Carbohydrates Benefits:
Healthy High Carbohydrates Foods 

Carbohydrates benefits? Do you know anyone who carefully counts and limits their carbs? Avoids eating fresh fruits because of the calories?

Well, not ALL high carbohydrates foods are a problem!

Fruits and vegetables contain complex carbohydrates which are packed with nutrients essential for energy and health.

• It's the "simple" carbs that ARE the problem, and this is no secret. 
• You know them: desserts, ice cream, soda, candy, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, energy drinks, white bread, white rice, pasta..

What is the problem?  Simple carbohydrates are "simple sugar molecules" due to being stripped of their nutrients.  These fulfill cravings, but are digested quickly so that your hunger returns soon.

Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, give a more consistent energy, due to a slower uptake. Longer-chain sugar molecules take longer to digest and give an even, longer lasting energy for the same amount of calories. 

So the good news is that carbohydrates -- even starchy vegetables like potatoes or sweets like dried dates and figs -- are very good for you!

And if you like potatoes and were taught that they are "fattening" and not good for you, read on, and you may be pleasantly surprised!. 

Fruit Fear and Potato Carbohydrates

According to Medical Medium Anthony William, the "fear of fruit" stops too many people from properly protecting their health.

This fear, he says, mainly stems from the misconception that the sugar in fruit is the same as refined table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.

Instead, natural sugars are bound onto antioxidants and polyphenols such as resveratrol which are vital for keeping us healthy.

• Contrary to popular belief, fruit does not feed Candida or other fungi, cancer, viruses, bacteria or anything else that is unproductive in the body. Fruit fights all of this. ¹

So although fruits and vegetables naturally contain simple carbohydrates, they provide the fiber, vitamins and minerals essential for energy and health.

And surprise, the potato -- starchy though it is -- is actually valuable and beneficial to  your health. The skin of the potato is one of the best nutrition sources on the planet -- it's a miracle of amino acids and phytochemicals. 

Potato plants draw some of the highest concentration of macro and trace minerals from the earth. They are high in potassium and rich in vitamin B₆ as well as a great source of amino acids, especially a bioactive form of Lysine. 

Lysine is anti viral and is a powerful weapon against cancers, liver disease, inflammation and viruses such as Epstein-Barr and shingles that are behind rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, autoimmune disease, and more. 

In fact, Anthony William considers potatoes to be your allies in fighting any chronic illness, including liver and kidney disease, reversing Crohn's, colitis, IBS or peptic ulcers. ²

Carbohydrates Benefits: Fuel for Performance

What are carbohydrates used for? They provide the best fuel for energy for the brain, muscles and organs. 

Complex carbohydrates benefits include "staying power,"  more than refined carbohydrates do. They fuel the body for a much longer time than do simple carbs.

So, for instance,  in a study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine, scientists served athletes either lentils, another non-pulse, high glycemic index starch, or a placebo.

They then tested their stamina by putting them through various treadmill workouts.

• The lentil eaters were able to last 23 percent longer, which is very impressive!

They also experienced better blood sugar regulation over the entire span of the trials, which likely played a role in generating these results.

Carbohydrates Benefits: Digestion, Weight Loss &  Heart Health

Are carbohydrates good for weight loss? 

Contrary to popular opinion, complex carbohydrates HELP you lose weight. 

Because you feel full longer, and they are packed with nutrients, you get fewer cravings and they help you lose weight.

Digestion also benefits from fiber and this bulks up stools for less constipation. 

Fiber-rich carbohydrates especially promote healthy gut bacteria which in turn improves the immune system. More toxins are eliminated and there is less bloating and gas. 

Heart health improves with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, with:

• lower LDL cholesterol
• lower blood pressure
• lower cardiovascular and heart disease

Best High Carbohydrates Foods

The best high carbohydrates foods include:

PULSES: garbanzo beans, or chick peas, lentils, kidney beans

VEGETABLES: potatoes, yams, beets, onions, carrots

FRUITS: bananas, apples, dried fruits such as dates, raisins and figs

GRAINS: oats, whole wheat, barley, Quinoa, brown rice

So, why do we need carbohydrates? Not only are carbohydrates good -- they are nutrient-dense foods essential for health and longevity.

Hopefully you will no longer "fear fruit" and starchy vegetables such as potatoes, but enjoy them for a long and vibrant life!

Carbohydrates Benefits of High Carbohydrates Foods

The nutrient-dense high carbohydrates foods of a vegan diet may yet prove to be the healthiest of all.

Large large-scale studies of over long periods of time consistently show that low-carbohydrate diets worsen long-term health -- they increase the risk for many chronic diseases, increase the risk for infectious diseases, and increase mortality.

In one study of over 100,000 people, when compared with their meat-eating counterparts:

• lacto-ovo-vegetarians were 38 to 61 percent less likely to develop diabetes
• vegans were 47 to 78 percent less likely to develop diabetes.

Researchers from this study conducted by Loma Linda University, concluded that vegetarian and vegan diets offer significant protection against death from:

• cancer
• heart disease
• diabetes. 

By comparison, those who chose to eat more meat and dairy products, in the longer term significantly increased their risk for death. ³

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More about carbohydrates benefits:

Why are low-carb diets NOT good for kids?

 Pulses – The New Superfood for athletes and weight loss

SOURCES:

1. and 2.  Anthony William, Life-Changing Foods, Hay House Inc, 2016. p. 44 and p. 158-159

3.  Beyond Meatless, the Health Effects of Vegan Diets: Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, CA 92350, USA, 2014.