* SPOKEN WORD *
I'm going to cut right to the chase, yes carbohydrates are our friends! I don't recommend or support "diets" and surely not those that encourage less than the daily minimum being 130 grams of carbs. These carbohydrates support optimal function of your brain, liver, and a touch extra for your muscles and good measure.
I don't like to contribute to the development of poor glycemic control, pre-diabetes, or diabetes in general and thus I don't recommend or support the intake of more than the daily minimum.
As your online Nutritionist and Health Coach, if you're desiring a low carb way of life, I would strongly encourage making the 130 grams your daily minimum and maximum! If you have a baller shot caller workout routine, I would recommend reaching out to a Registered Dietitian to receive a customized meal plan with your wellness goals in mind! As more grams of carbohydrates will be needed by your body with a more intense regular exercise regimen.
Now to avoid poor glycemic control, pre-diabetes, or diabetes in general you should not consume the 130 grams in one sitting. You need to space out intake as much as physically possible for the flow of your life.
-You could healthfully consume 65 grams of carbs at two meals in a given day (130 divided by 2).
-Even better you could consume about 45 grams of carbs at three meals in a given day (130/3 = 43.333).
-Now eating three meals and three snacks per day, to me feels like you're eating all day long with not much time to conquer much else. To each their own and if this eating style is best for your being, do you, and consider 30 grams of carbs at your meals and 15 grams of carbs at your snacks.
I will let you do the math for every other option aside from the three examples I listed above. Do know, in general, numbers between 45-60 grams of carbs are good for meals, 15-30 grams of carbs are good numbers for snacks between meals, and make sure your daily total is around 130 grams, but not less!
Now there are good carbs and bad carbs by my standards. The more you eat like our ancestors...hunters, gatherers, and fisherman, the healthier you will be by my standards. Not that you actually have to hunt, gather, or fish, just simply evaluate what is on your plate and if someone did the dirty work for you, then you're on the right track!
The Good Carbs | Know Your Serving Sizes
The following are average estimates for you to try and enter into your long term memory! These serving sizes and associated grams of carbohydrates will help you to better estimate your portion and intake when someone else is cooking for or serving you! Otherwise you're welcome to read nutrition labels for more accurate information!
-1 tablespoon of honey = 15 grams of carbs
-you could gather sap from a maple tree and boil it down to make maple syrup, 1 tablespoon = 15 grams of carbs
-1/2 cup of fresh, frozen, or canned fruit (in 100% fruit juice) = 15 grams of carbs
-you could gather fruit and then squeeze the fruit to make 100% fresh juice, 1/2 cup = 15 grams of carbs
-you could gather fruit and then dry the fruit, 2 tablespoons = 15 grams of carbs
-you could gather rice, quinoa, millet, and plantain, 1/3 cup cooked = 15 grams of carbs
-you could gather beans, lentils, peas, parsnips, yams, potatoes, corn, winter squash, and oats, 1/2 cup cooked = 15 grams of carbs
Honestly, non-starchy vegetables, animal meats, and fats don't contain many grams of carbs per serving to make them worth counting in my opinion. There are carbs in dairy products but I don't recommend consuming this food group.
Now the animal protein you could hunt and fish for and the fats you could gather, will help to slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates within our systems. Thus, I would recommend pairing healthy intakes of animal protein (if you're not a vegan) and fats with your grams of carbs at meals and snacks for optimal blood sugar (glycemic) control!
In conclusion (my little bro says this start to a sentence captivates attention, which is my intention! hahahaha!) carbohydrates are the preferred source of energy for your brain, liver, and muscles. If you choose to disregard my recommendation to at least consume the daily minimum being 130 grams, your body will start to breakdown your muscle and fat stores for energy instead. This is why muscle and fat loss is so common with low carb diets. The process of breaking down your muscle and fat for energy is an inefficient and less than desirable process to supply your temple with energy to function, leading to side effects including brain fog, confusion, extreme fatigue, and headaches to name a few examples.
-Why would you not want to supply the very best energy daily to your body to support your vital organs?
-Would you really rather experience unhealthy weight loss (essential muscle mass and your extra cushion for the pushin) associated with bodily depravation of healthy carbs?
-You really don't have to consume a lot of carbs daily, just the minimum 130 grams!
-Can you make a promise to your one and only temple today? Let your body know it can count on you for its essential needs...and follow through daily!
-Did this expression add value to your life? Please consider donating to support in buying a symbolic cup of coffee! Thank you in advance for your contribution & generosity!
Wishing you fear free days filled with mangos, papaya, watermelon, and passion fruit because you only live this life once and it should be both healthy and delicious!
Peace, Love, & Everlasting Protection!
Namaste,
Maggie Fekete, E-RYT, CHC, BCHHP
Nutritionist
Experienced-Registered Yoga Teacher
Certified Health Coach
Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner
*Learn more about my background and offerings!
