7. Refined carbohydrates
Refined carbs are foods like white bread and pasta, made from wheat that’s been processed to remove the wheatgerm. The wheatgerm is what gives whole grain bread and pasta their color and most of their nutrients.
Sugary foods and drinks also fall into this category. When we eat or drink them, our body quickly breaks them down into simple sugars, which is why they have a high Glycaemic Index (GI). Foods with a high GI cause our blood sugar to rise rapidly, and any sugar our body doesn’t immediately use gets stored as fat.
For better health, it’s smart to limit or avoid these types of foods. If you eat them before bed, when you’re not going to burn them off, they can be even worse for your waistline and overall fat levels.
In a nutshell, refined carbs have a high GI, and they quickly turn into sugar in your bloodstream. Some of that sugar is used for energy, but the rest is stored as fat, which can lead to weight gain.
