Although its popularity has begun to diminish in the public eye, the no- or low-carb diet continues to be one of the most popular weight loss programs among those millions of people fighting the battle of the bulge. But should you cut out all the carbs from your diet? Will relinquishing bread, pastries, pasta and other delicious carbs from your diet? The simple answer is no: you can definitely lose weight without having to excise all carbs from your diet. Here are some reasons why you should not cut out all carbs from your diet.

Why Carbohydrates Are an Elemental Part of Your Diet (Or At Least Should Be)

Did you know that carbohydrates constitute some of the most important foods in your diet? There is no reason why you should cut them out entirely. In fact, many dieticians have emphasized the importance of carbohydrates in the average adult’s diets. In fact, in many respects, carbs are some of the most important foods you will ever eat.

What We Think of When We Think of Carbs

The reason that carbs have gotten such a bad rap is that there are indeed many ‘bad’ carbs that damage your health and impair your ability to lose weight. What do you think of when you think of carbs? Chances are that when you hear the mere mention of carbs, your mind automatically jumps to images of things that we know will not help us lose weight. Carbs that we know to be bad may include, French fries, sugary drinks, including soft drinks, pasta, bread and all varieties of pastries. These are examples of highly processed carbs that contain refined sugars. These are often considered to be classic comfort foods—the warm dish of pasta-based casserole, the fresh loaf of French bread with butter or a drizzle of olive oil or that basket filled with crispy restaurant fries. Unfortunately, our bodies were not made to digest such highly processed foods. Eating these types of carbs can lead to a slow down in your metabolism, and they have been linked to many diseases, including different types of cancers, dementia and heart disease.

The Other Side of the Carb Story

However, there is another side to the carb story, one that probably did not receive its fair share of attention during the heyday of the low carbs diets trend. The other side of the carb story has to do with natural carbohydrates. These are carbohydrates that are unprocessed. That is, they arrive at your table just as they were created in nature. They contain many important and essential nutrients and chemicals that you body needs to stay healthy. The key to natural, ‘good’ carbs are phytonutrients, special plant chemicals that help to spark your metabolism, unlike those nasty processed carbs that only slow down your digestion without adding any nutrients.

How to Spot Those Super-Charged Good Carbs

Carbohydrates are a natural part of the world, and you can hunt these phytonutrient-rich foods if you know what to look for. As a general rule, choose foods with naturally deep colors. Deep color is a sign of phytonutrients. You should also seek out as great a variety of foods as possible in order to get the right kinds of carbs. Phytonutrient-rich foods can help you lose weight while also helping to prevent disease.

Supercarbs – A Short List to Feed Your Body

There are several supercarbs that can help you fend off disease and lose weight. Choose foods with isoflavones (soy-based foods), flax seeds, broccoli, fresh herbs such as rosemary and basil, cocoa (especially dark chocolate), and green tea. Choose whole wheat breads and pastas.