Men\'s Health UK - 10.2019

64 MEN’S HEALTH

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE GARTEN FOOD STYLING: CHRISTINE ALBANO

Rule 03

Rethink Your Carbs

THE WHAT’S WHAT OF

CARBOHYDRATES

Placing a blanket ban on carbs isn’t just unnecessary, it’s illogical. “Carb”

includes multiple different foods and nutrients. Here’s a quick breakdown

Pep Up Your

Meal Prep

Sick of salads and steamed broccoli?

These tools will make your veg-based

dishes that little bit more delicious

Q: Is the sugar in fruit

bad for me, too?

A: Don’t stop eating fruit. Yes,

there’s a little sugar in there,

but they also contain plenty of

fibre, vitamins and minerals. As

a point of reference, you’d have

to consume about four apples in

order to ingest the same amount

of sugar as you’ll find in one

large soft drink. That sugar will

be absorbed much more slowly,

too, for sustained energy.

Dr Mike Roussell, nutritionist

Why You Need It

Carbohydrates aren’t the devil: they’re

your body’s preferred fuel source.

Consuming the correct amount of the right kind of carbs

can enhance your athletic performance, improve your sleep

and energy levels, and help you bounce back from training

faster. There’s nothing in carbs that makes weight gain

inevitable – you just need to be judicious in your choices.

Well, apart from on cheat day, obviously.

How Much You Need

There’s no minimum requirement (which

is why ketosis doesn’t kill people), but it’s

generally agreed that six to eight handfuls a day will stand

you in good stead. The vast majority of these should be

quality carbs: beans, pulses, wholegrains, potatoes, fruits.

Sure, some kinds contain more natural sugars than others

• but, as a general rule, if you can pull it from the ground
  or pluck it from a tree, it’s good for you.

1 QUESTION 1 ANSWER

01/ Mandoline

Even the sharpest

knife won’t suffice

for paper-thin

slices. This model

also features an integrated julienne

blade for French-cut vegetables. Use it

to make coleslaw or a spicy Thai salad.

Oxo Steel Mandoline 2.0 £70 amazon.co.uk

02/ Sheet Tray

Bulk-roast your

vegetables, then eat

them all week. Our pick?

Half a bulb of fennel contains

just 40kcal. These trays are durable and

can withstand high oven temperatures.

Nordic Ware Aluminium Tray £18

amazon.co.uk

03/ Spiraliser

This is the best

hand-crank tool on the

market. Use it to prep

squash, beetroot and

courgette, then pan-fry.

Paderno World Cuisine Spiralizer

£30 amazon.co.uk

Carbohydrates

They provide your body and brain with glucose, a vital source of energy

Fibre

Roughage for

healthy digestion

Starch

How plants store

glucose (energy)

Sugar

There are many types,

and not all are bad

Insoluble

Won’t dissolve

in water; helps

to keep you full

Glucose

Insulin shuttles it to

your cells for fuel

Added Sugar

Excess empty

calories

Sucrose

Glucose plus

fructose; table

sugar

Lactose

Found

naturally in

dairy products

Soluble

Attracts water;

slows sugar

absorption

Fructose

Found in fruit;

processed by

the liver

GENERALLY NOT GREAT FOR YOU

GENERALLY GOOD FOR YOU