List of Carbs to Avoid for Weight Loss
Fat is no longer the nutrient to avoid when you're dieting. Healthy fats -- such as those found in nuts, avocados and olive oil -- have a place in a weight-loss plan. Carbohydrates, though, are the dieter's new enemy.
Fat is no longer the nutrient to avoid when you're dieting. Healthy fats — such as those found in nuts, avocados and olive oil — have a place in a weight-loss plan. Carbohydrates, though, are the dieter's new enemy. A 2014 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine found that a low-carb diet helped people lose weight more effectively than a low-fat plan.
However, carbohydrates are essential nutrients and provide you with energy and fiber and are critical for a smooth-functioning digestive tract and heart health. So before you cut out carbs altogether, here's a list of carbs to avoid to lose weight (and ones to keep in your diet).
Avoid Refined Carbs for Weight Loss
During processing, manufacturers alter refined grains from their original state. Refined grains are missing the bran and germ, which contain trace minerals along with antioxidants, vitamin E, B vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids. High-carb foods like the following are highly refined:
- White rice
- White flour
- White pasta
- White bread
- Muffins
- Cereal bars
- White crackers
- Pizza crust
- Wraps
- Bagels
Your body digests these foods so quickly that they don't leave you feeling full for very long and raise your blood sugar almost instantaneously. Their smooth texture takes little effort to chew. Overeating refined grains is easy and leads to weight gain. According to a 2014 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, replacing refined grains with whole grains can help normalize your blood sugar, especially in people with pre-diabetes.
Read more: 9 Tasty Tips for Cutting Carbs From Your Diet
Skip Sugar to Lose Weight
Caloric sweeteners, including honey, maple syrup, agave and cane sugar, are carbohydrates prevalent in our food supply. Obvious sources of sugar such as syrups, cupcakes and cookies and candy should be avoided on a weight-loss plan.
By far the biggest source of sugar in American's diets is soda and other soft drinks, notes the Center for Science and the Public Interest. Sweetened cold cereal, sweetened dairy — such as yogurt or flavored milk — and processed foods, such as salad dressing, ketchup and sauces, are other major sources.
Naturally-occurring carbs in sweet potatoes and rice, for example, provide healthful, weight-loss supporting carbohydrates, when eaten in moderation.
Limit Starchy Vegetables
Starchy vegetables contain fiber and nutrients essential to your diet. Don't ban them completely when you're trying to lose weight, but avoid excessive serving sizes. Starchy vegetables contain a lot more calories and carbohydrates per serving than do watery, green varieties.
For example, a cup of sweet potato contains 180 calories and 41 grams of carbs, a cup of cut corn contains 143 calories, and 31 grams of carbs whereas two cups of raw spinach contains only 14 calories and 2.2 grams of carbs.
Approximately three servings, or cups, of starchy vegetables a week are recommended by the U.S. government's MyPlate website. You can replace a serving of whole grains at some meals with these vegetable options to keep your carb intake in check. Avoid embellished versions of starchy vegetables altogether. Fried white or sweet potatoes and chips or a buttery, cheesy gratin, will not support your goals.
Read more: 16 Diet-Friendly Healthful Carbs
Fruits Are Good In Moderation
Some weight-loss plans discourage you from eating fruits, noting that the sugar in them will hinder your results. Fresh or frozen fruits count as high-carb foods. Fruits can also curb your sweet tooth when sugar is off the table.
Eating too much fruit — like eating too much of anything — can prevent you from losing weight. If you rely on fruit at snack time and at all meals, you may be overdoing it. CNN Diet and Fitness Expert, Melina Jampolis, M.D., points out that fruit has approximately three times the number of calories per serving as watery vegetables such as broccoli, lettuce and asparagus.
Consider keeping fruit intake to two to three servings a day, and opt for veggies when you need a snack. Also avoid dried fruit, fruit cups and fruit juice. These options often have added sweeteners or are missing much of the fiber found in fresh versions. Dried fruit is condensed and its calories are concentrated, so it's easy to eat a substantial number of calories if you have it as a snack.