There is much controversy about the consumption of flour. Doctors tend to agree that whites are the most processed and it is healthier to replace them with whole grains. But many people also choose to eliminate all flours from their diets.
Some nutritionists do not advise eliminating them completely, because carbohydrates are transformed, when digested, into glucose, which is necessary to feed organs such as the brain, retina or kidneys.
However, it is true that other foods, such as fruits, vegetables and dairy products, also provide them, to cover that need for basic glucose. The excess glucose that is consumed or produced is transformed into fat, and therein lies the problem: excess flour is one of the most common causes of being overweight. Therefore, if you need to lose a few kilos, reducing or eliminating them is advisable.
In short, it is best to get information to decide whether or not flours are necessary for you, at this time of your life, because each organism is different.
But if you finally decide to give them up, then you may run into a problem, because they tend to become addictive: this is because the carbohydrates, present in flour-based foods, turn into glucose when processed by the body. At the same time, glucose stimulates insulin, which when it reaches the central nervous system, makes you want to eat.
Therefore, if you give your body carbohydrates, then you want to continue consuming them. If you ever said “these cookies are addicting” to you, now you know they really were.
These three tips will help you quit.
1. Find crunchy and healthy foods
Many times, when we consume flour in the form of snacks, or together with meals (the classic bread or cookie to accompany), we do it more out of the habit of chewing something crunchy, than because we are hungry.
If you’re one of those people who can eat an entire bag of cookies while watching a movie or even while working, you need to find something crunchy but healthy to replace it with.
Vegetable sticks, such as carrots, celery or raw chili, can be ideal. Get in the habit of always having a plate of your favorite vegetable while you’re on the computer, watching TV, or in any activity during which you usually eat flour-based foods. You can dip them in a healthy sauce or dip that gives them more flavor, such as vegetable mayonnaise or these three easy and delicious dips.
2. Respect meals
Skipping meals is a bad habit that many people tend to fall into when trying to lose weight, and it is counterproductive, because it causes sudden drops in blood sugar. It is likely that these slumps end with an attack on the bag of bread or any food full of flour and carbohydrates, which are usually easy to get and we think they will fill us up easily.
To avoid reaching the point where you feel like you need flour to fill you up, you should maintain a balanced meal rhythm, having snacks every two or three hours at most. Ideally, these between-meal snacks should be cut up fruits or vegetables. You should never go five hours without eating, because that will always end with a great temptation for unhealthy foods.
3. Rest and reduce anxiety
Anxiety is a great enemy for those seeking to reduce or eliminate the consumption of flour, and for all those who want to lose weight, because it simply makes you want to eat.
Flours are usually the first option when we have anxiety, because we usually have cookies and other foods made of processed flour on hand that we can eat in large quantities almost without realizing it. In addition, as we saw, they have a great addictive power. Therefore, when you say “I only eat one”, you know that it will end up being a lie.
On the other hand, it is also very difficult to leave the flours when we are not well rested, because by generating glucose in the body, they produce the sensation of energizing us, although it is only for a moment, followed by a new energy slump.
If you are relaxed and rested, you are much more likely to be able to stick to your diet. Therefore, before giving up flour, think about how you are going to reduce anxiety. Make sure you get a good night’s rest, and learn ways to relax in five minutes, so you turn to them and not food when you feel anxious.
Learn to cook dishes without flour
If this note interested you, you can try all these recipes without flour that will serve to replace them with delicious dishes and desserts:
– Flourless cauliflower sandwich
– Spinach and ricotta gnocchi without flour
– Chocolate cake without sugar, milk or flour
– Milk bread without flour
– Sweet carrot alfajorcitos with cinnamon
– Homemade chocolate nougat without sugar, flour or milk
– Sandwich with carrot bread and seeds
– Healthy strawberry cheesecake, without flour or cooking
– Flourless cauliflower pizza
– Spinach wraps without flour
– 10 desserts you can make without flour
Go ahead and start cooking!
Important: It should be clarified that The Bioguide does not give medical advice or prescribe the use of techniques as a form of treatment for physical or mental problems without the advice of a doctor, either directly or indirectly. In the case of applying any information on this site for this purpose, La Bioguía does not assume responsibility for these acts. The site is intended only to provide information of a general nature to aid in the pursuit of personal growth and development.