular processes. If you’re active and eating appropriately for your activity level, most of the carbs you consume during the day are more or less burned immediately.
But what happens at night after a busy home or work day? A typical scenario is that we sit down to eat our evening meal between 7 pm & 8 pm and then chill out watching TV or reading book. So what happens to the carbs you have just eaten? Your inactivity level has dropped and the energy released from the carbs is not required, so your liver will convert excess calories from carbohydrate into fats.
So what is the best way to avoid it? You need to remove the starchy complex carbohydrates from your evening meal i.e. rice, pasta, potatoes and replace with vegetable carbohydrates instead. This means you include just protein and vegetables at dinner. This will not only reduce the amount of calories you are getting from the Carbs but also leave you with a lighter stomach which will encourage better sleep.
Don’t forget Carbs are an important foundation to a healthy and active lifestyle you just have to know the best time to consume them!
For more nutrition tips contact Jacky 07958 442382 or visit my website