Low- and no- carb eating is all the rage these days.  Ditching carbs is tough to do-over the long haul. For starters, adults in the U.S. get about 50 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates. If you cut out all carbs, you’ll have to give up fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans — which are the building blocks of a healthy diet.

If you’re a woman, you may be doing yourself a disservice giving up carbs.  For women, particularly peri-menopausal or menopausal women, carbs stimulate serotonin production in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that governs our mood.  Some experts recommend a high carbohydrate, low protein, low fat snacks on an empty stomach diet to help boost serotonin levels and keep our mood light and cheery.

If you want carbs in your life, and I know I do, it’s important to make smart choices when consuming carbs.  Take bread for example. White bread, pumpernickel and rye have about the same number of calories, but the whole grain has a lot more and takes time to digest. Blood sugar rises gently and your body produces less insulin. This slow digestion is the basis for the name “slow carbs.” Studies show that people who eat a diet rich in fiber and whole grains have a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes, stroke, coronary heart disease and colorectal cancer.

Here’s the Cliff’s Notes version of the Slow-Carb Diet:

• Six days per week eat the Slow-Carb way – lean meat, beans, and veggies and no white foods like sugar, pasta, rice, bread
• No dairy except cottage cheese.
• Eat the same few meals over and over again, especially for breakfast and lunch. You probably do this already; you’re just picking new default meals.
• Don’t drink calories. 1-2 glasses of red wine is okay.
• Start your day with protein, shooting for 30g within 30 minutes of waking.
• Tomatoes and avocados are allowed in moderation, but no other fruit.
• One the 7th day you can cheat.  Eat whatever you want.

Pros:

• The diet is healthy and reasonable.
• It is a plant-based diet which environmentally friendly, and better for overall health.
• In general a cheat day is a good idea as it keeps you from feeling deprived.

Cons:

• No fruit!  It may be difficult to be without anything sweet throughout the week.
• No cheese! Enough said.

You can read a review of the Slow-Carb Diet on Healthline.com.

Andrea Groth Wellbeing Detective

Andrea wants to live in a world where the neighborhoods are walkable, bike lanes are plentiful, and the food is fresh, delicious and readily available.

A 20-year veteran of the health and wellness industry, she started her career in the fitness industry while earning a master’s degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, and then on to the burgeoning field of worksite wellness. Andrea has competed in collegiate level soccer, worked as a personal trainer, fitness instructor, wellness coach, and master trainer, climbed 14ers, and completed cycling centuries and metric centuries. All of these experiences give her the opportunity to view well-being from many different perspectives.
When she’s not helping others to be their healthiest self, you can find her at a farm to table restaurant, down dogging at the yoga studio, or experiencing the Colorado landscape on a bicycle, snowshoes, cross country skis or on foot.