"Carb Aware" simply means being mindful of where the carbohydrates in our daily intake are coming from. Many of us can get into the habit of having one source of carbohydrates as our only source during the whole day (for many it is usually bread). Carbohydrate awareness can help us see patterns in our carbohydrate intake and look to add variety or substitutions. IT DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE TO CUT OUT OUR CARBOHYDRATES.
Let's look at an example:
A typical intake for Cary is the following:
Breakfast-Scrambled eggs, 2 slices toast
Lunch- Turkey and Cheese Sandwich, Carrots and Hummus
Dinner- Grilled Chicken, Broccoli, Garlic bread
We see that most of her carbohydrate intake is coming from bread. Let's be a little more "Carb Aware" and give her some substitutions. Her "Carb Aware" meal plan may look something like this:
Breakfast- Scrambled eggs, 1 slice toast, 1 cup fresh berries
Lunch- Turkey and Cheese Lettuce Wrap, Carrots and Hummus, 1/2 cup Yogurt
Dinner-Grilled Chicken, Broccoli, Sweet Potato
We're not necessarily cutting out her bread, but we are decreasing her intake and substituting other sources of carbohydrate. This variety can help us give our body different nutrients, making it work more efficiently. Looking toward incorporating more of our carbohydrate sources through fruits and vegetables can also decrease calories and increase healthy fibers. Remember that beans, peas and yogurt even have a good source of carbohydrates.
Happy Monday :)