Are Carbs the New Cocaine??

So I DVR just about anything I can get my hands on, and delete whatever I don't want to watch, which is 90% of it. However, an occasional Dr. Oz will catch my eye. He did an interesting episode on Autism and another on medical marijuana. And just recently, he addressed the effects of processed carbohydrates on the body. He was acting on recent research that came out stating that the same pleasure centers in the brain are affected by cocaine and by processed, white carbohydrates.  Again, if you've read my blog before, you know my personal struggle with food dating back to college. Carbohydrates ARE addictive. The more you eat, the more you crave, and then the more you need to feel good. I do strongly believe that everyone has their own individual response to both protein and carbs, but I will say from personal experience, when I eliminated white flour and rice and began to limit (not restrict because I LOVE my pasta) complex carbs and added a bit more protein in, I began to see my weight decrease a bit, but I also began to feel better. I craved carbs less. And for anyone who truly understands craving something you know you shouldn't be eating, but you crave it so much you can't focus on anything else, you know how wonderful this is! I strongly encourage everyone to make this adjustment in their diet. There is so much evidence to support eating whole grains as opposed to refined grains...give it a try! The first ingredient should be 'whole wheat' on the product label. This does not mean that 'whole grain' equals whole wheat, because it doesn't, so be careful. There are now so many whole wheat products on the market now and all of the pastas are amazing. Plus, if you swap your white flour for fine whole wheat flour during your baking, you'll get a heartier tasting product that's a little bit healthier (go ahead and have TWO cookies!). Let me know if you need a little guidance or suggestions in this area...Go For It!


http://www.details.com/style-advice/the-body/201103/carbs-caffeine-food-cocaine-addiction
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/are-carbs-new-cocaine-pt-3