Have you been longing to satiate your carb cravings? But just after you give in and eat carb-rich food, the prolonged guilt trip follows you. So, if you direly want to call out your carb-craving syndrome, the simple answer is to eat carbohydrates that are extremely healthy. But if your dilemma is “what to eat when you are craving carbs,” consider these options.
Well! Over the decade, carbohydrates have earned a bad reputation for causing weight gain, type-2 diabetes, and various other serious health concerns. Carbs can be devilish, but including an appropriate amount of healthy cellulose is much needed by the body.
However, people are not aware of the difference between highly processed carbs and simple carbohydrates. Therefore, the assumption related to this type of nutrition is believed by many, which needs to be clarified.
Consuming carbs is as important as intaking the healthy ones so that the guilt conscious doesn’t prick you. Here’s the guide to choosing healthy food items to satisfy your carb cravings.
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Healthy Food Items to Add for Healthy Carbs
Why stick to those conventional picks like white slices of bread, regular portions of pasta, and sugary cereals, when you have access to better and healthier carbohydrates?
So, try these below-mentioned options and say bye to the deleterious effects caused by the highly-processed carbs in your diet. Also, you may consider taking a different route and finding effective alternatives to beat carb cravings.
Replace Chips with Nuts
No doubt that those spice-coated crispy and fried chips are the best snacktimes that are loved by people of every age. However, the high-fat value of the chips is overlooked. Or you can say we prefer the taste over our health.
Since the crunch and taste in the big bags of chips are irresistible, you can shift to other and better alternatives, like roasted spiced nuts.
Because the crunching foods hit you differently and instantly gratify your hunger pangs, so munching on almonds, pistachios, and walnuts is a perfect replacement for chips. Another good news? They are a powerhouse of protein, healthy fats, fibers, vitamins, and minerals.
Quinoa Over Rice
Particularly, if you are on a weight loss mission, consuming a bowl of enriched white rice with 53 grams of carbs is not a great idea. In the category of rice, you can replace regular white rice with brown, red, and black rice.
An even better option is to shift to Quinoa. This pseudo-grain is actually the seed of the goosefoot plant and is best known for its richness in minerals, protein, and fiber.
If you think you can lose weight or include rice as a potent source of cutting carbs, you seriously need to replace it with Quinoa. Note that proteins and dietary fibers are not only good for your health, but it also keeps you full for longer periods of time.
Moreover, a bowl of quinoa salad with a side of sauteed veggies is a perfect meal that will give you the needed nutrients. After this meal, you will be sorted for 4 to 5 hours straight.
Sweet Potatoes to Rescue
Potatoes are a super-hit addition to your daily food or snacking. Everybody’s favorite, potatoes, are very hard to miss and avoid, so the closest to it is Sweet Potato. Americans call it ‘Yam.’
Coming to their carb content, both are the same. However, the differential point between them is the level of vitamin A, which is higher in Sweet Potato.
We understand that crispy, cheesy fries are pretty tempting to satisfy your cravings for carbs; however, making you a ‘couch potato’ in no time. So, make a conscious decision and plate the roasted sweet potatoes for your meal.
Breads for your Bite
Well, how can you miss the breads? Easy to cook, infused in dishes, and very filling. However, don’t get fooled by the instant gratification of carbs cravings, as they will first fill you up and spike your blood sugar levels and later drop.
It is not only dangerous but will leave you wanting to eat more. One solution to this problem is trying out other types of breads. Yes, healthier breads like multigrain, whole wheat, oat bread, and more will fill you up for a longer time.
Healthy breads are a high source of fiber, vitamin B, magnesium, and iron, so without a doubt, add them to your list of snacks. Moreover, if you wish to add more food items to your breads, add raw vegetables, yogurt dips, high-protein spreads, salad, etc.
Also, adding Avocados will make up for a delicious sandwich. If you like eggs along with your slices of bread, either boil or cook an omelet. This is one of the yummiest and lite food that will warm the cockles of your heart.
Throw Away the Sodas
At times, we have the longing to enjoy chilled and tall glasses of shakes, smoothies, lattes, and juices. However, you will be shocked to know that they are infamous for adding instant glucose to your bloodstream.
Especially, sodas sneakily add sugar that has precarious effects on your body. So, throw away the stored cans and artificially sweetened juices from your refrigerators right away.
Instead, prefer drinking natural green smoothies without sugar or lemonades that will refresh you and make you feel like your stomach is almost full. Why drink fizzy carbonated drinks when you can prolong your fasting with these energizing drinks?
Although they are the active components to fulfill the craving for carbs, however, avoid those too-sweet shakes as they are useless calorie intake.
Shhhhh! To Sweets
Who doesn’t love and crave chocolate-dripping cakes and pastries? Also, the Nutella-flavored donuts and waffles always leave a trail of greed to try them again and again.
No doubt there is nothing like a buttery soft slice of decadent chocolate cake or crumbly cheese tarts, but they are not the solution to your carbs cravings. You might want to consider fresh fruits instead of them.
A bowl of mixed fruits is way better than a small tub of ice cream. So, don’t give in the involuntary food cravings and hop on to alternatives that are not only nourishing but rejuvenating.
Especially bananas are a perfect food to eat when you are craving carbs, as they are high not only in starch but potassium and vitamins B6 & C. If you ever feel hungry and all you want to eat is something sweet, buy a large banana and not a large cupcake.
Beets & Legumes
Beets or beetroots are best in terms of enrichment of vitamins and minerals of bodies. Although they are not high in carbs, they will still not leave you hungry. A little bit of the carbs come from the sugar and fiber in the beets.
Speaking of legumes, have portions of chickpeas, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and lentils that have high-carb content and protein. You can never go wrong with this combination if you include a small bowl of beans and brown rice.
Did you know that in 180 grams of cooked lentils, you can get 36 grams of carbs, which is perfect for anyone who is looking to gratify carb cravings?
So, next time you go grocery shopping, add packets of lentils and beans rather than chips or biscuits.
Some Effective Ways to Not Indulge in Carbs Cravings
Too many carbs in a food item make it “comfort food,” and let’s be honest, who doesn’t like eating something which makes you happy and relaxed? Simply because the after taste of eating greasy, sweet, crispy, and fried food are just out of this world.
However, indulging in high-caloric and carbohydrate food will only cause you physical and psychological problems. Do you want comfort and enjoyment at the cost of your precious health?
No, right? So, simply avoid them and add them to your eating only as “cheat meals.” If it’s really tough for you to control, we have brought you some tips and tricks that will come in handy.
Drink Water – At times, your body can misinterpret the signal of thirst as a sign of craving. So, whenever you feel hungry and crave comforting carbs, drink a glass of water.
This way, you can fool your body too. (hahahahaha) In fact, drinking a lot of water helps you lose weight and will teach you to control, not to always listen to your body, and eat whatever and whenever you want.
Regular Exercising – If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, you are likely to indulge in eating unhealthy or always munching. Therefore, quick 15 minutes brisk walk or frequent exercising sessions will help you stay away from fast food.
Delete Food-Delivery Apps – Nowadays, the food apps on our phones have made it so convenient for us to click and order food. It’s like you think of eating something, and the next minute, it is on your plate.
We know that you are also unintentionally doing it and unable to control yourself, so delete these apps for good and grab something healthy.
Play with your Mind – When you are not clear whether you are really hungry or it is just a carbs craving, several mind games like the “Fruit Test” will help you. Be it any time of the day, think of finishing a complete fruit, and if you can, then grab a fruit. If not, it’s probably a hunger pang.
Train yourself to Remain Hungry – Staying hungry is a skill, and everyone must train themselves to not always binge-eat. This way, we can get hold of carbs cravings and not give in all the time we feel hungry.
Another benefit is that this way, you allow your body to heal and not only be occupied in the process of digestion. This is not only going to curb your cravings but is very healthy for your body.
So, next time you feel hungry, try to distract yourself and leave your body alone. (not in a literal sense)
The Final Wrap-Up
We hope that this comprehensive guide will help you choose what’s best to eat when you are craving carbs. Usually, it’s not easy to follow all these steps and change your diet altogether. Let’s be honest; we all like to open a bag of spicy chips, eat cheezy pizza, drink a chilled can of coke, and just relax.
However, what’s ignored in the course is that these fast-food, highly processed food items are no less than slow poison. (Yes, you read that right, SLOW POISON) So, if you wish to change your lifestyle for good and improve the status of your health, you know what to do and how.
Bon Appetite & Bonne Sante!
