The Truth about Low-carb Diets
There are so many conflicting messages in the media about Carbohydrates. What is the truth?
Carbohydrates are the body’s major energy source, providing the calories not just for running a marathon, but for basic functions like breathing, sleeping and thinking! Carbohydrates are in whole grains, corn, potatoes, pasta, rice, vegetables, fruits, milk and yogurt. Carbohydrates include sugars like sucrose (table sugar), honey, cornstarch and corn syrup. To be useful to the body for energy carbohydrates are broken down into their simplest form, glucose.
It’s the calories, not cutting carbs that give weight loss
- Restricting carbohydrates in an effort to lose weight has been popularized. The thought is that carbs cause the body to gain fat. However, rather than cutting out a whole food group as a quick fix, the key to weight loss is to watch the calories and create a plan you can stick with for life.
- In our modern food landscape highly processed carbohydrates are everywhere. Think cookies, cakes, white bread, etc. These foods provide little nutritional value while adding lots of calories to your diet. The goal of weight loss is to limit these types of carbohydrate foods while maximizing the super nutritious kinds –fruit, vegetables, brown rice and ancient grains like quinoa and amaranth. These foods include fiber that helps to keep you feeling fuller longer, may help to balance blood sugars and ward off cravings.
- Jenny’s pre-portioned entrées and snacks offer a nutritionally balanced menu with a variety of choices. And the added grocery items provide healthy carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and milk. Our menu follows the recommendations of the 2010 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Jenny's Menu percentage of Calories
- Restricting carbohydrates may impact your health by limiting fruits, vegetables and whole-grains, the very foods that may lower risk for heart disease and certain cancers.
- Studies have shown people tend to eat the same volume of food daily. Using foods that are lower in calorie density (like non-starchy veggies) is important for satiety and controlling calories. This weight loss strategy is called the Volumetrics® approach and it is the cornerstone of the Jenny Program. Using this approach provides a high level of satisfaction and nutrients without an over load of carbohydrates.
The goal for weight loss then is to limit the refined carbs and increase the “whole” less processed carbs such as fruits, vegetables, brown rice, quinoa and other whole grains. These are lower in calories and provide essential nutrition and fiber that will help you feel fuller longer. By following the Jenny menu you’ll be meeting your nutritional needs, eating delicious foods and losing weight!
VOLUMETRICS® is a federally registered trademark of Barbara Rolls, PhD, used under exclusive license by Jenny Craig Operations, Inc.
Rolls BJ. The Volumetrics Eating Plan. New York, NY: Harper; 2007.
Rolls BJ, Barnett RA. The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan. New York, NY: Harper; 2000.