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Forget everything you’ve been told about eating nothing more than carrots and celery sticks at night if you’re trying to lose weight. Real food, including carbs, are an important part of your night food intake to help speed up your metabolism. Since we know all carbs are not equal and that brown rice shares nothing in common with potato chips, making the right carb choices is essential. These 4 carbs will keep your energy levels soaring and will help speed up you metabolism.
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Whole Grain Cereal
It’s a few hours after dinner and you’re starving. Cereal is a speedy and simple solution, but check labels carefully — most brands are loaded with added sugar and will only send you crashing after than initial boost. Stick with a whole grain cereal like Kashi, which has 8 grams of sugar but 13 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein.
Apple Slices With Peanut Butter
One rule of thumb to keep in mind when enjoying a carb like a sweet, delicious apple: pair it with a low-carb protein source like peanut butter that will keep you satisfied for longer.
A Banana
One medium banana has 27 grams of carbs (including 3.1 grams of fiber and 14 grams of sugar). This alone makes it a high-carb fruit choice — but the benefits outweigh the higher carb content. Bananas contain a wealth of potassium and are also a source of vitamin C, magnesium, and vitamin B6.
Brown Rice
Replacing white rice with brown rice in your dinner recipe is a super smart way to lower your sugar intake and reap benefits like more fiber, protein, magnesium, vitamin B6, and iron in your diet. A single scoop of brown rice as a side dish or added to soups and even salads provides long-lasting and slow-burning energy and will keep you fuller for longer.