Fact v Fiction: Is carbohydrate fattening?

Much information exists about whether carbohydrate is fattening. The reality is: Eating too much food is fattening.

Eating sugary foods and highly processed foods, plus consuming carbohydrate alone (without protein and fat) is what promotes fat gain. In contrast, the right kinds of carbohydrate, meaning natural, unprocessed carbohydrate (for example, brown rice, wholegrain pasta, quinoa, buckwheat, sweet potatoes, root vegetables), will help boost your nutrient intake (B vitamins especially) and help you stay in shape.

Why wholefoods?
Whole foods are superior to processed foods because they have a high fibre content and contain many nutrients lost in processed foods. Fibre is the part of the plant that remains undigested by the body. It is what keeps your bowel movements regular and has been proven to reduce cholesterol levels and fight fat. The right type of carbohydrate can help you control your weight.

The healthiest diet for weight loss, disease prevention and physical performance is usually one that combines some carbohydrate with protein and fat. So the problem of weight gain does not lie in carbohydrate rich foods; the problem is poor selection of carbohydrate, and food in general.

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