How Many Carbs Should I Eat?

So how many carbs should I eat? A more important questions is "what kind of carbs should I eat?"


Have you ever heard the joke, 'Join the Dark Side: We have Cookies!'? Well, in this case they do! Carbs are definitely Light Side vs. Dark Side. We all have played with the idea of joining the dark side... primarily because of the cookies. We call the Dark Side processed sugars. Examples of processed are what we all know and love: cakes, twinkies, ho-ho's, white bread, frosting, and most everything that makes your tongue go mmmmmhmmmm (drool....) and your stomach go oooowwwww (sickly awkwardness that doesn't go away).



Then the other side offers hope with a little less temptation to go with it. The other side, whole grain, is pretty much anything that says "Whole Grain" on the package. We've all seen 'em: whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, things like cereal and fruits and veggies are, too. Now since these whole grain foods are unrefined, they help us regulate how much sugar gets into our bodies. Sugars are what converts to fat if we have too much. So eating more complex sugars and starches will help our bodies to take the energy it needs slowly and confidently (is that possible...?).

The Light Side of carbs will almost never cause us to gain any weight in large amounts, which is why how many carbs you have isn't as important. However... even a small amount of the Dark Side each day, sweet tempting nectar of life, can take an incredible toll on our bodies. Even eating the recommended amount of carbs everyday, if they are processed, will cause us to gain large amounts of weight within weeks.

Turn from the Dark Side! And the cookies! We're tired of the cottage cheese thighs and bulging handles. Processed, sugary goodness laughs at us, knowing that we can't resist. Well, every time you see those, just picture a glob of yellow, oozing fat added to your butt and tummy. Of yes, have no delusions, that's exactly what it is!

HOWEVER, there are clever solutions to trick our tongues into thinking we are indulging them to heaven, and yet treating our bodies to health. Take a look at my favorite!

(Taken from Bon Appétit magazine)

Whole Wheat S'more Cookies

Whole wheat flour gives these clever cookie S'mores a graham-cracker flavor. Leave the marshmallows out for a day or two on a plate to get stale-they'll hold their shape better during baking.

Servings: Makes about 36

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon robust-flavored (dark) molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (about 9 ounces)
1 cup mini marshmallows
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparations:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in large bowl. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, molasses, and vanilla extract in medium bowl; whisk in butter. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stirring until dough is evenly moistened. Stir in chocolate chips, marshmallows, and nuts.

Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart (about 12 cookies per sheet). Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until golden brown, dry to touch, but still slightly soft, about 15 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool (cookies will firm up). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

TEST-KITCHEN TIP: No buttermilk? In a pinch, use 1/2 cup milk soured with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

Alright, I'm no super human here. I need sweets!!! No diet solution quite cuts it, due to the fact that if they allow deserts, they end up tasting like cocoa-powder Styrofoam!

But there is hope!! We don't have to sacrifice what tastes good to lose weight! Well... some of it we do, but here are some recipes that taste fantastic and are a thousand times healthier than Twinkies!

(Exageration not to actual scale. Twinkies sold separately. ...batteries not included.)

Taken directly from Epicurious.com

Whole Grain Banana Cream Pie



Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced
1 tablespoon dark rum

Crust:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup (2 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup unbleached bread flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon (or more) ice water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
7 bananas (about), peeled
Additional sugar
Whipped cream (optional)
Chocolate sprinkles (optional)

For filling:
Whisk first 4 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan until no lumps remain. Gradually whisk in milk. Add yolks; whisk to blend. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Whisk over medium-high heat until pastry cream thickens and boils 1 minute, about 8 minutes total. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and rum. Remove vanilla bean. Transfer mixture to bowl; press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

For crust:
Combine first 7 ingredients in processor. Blend until finely ground. Transfer to large bowl. Using fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix orange juice, 1 tablespoon ice water, and vanilla in small bowl. Sprinkle over chocolate mixture, tossing until dough comes together in clumps and adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dry. Using floured hands, gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap; chill dough at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish (including rim) with nonstick spray. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 12-inch round. Peel off top parchment. Using bottom parchment as aid, turn dough over into prepared dish. Peel off parchment. Fold overhang under and crimp crust edges decoratively. Pierce crust all over with fork; freeze 10 minutes.

Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans. Bake crust 20 minutes. Remove foil with beans. Continue to bake crust until dry and firm to touch, about 10 minutes longer. Cool crust completely on rack.

Spread 1 cup pastry cream over bottom of crust. Slice enough bananas into 1/4-inch-thick rounds to cover cream in overlapping circles. Cover bananas with remaining pastry cream. DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Slice 3 (or more) bananas on slight diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick ovals. Arrange in overlapping circles atop pie. Sprinkle with sugar. Caramelize, if desired, using handheld torch. Alternatively, cover bananas with whipped cream, sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles, and garnish with additional banana slices.

Whole Grain Blueberry Pancakes



Ingredients:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup frozen wild blueberries
2 cups whole grain complete pancake and waffle mix (the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen used Kodiak Cakes brand)
2 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons wheat germ
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

Preparation:

Boil 1 cup syrup and blueberries in heavy medium saucepan until reduced to generous 1 cup, about 13 minutes. Cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, combine pancake mix, next 4 ingredients and 2 tablespoons maple syrup in medium bowl and whisk to blend (batter will be thick).

Melt 1 tablespoon butter on griddle or in 2 large nonstick skillets over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto griddle or skillets and quickly spread with back of spoon into 3- to 4-inch rounds. Cook pancakes until brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Repeat with remaining butter and batter. Serve with syrup.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you can't find whole-grain baking mix, substitute 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 egg whites.

Whole Grain Cranberry-apple Scones



Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup diced dried apples
1/2 cup chilled buttermilk plus more for glaze
1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 large egg
Coarse sugar crystals

Preparations:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl; whisk to blend. Using back of fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cranberries and apples and toss to distribute evenly. Whisk 1/2 cup buttermilk, juice concentrate, and egg to blend in small bowl. Gradually add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients, tossing until evenly moistened.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Gently knead 2 or 3 turns to bind. Divide dough in half. Pat out each half to 6-inch-diameter, 3/4-inch-thick round. Cut each round into 6 wedges. Arrange scones on prepared sheet, spacing at least 1 inch apart. Brush scones with buttermilk to glaze, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake scones until puffed and brown and tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Serve warm.

Have you ever asked a question like... 'how many of *blank* should I eat per day?'. There are so many diets out there and all tell us to cut something like calories or carbs or fat... but what does that mean? How EXACTLY would that change my diet? Well, God Bless technology because now they have programs that are functional! These plans are designed to take what we naturally eat already, and break it down into how much we should have and when we should have it each day to lose weight! (whew... that was a mouthful...)


It's called a diet generator. There have been a few, but often are too broad. The new ones are getting better at customization and optimizing weight loss. A little daunting, yes, but with these plans, you're going to lose weight. It just takes a little... gasp... discipline. *Shudder*.... yeah, I don't like that word either, but truth is truth. I'm not here to sugar coat it (bu dum *clash*).


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The best ones right now are StripThatFat.com -- They answer more questions than are even asked, helping you make an informed decision. On top of that, they give you guides to other diets and why they didn't work for us! They don't hide anything and make it simple to understand, and I appreciate that.


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You can see if you like them. If not, start counting those calories! It's a jungle of weight loss out there -- Good Hunting!

Hey Everyone! Layman guy here.

If you guys like what you saw and read, tell me about it! If you have any suggestions about this lens, just drop me a comment.
Or, if there was something that you wished would be explained in everyday language, that's what I'm here for! Just message me or leave a comment saying what you wish were in layman terms. Catch ya later!