Choose good Carbs, not no Carbs

Don’t let anyone tell you differently - your body needs carbs! They provide you with the fuel you need to be active and for proper organ function. But some kinds of carbohydrates are far better than others.

Choose the best sources of carbs - whole grains (the less processed, the better), vegetables, fruits and beans - since they contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.

Skip the easily digested refined carbohydrates from refined grains - white bread, white rice, and the like - as well as pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods, since these may contribute to weight gain, and promote diabetes and heart disease.

Try these five quick tips for adding good carbs to your diet:

• Start the day with whole grains. Try a hot cereal, like steel cut oats, or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list.

• Use whole grain breads for lunch or snacks. Confused about how to find a whole-grain bread? Look for bread that lists as the first ingredient whole wheat, whole rye, or some other whole grain —and even better, one that is made with only whole grains, such as 100 percent whole wheat bread.

• Bag the potatoes. Instead, try brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries, whole wheat pasta, or another whole grain with your dinner.

• Choose whole fruit instead of juice. An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice.

• Bring on the beans. Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates as well as a great source of protein.

Source: The Nutrition Source, Harvard School of Public Health