Disclaimer: This article is not to tell you what diet to follow or how you should eat. I am here simply to state the facts: that the right kinds of carbohydrates can be eaten in abundance while staying healthy. Society has made us believe that a diet low in carbohydrates is the best. That is wrong.
People tend to look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them that on a daily basis, you may find me eating five bananas in one smoothie, six potatoes for dinner, and lots of fruits and vegetables in between. Other days, I might be eating multiple cups of rice, three bowls of pasta, or many cups of oatmeal. No, I am not inadequate in terms of proteins and fats, but over the last few decades, nutritional guidelines have told us that we need a lot of protein to be lean, low carbohydrates to stay thin, and don’t even get me started on all the back and forth about fats. I can tell you since I have started eating as many carbs as I want, derived from whole, plant-based sources, I have never felt better in my entire life.
The information I display in this article here is taken from the book "The China Study" written by T. Colin Campbell. I may be biased, since I am a vegan, but I can assure you that I feel one of the best decisions you can make is to pick up this book (along with various others I can recommend) and be exposed to the scientific-based knowledge behind plant-based diets for health and vitality.
A diet rich in whole-food, plant-based sources of carbohydrates has been proven to reverse heart disease, diabetes, prevent many other illnesses, AND cause significant weight loss. While I can easily write a mini-series on the evidence behind all of this, I will have to keep this to a minimum. The standard American diet’s “carbohydrate” background usually consists of things full of artificial ingredients, processed sugars, refined foods, and “whole” carbohydrates turned bad because of adding things like high-fat foods that are less than ideal for your health. No wonder why carbohydrates have gotten a bad reputation.
When one starts to eat a diet rich in wholesome carbohydrates including legumes, lentils, beans, vegetables, fruit, oats, rice, potatoes, and pasta (I love corn pasta!), Campbell states they are “broken down in a controlled, regulated manner during digestion,” giving us energy and fuel the way our body knows best. You know why they tell athletes to “carbo-load” before race or game day? It’s because our bodies run off of carbohydrates for energy. If we deprive ourselves of this, we burn out.
While a low-carb diet may give you results at first, it will not be sustainable for life. When people ask me about caloric intakes and what is “healthy,” they often tend to have a negative mindset towards calories. Calories are simply units of energy, converted to be used as fuel to keep us going every day. I always have been and always will be a strong advocate for fueling oneself correctly and respectfully. This is why I write this, to inform others one of the best things they could do for themselves: to follow a diet rich in whole, plant-based foods while understanding that wholesome carbohydrates are anything but the enemy.
Besides "The China Study," I also highly recommend "How Not To Die," by Michael Greger. These books go into more detail than I can about the evidence behind this lifestyle.
The secret to health may not lie in bottles of pills or endless doctor visits, but instead may be as simple on what is on your plate.
