Our Pakistani diet includes carb-heavy foods like roti and rice but do they make us gain weight? Let’s find out if carbs are really that bad for us!
Are carbs the bad boy of diet? We are conditioned to think so! Our Pakistani diet includes carb-heavy foods like roti and rice but do they make us gain weight?
Although it is true that consuming fewer carbs tend to give us a flatter belly for the time being, however, is cutting out carbs the healthiest thing for our bodies? We asked our onboard dietitian Fareeha Jay for her expertise on the roti vs rice debate, scroll down to know what she told us.
Rice Or Roti? The Fat Test!
Both are not fattening. Rice and roti are starchy carbohydrates, and it is important to note that they have many nutritional benefits. They are not only a source of energy but also rich in micronutrients, a fabulous source of fiber, and lots of benefits for our gut health too.
Fareeha told us that eliminating carbs from your diet might not be the best choice because it stores water in our bodies. Each gram of carb (glycogen) will further store 3 g of water. So, when we stop having carbohydrates our scales drop very quickly as we lose the water but when we start having them back the water comes back.
Portion Control Is Better Than Eliminating A Food From Our Diet
For many including rice and roti can help maintain weight, of course having large amounts can contribute to weight gain but that stands for all foods.
But What About Belly Fat?
No one food will make you gain or lose weight. It’s the amount and type of food along with our lifestyle over a certain period which ultimately leads to weight gain and accumulation of fat around our belly.
If you like certain foods, they shouldn’t be avoided, rather, you need to think about how much you are having them and how often you are having them. Thinking of improving your overall lifestyle such as including movement, exercise, sleep, meditation, and of course, watching your portions.
It all comes down to portion control and bringing about healthy lifestyle changes in your life. So don’t give up on the foods you crave or love, go ahead and your rotis and rice, but in moderation!
The information in this article was provided by Fareeha Jay. She is a Registered Dietician based in Plymouth. She is working as a Diabetes specialist, delivering educational sessions to people newly diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. She also runs her private practice. Her work entails online consultations with South Asians all over the world. If you wish to view her work, below are the links to her social media handles;
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_fareehajay/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FareehaJay
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSXc-Vg8wc2SdY8Jh7TK45A
