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Carbohydrates are often vilified as a food group in large part responsible for weight gain. While it’s true that carbs are generally higher in calories than protein or healthy fats, they are still an essential component of any diet as carbohydrates are the primary energy source that your body uses as fuel. Without carbs, you may find yourself feeling lethargic and tired, and will often experience worsened cravings when cutting this food group from your diet.
However, just because there are carbs that provide significant value to your diet doesn’t mean that all carbs are healthy. As for which nutrient dense option is the best fit to add to dinnertime for tempering cravings and keeping you satiated for hours after eating? We checked in with Edibel Quintero, MD and medical advisor at HealthInsider, and Dr. Carrie Lam, MD, to get the lowdown on the healthiest carb source for weight loss. This is what they had to say.
Sweet Potatoes
Rich in fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C, sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritionally dense carbs you could include in your dinner while working towards weight loss and avoiding a restrictive diet. A slow releasing carb, you will find that adding sweet potatoes to your dinner will provide you with a consistent boost of energy after your meal, not only keeping you full, but keeping you awake as well.
“Sweet potatoes can be described as slow carbs, abundant in fibre, nutrients, and antioxidants,” says Quintero. “Furthermore, it’s the perfect choice for people with insulin resistance since it helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels.”
While other, more processed or simple carbs are quickly broken down in the body and offer a short spike of energy that dies out, sweet potatoes can help to maintain your insulin levels so your blood sugar does not crash as quickly. “The spike in your blood sugar levels ends with an even bigger crash, which causes exhaustion and fatigue,” explains Lam.
White potatoes are a common culprit of this issue, so if you’re deciding which type of french fry to order, sweet potato fries are going to be a better choice for keeping you full after your meal.
The reason that carbs have gained a bad reputation is because certain variations act as empty calorie sources, otherwise known as processed foods. Chips, cereal, white pasta, and even instant oatmeal packets are all processed, calorically dense carbs which may taste delicious going down, but will fail to provide your body with a sustainable source of energy.
This is why having a heavily processed carb source as a snack is less likely to keep you full than a whole, natural source like most fruits and vegetables. These processed foods also cause your blood sugar levels to crash, leaving you feeling worse than before.
Instead, swapping out your dinnertime carb of white rice or white pasta for a sweet potato can help to nourish your body and make good use of the calories you’re consuming so you don’t feel hungry for a snack shortly after finishing your meal. In fact, Lam even suggests increasing your carb intake in the evening to make the most of these calories within your diet.
“Your intake of carbs in the morning should be reduced; it should be moderate during the day, and high in the evening. A high carb intake decreases cortisol levels, and vice versa. A high carb intake also stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin,” she says.
Keeping carbs in your diet is essential for achieving long lasting weight loss without cutting corners, but making sure to pick nutrient dense options, such as sweet potatoes, will ultimately allow you to feel your best after your meal.
Providing a steady stream of energy and keeping you full for hours, this delicious and versatile carb can be made into french fries, thrown into a grain bowl, or even baked and eaten with a variety of different toppings for a source of fuel that won’t compromise your weight loss goals.
