High Carb Diet For Weight Loss: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide 

High carb diet might be a new and confusing term for many of you. It’s not surprising though. Low carb diets, especially keto, have made us think that High carbohydrate levels in the body induce weight gain.

All About High Carb Diet For Weight Loss

In a way, we can’t deny it or neither approve of it completely. Because recently it has been believed that High carb diet might also help to lose weight efficiently. Now, we found two theories that contradict each other. Which one is correct?. Well, it seems both of them are effective in a way. 

In this article, we are going to unleash this confusion for you. We will discuss how effective a high-carb diet is. And What makes it effective to lose weight?

What Is A Carb Diet?

A balanced diet should be completed with carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Carbohydrates are the main food group the body uses to produce energy. The brain also needs carbohydrates to function well. Thus It can be said that carbohydrates are essential for well-being.

Carbohydrates include three main essential nutrients- starch, fiber, and sugars. These nutrients are converted into glucose Or blood sugar to utilize for energy needs by the body.

The number of carbohydrates in your body can directly affect your health. If the body has a low carbohydrate level, it can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or a high level of carbohydrates causes hyperglycemia (diabetes). So what is the recommended level of carbohydrates in your body?

There is no recommended amount to consume carbohydrates. Because the carbohydrate needed is not the same for everyone. It differs according to your age, medical condition, weight goals, activity level, and also with your gender.

Your carb diet should be a mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein. And for a healthy life, try to avoid the carbs and fats added by fast foods.

However, maintaining a low carb level has become a trend in the diet field. People tend to decrease carbs to achieve ketosis and other diets. While in keto, it is believed that you can reduce your body weight by inducing a low-carb high-fat diet. Even though it seems effective, many of us try to avoid it because of the side effects and hard experiences of following a keto diet. 

So, what if you don’t need to follow a low-carb diet to achieve weight loss?. What if following a high-carb diet makes you lose weight?

Interesting, right? 

How Do I Start A High Carb Diet?

From the trending low carb diet to the less popular high carb diet may feel a little hard to digest. But, a high-carb diet is good and very digestible too. High-carb diet doesn’t mean the consumption of fatty and processed foods available on the market. Even though they are high in carbs, it is not an option to include them in your diet. 

When you decide to go for a carb-rich diet, keep your distance from refined and processed food since they offer only a little or no nutritional value at all. Unprocessed carbs from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are good options to add to your menu. They are nutritious and healthful. 

Is A High-Carb Diet Good For Weight Loss?

It is an important question to ask when you think about the bad reputation carbohydrate has received so far. People used to believe that carbohydrates make you fat. And still, a lot of people have the same concept. 

But, the future seems bright for carbohydrates. A study published in the journal nutrients shows that a high carbs diet helps you lose weight. According to the study, overweight people who followed a high carb diet for 16 weeks reduced their overall body fat and body weight, without following any exercise practices.

High carb diets help you reduce weight and fat and also improve the insulin function in overweight people ( according to the study published in Nutrients) 

The study shows that the people who followed the plant-based diet avoided all animal products and added oil. They also limited the fat intake to 20-30g per day. But they were allowed to take limitless calories or carbohydrates. The carbohydrates sources used in the experiment were fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. 

 Based on the study, it seems that carbohydrates are not what we thought they were. If you are excited to hear this news and ready to order your favorite pizza for increasing carbohydrates in your body. You are gonna be disappointed. Though pizza is a good source of carbohydrates, it is not a good choice. Fruits, vegetables, and wholesome grains should be the ones that you need to put on your bucket list. Let’s discuss some Carbohydrate foods that you can add to your diet for weight loss. 

List Of High Carb Foods For Weight Loss

✅ Oats

Oats are an incredible source of carbohydrates. Raw oats contain 70℅ carbohydrates. They are also a good source of many vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals.

Moreover, oats contain proteins greater than many other grains. They are very healthy and can make your tummy feel filled. They are a healthy option for weight management. 

✅ Bananas

Bananas are a very convenient option to add to your meal. They are easily available and can be eaten instantly or added to your food readily without much effort. 

Bananas contain carbohydrates in the form of starch or glucose. They are also rich in potassium, vitamin c, and vitamin B6. Bananas may also help to lower blood pressure and improve heart health. 

✅ Beets

Beetroot contains a good amount of carbohydrates when compared to other nonstarchy vegetables. They also contain powerful antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. 

Beetroots are a good source of nitrates. Your body converts nitrate into nitric acid. Nitric acid can lower blood pressure and may also improve your health.

✅ Buckwheat

Back wheat is considered a pseudocereal. Because it has no connection with wheat and does not contain gluten as the name shows. 

Buckwheat is a good source of protein, fibers, minerals, and antioxidants. Studies suggest that buckwheat can benefit heart health and may also lower blood pressure. 

✅ Quinoa

Quinoa is also a pseudocereal. Quinoa is rich in carbs but doesn’t contain glucose. Thus it makes Quinoa a good choice for a gluten-free diet.  Quinoa is rich in minerals, fibers, proteins, and plant compounds.

Quinoa may help to improve blood sugar, heart health, and gut health. It is also a good choice to add to your weight management plan. 

✅ Blueberries

Blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants. It is packed with vitamins, minerals, and a good amount of carbs.  The antioxidants in this berry fruit can help you shield your body against free radicals. 

✅ Sweet potatoes

Sweet potato is a bundle of many healthy compounds. It contains a good amount of starch, sugar, and fiber. They are also a good source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and potassium. 

✅ Oranges

Oranges are a good source of fibers, vitamin B, and potassium. They contain a high amount of Vitamin C inside. This watery fruit may help you improve heart health and may also prevent kidney stones. 

✅ Apple

Apple is a nutritious rich fruit with lots of health benefits. It is a good source of vitamin c, fiber, and antioxidants. They contain about 14-16 grams of carbs per 100 grams. 

Adding apples to your daily diet may improve blood sugar management and may also reduce the risk of health disease. They may also promote brain and gut health.

✅ Grape

Grapes are rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They contain about 8℅ carbs.  Grapes may enhance heart health and may also improve blood sugar management. They may also be good for your health in many ways. 

✅ Barley

Bearley is not only good for your health but also good for filling your tummy. It is an appetite suppressant. It may also reduce inflammation and stabilize blood glucose levels in the body. 

What Carb Foods Should I Avoid To Lose Belly Fat?

Carbohydrates like sugar, white bread, and candy are the important food items that you should avoid if you want to lose weight. These items could be sufficient enough to lose weight if you increase your protein intake. However, if your goal is faster weight loss, then try to avoid these food items also. 

❌ Pasta

❌ Juice

❌ Sweetened yogurt

❌ Garlic, onions, and high fiber cousins

❌ Beans and nuts

❌ Beer

❌ Fried food

❌ Carb dense food

❌ Unhealthy fats

❌ Milk 

❌ High lactose dairy foods

❌ Processed meat

❌ Cereal

❌ Starchy vegetables

❌ Alcohol

❌ Snack bars

❌ Ketchup 

❌ Canned fruit etc

You may have found starchy vegetables on the list. But don’t worry. All options listed in the high-carb diet list are healthy for the body and weight loss. 

You may also eat plenty of soluble fibers, and a high protein diet for faster and more effective weight loss. Reducing stress, avoiding sugary foods, and including cardio exercises can also help you lose weight faster.

Final Thoughts On High Carb Diet

It is not a myth that low-carb foods may help you lose weight. But, does that mean high-carb food causes weight gain? 

Not actually, it depends on what type of high-carb food you eat. If you want to lose weight while not cutting carbs in your diet, it is possible. You can achieve that by including fruits, vegetables, and wholesome grains like oats, sweet potatoes, bananas, blueberries, etc. They are rich in carbs and health as well. 

There is another category of high-carb foods including pizzas, white bread, sweets, etc that are super delicious but not healthy and may also cause weight gain. Thus it depends on which category you choose. 

Carbohydrates are the main energy source in the body. However, by eating lots of carbs, our body stores the excess fats and uses carbs for producing energy. The stored fat causes weight gain and belly fat. Thus people cut the intake of carbs and force the body to depend on the stored fat for energy. When your body uses fat for energy instead of carbs you are in a state of ketosis. Ketosis-like low-carb diets may work well. However, it is extremely hard to go with it.

Thus, a high-carb diet and weight loss give us hope. Refined and processed foods however should be avoided in any case even though you are following a high carb diet. 

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