Carbohydrates

Reduce large portions of pasta, rice and bread when they dominate your meals, especially if you are not very active or looking to lose fat. Don’t think of them as all-you-can-eat foods because they don’t taste very sweet. Avoid systematically accumulating a large plate of starchy foods, bread, a sugary drink and a dessert: start by reducing the portions and usual additions.

Pasta and rice provide mainly starch, which digestion transforms into glucose to provide energy. The white versions are less rich in fiber than the whole ones; favor complete or semi-complete versions, but keep a suitable portion. To rebalance a plate dominated by starchy foods, start with approximately one third starchy foods, one third vegetables and one third foods rich in protein.

This benchmark remains adjustable: strong physical activity can justify more starchy foods, while a calm day does not require the same intake. Keep whole fruits and dried vegetables, and reduce sugary drinks, biscuits and sweets as a priority. The goal is to reduce excess and unnecessary calories, without eliminating carbohydrates or replacing the portions removed with lots of cheese, butter or oil.