Should you eat less starch to lose weight? Is it easy to gain weight if you don’t eat starch? Nutritionist Cheng Mingwei: 4 tips for eating the right starch to lose weight

There are some myths about weight loss among the general public, and sometimes there are different opinions on the myths, such as "If you want to lose weight faster, it's best to eat less starchy foods!", "You still have to eat starch to lose weight, otherwise it's easy to gain weight again!" Which of these two very different arguments is correct? Nutritionist Cheng Mingwei said that starch can provide the energy needed by the human body and is one of the necessary nutrients. Eating too much or too little may lead to obesity. If you want to use diet to achieve the goal of weight loss, you should master 4 techniques for eating starch.

Less starch! Less fat synthesis

Cheng Mingwei, a nutritionist at New Nutrition Food Generation, said that the three major sources of nutrients for the human body are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Each nutrient is absolutely indispensable in the body. Among them, the three major nutrients play a very important role in maintaining normal functions and metabolism of the human body and none of them can be missing.

Nowadays, people who are trying to lose weight often adopt a "low-carbohydrate" diet strategy to achieve the goal of losing weight. One of the reasons they follow is that after starch is digested and absorbed by the human body, the rise in blood sugar will stimulate the pancreas to secrete the corresponding insulin to further balance blood sugar. The high concentration of insulin in the blood will promote the fat synthesis pathway in the body and produce adipose tissue that is disgusting to the weight loser. Therefore, if the intake of carbohydrates can be reduced, the synthesis of fat can be reduced, thereby achieving the goal of weight loss.

After starch is digested and absorbed by the human body, the rise in blood sugar will stimulate the pancreas to secrete corresponding insulin to further balance blood sugar. The high concentration of insulin in the blood will promote the fat synthesis pathway in the body.

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Eating too little starch! Muscle loss and stagnant weight loss may lead to more weight gain

However, starch is the main source of energy for the human body. If you do not eat carbohydrates at all during weight loss, or your carbohydrate intake is insufficient, and your calorie intake is also insufficient, you will not only be prone to lack of energy and depression, but the body will also produce insufficient glycogen, and there will not be enough energy to provide the body with its needs. It may further break down protein in the muscles as an energy source, which is not welcomed by those who are trying to lose weight. Muscles themselves can increase the body's basal metabolic rate. Once muscles are lost, the basal metabolic rate will also decrease, making it difficult to lose weight and easily causing the so-called "yo-yo effect."

In addition, nutritionist Cheng Mingwei also mentioned that people who are trying to lose weight tend to increase their protein and fat intake while reducing carbohydrates. If the quality and quantity of the ingredients are not right, it may lead to an increase in body fat or a risk of increased blood fat. Patients with diabetes or hypoglycemia should pay special attention. If they do not eat starchy foods, their blood sugar may become too low, and in severe cases, they may faint.

Starch is indispensable! 4 tips for eating starch wisely

Starch is an important nutrient that is indispensable for maintaining physiological functions. How can we eat it to be "healthy and slim"? Nutritionist Cheng Mingwei provides the following professional suggestions on daily starch intake, starch consumption ratio for three meals, sports nutrition and food selection:

1. Daily starch intake:

The amount of calories each person should consume each day is different. It is recommended that you consult a professional nutritionist or doctor to allocate calories based on your personal eating pattern, work status, physical condition, and medical background.

2. The ratio of starch in three meals:

For most people, the starch ratio in brunch can be a little higher, because working or activities during the day consumes a lot of energy; dinner is a time for rest and relaxation, so the starch ratio can be slightly reduced. However, it does not mean that you should not replenish starch at night. Vegetables and fruits themselves contain sugar (starch). It is recommended to replace white rice with 2 to 3 servings of vegetables and fruits. Appropriately replenishing energy, vitamins and fiber will help with weight loss. Remember to choose fruits with low GI value.

Vegetables and fruits also contain sugar (starch). It is recommended to replace white rice with 2 to 3 servings of vegetables and fruits to properly supplement energy, vitamins and fiber, which will help with weight loss.

3. Eat smart before and after exercise:

Eat a balanced diet on a daily basis and avoid gas-producing foods before exercise. Two hours before exercise, you should mainly eat low GI foods. You can supplement with unprocessed raw foods, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, oats, etc., as energy replenishment before exercise. Within 1 hour after exercise, supplement with low GI carbohydrates and low-fat protein foods, such as tea eggs, soy milk, milk or yogurt, etc., which are all good sources. They can not only repair the glycogen consumed in the muscles, but also repair damaged muscle tissue.

4. Select unprocessed ingredients:

Choose natural foods that are less processed than normal, such as pumpkin, sweet potato, taro, potato, yam, brown rice, whole-grain rice or ten-grain rice, to replace processed refined starches such as white rice, noodles, cakes, biscuits or pastries.

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