So what’s your Sweet Spot for Carbs?
Hopefully, we’ll help you get on track to figure that out.
But first,… Thanks everyone who reached out to us about our Spring Cleanse, or lack thereof. This is the first year in about 9 years we have not run a local CleanUP Cleanse. We truly missed seeing everyone, but our practice has simply been too busy. We look forward to the upcoming Fall cleanse and remember, you can participate in the CleanUP Cleanse online, anytime!
So… your Sweet Spot for carbohydrate intake is the place where you’re at your ideal weight (or on track to losing), you have balanced energy, a clear mind, sharp thinking and absolutely NO cravings for sugar or carbs.
Carb tolerance, like everything, is very individualized – some people do well on 100-150g, some can only handle fewer than 50g. Some have the luxury of doing fine on any amount. In this case, focus on better quality.
To make a point, you NEED adequate protein and fats in the diet but your carbohydrate needs vary. Your sweet spot depends on YOU so we’re back to our mantra – “discover, practice and master”.
To find your sweet spot you will need to play with the Quantity, Quality, and Timing of your carbs and track your CHARGE (Cravings, Hunger, Attitude, Rest/sleep, Gut and Energy levels)
Quantity:
Roughly, and for simplicity, one bite of a starchy carbohydrates equals about 5g of carbs.
- Most will do well by eating 5-10 bites of carbohydrate per meal (some need more and some less)
** However you decide to measure your carbs, we’re considering net carbs. (Total Net Carbs = Total Carbs minus Fiber times the number of servings you ate. NC=(TC-F)xS)
Quality:
The best kind of carbs are from non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, greens beans, etc. Starchy vegetables have their place as well. The ideal ones being the clean (hypoallergenic) burning carbs. The carb content can add up rather quickly so depending on your metabolism and your “sweet spot” these may need to be limited. Ex.:
- Brown Rice
- Sweet Potato
- Quinoa
- Plantains
- Yucca
- Fruits (for carb-sensitive people, fruits should be limited to your dark berries, overall)
**non-starchy vegetables are a free for all, yeah… so, you do not add to your daily carb count.
Timing:
- A great time to eat carbohydrates is within 1 hour after a workout – the body is sensitive to insulin at this time.
- Some people do well eating more carbs at breakfast and lunch and then very low carb at dinner.
- Others, particularly those with insomnia, will do well by having their carbs in the evening to help with sleep.
- Try to never eat carbs alone. Eat with an adequate amount of protein.
Genetics:
- People metabolize carbs differently. If you have a family history of diabetes or alcoholism, you might process carbs differently. There are some genetic markers, like PLIN and FTO genes, that help us determine your carb sweet spot. Remember, we are all so unique!
Start tracking your daily carbohydrate intake and see what your total carbs are for the day. Are you closer to the ideal, under 100g, or are you closer to fat storage mode?
As always, let me know what you find.
In the meantime, take care of yourself.
~Drs. Sherri and Stockton