An expert guide to keeping you regular
Carbohydrates include bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals. They are a great source of energy and fibre, as well as the calcium and B vitamins needed for a healthy nervous system.
Nutritionists recommend you should base your meals around starchy carbohydrates and they should make up approximately one third of your daily food intake. Although they have a reputation for being fattening, gramme for gramme they are much lower in calories than fats.
The best kinds of carbohydrates are complex carbohydrates which are found in:
VegetablesThis is because they contain a high level of vitamins and fibre, take longer to digest and so make you feel fuller for longer, keeping you well supplied with energy. The fibre content absorbs water and helps soften the contents of the bowel, making it easier to move along the digestive tract.
Low carbohydrate diets have been popular in recent years, a supposed quick way to lose dramatic amounts of weight, but a common side effect is constipation.
If you’re increasing the amount of fibre you normally eat, remember you will need to drink more fluids to minimise side effects such as wind. You’ll also need to do it gradually because it can take time for your body to adjust.
