The Bottom Line

If you want to lose weight or are striving to achieve a high level of health, limiting grains and sugars is essential. Vegetables, however, are acceptable and encouraged.

Most people don't actually need carbohydrates for survival. As long as you consumed enough high-quality protein, fat, water and minerals, most people would be fine without eating carbs. However, I don’t advocate a zero-carbohydrate diet, as I believe vegetables (complex carbohydrates) are necessary to achieve the highest levels of health.

Complex carbohydrates are starches found in beans, nuts, vegetables and whole grains. Your body prefers the carbohydrates in vegetables rather than grains because it slows the conversion to simple sugars like glucose and decreases your insulin level. On the other hand, grain carbohydrates will increase your insulin levels and interfere with your ability to burn fat. For this reason, most grains should be avoided, while most vegetables are acceptable.

Although whole foods like vegetables are ideal, for times when you are traveling or not able to prepare your food ahead of time, consider Living Fuel. This healthy convenience food provides the essential nutrients your body needs in a formula that will not cause an insulin response.

Simple carbohydrates, the other type of carbs, are sugars such as those found in candy, fruits and baked goods. Your best bet is to strictly limit or completely remove these sugars from your diet. If you must have some sugar, RAW honey is the best substitute.

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