Good Carbs vs Bad Carbs: How to Choose the Right One
For us to perform daily activities, we need carbohydrates as our main fuel source. As a professional cheerleader, you need more energy reserves to properly finish your workouts and dance practices. You also need to keep in mind not to take in too many carbs to control your weight.
There are two things you must observe regarding consuming carbohydrates in your diet. First, you must identify which carbs are healthy and which ones are not. Second, you must set the amount of healthy carbs you should eat to fuel your activities. Let’s get down to it!
Good carbs are plant-based and bad carbs are processed foods
Bad carbs originally come from good carbs. When the good carbs undergo food processing, all the fiber, bran, and nutrients are stripped and bad carbs or refined carbs are made.
Good carbs when eaten are absorbed by the body slowly which prevents sudden blood sugar spikes and helps in weight control. This is because fiber - an indigestible carb, slows down the absorption of the digestible carbs.
The higher the fiber to glucose ratio a food has, the longer glucose is digested and absorbed by the body. You’ll notice that you feel satisfied for longer when eating vegetables and fruits than eating white bread.
In summary, the foods you should avoid are the processed ones. Pasta, pizza dough, white bread, pastries (cupcakes), sweet desserts (ice creams), and breakfast cereals are primary examples of refined carbs.
Eating fruits and vegetables will give you the good carbohydrates you need while helping you avoid type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colon cancer. Good carbs are also ideal for weight control diets.
Examples of REAL good carbs for your pro cheer diet
1. Quinoa
This seed-type of food is a pseudocereal. It is prepared and eaten like a grain but it isn’t like wheat. Quinoa is gluten-free which is ideal for those following a gluten-free diet. This food is high in carbs with a 21.3% in a bowl of serving plus a good source of fiber and protein.
2. Whole fruits and veggies
Banana, strawberries, apples, oranges, lettuce, and cucumber are a few examples of whole fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. As discussed in previous articles, fruits and vegetable diets have a lot of benefits to a pro cheerleader’s overall beauty. Examples of the beauty benefits veggies and fruits give are:
3. Whole grain food
Whole-grain foods are processed but they don’t undergo the stripping of fiber and nutrients. An example of these foods is whole grain bread. You can distinguish one easily by its brown-colored interior. White bread is made of white flour- which is processed.
Oatmeals are also part of whole-grain foods. One thing you should keep in mind when buying oatmeals is to avoid flavored varieties. Flavored oatmeals have added sugar and preservatives which are unhealthy. Even pre-salted oatmeal can be unhealthy. So buy raw oats, then spice it up yourself so you’ll know what you’re putting into it.
4. Nuts
Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, and peanuts are among the lowest carb real foods in this list. But still, nuts are high in fiber, protein, and antioxidants.
They are a great source of magnesium and copper which strengthen your bones for pro cheer activities. Eating nuts also promotes healthy production of red blood cells which helps improve your endurance as your body can hold more oxygen for exercise.
5. Chia seeds
Almost all of the carbs in chia seeds are fiber. An ounce of chia seeds has 12 grams of carbs. But in that 12 grams, 11 of it is fiber. The fiber in chia seeds is highly soluble. This means the seeds absorb water in your gut and expand. You’ll feel full for longer and eat fewer calories.
Always be ready to identify the bad carbs. Stay away from chocolates, sweet drinks, and fast food to avoid weight gain. Practice proportioning your meals right. A good example of this is the 10:1 ratio - for every 10 grams of carbs, there must be a gram of fiber. This will help you maintain weight control and a stable energy level throughout the day.
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