You may be eating healthy foods and exercising regularly, but hidden carbohydrates could be preventing the arrow on your scale from dropping lower. According to Dr. David Plourdé, nutrition scientist, exercise physiologist, and founder of The Plourdé Institute, hidden carbohydrates can slow down the process of getting your hormones under control to break down fat.
Hidden carbohydrates are the sources of sugar and starch found in everyday foods. You may even consider some of the foods as seemingly healthy. A few hidden carbohydrates are powdered cellulose (starch) and modified food starch (flour). To avoid these sneaky additives, look for the word “product” in the ingredients list. It’s a clue that there could be starch added to foods such as chicken, beverages (even diet versions), and medications.
Ditching these hidden carbs could have a positive impact on your weight-loss success. A study conducted by Dr. Plourdé found that knowledge of hidden carbohydrates was key to participant success in weight loss. The study included 308 overweight people on a high-protein, moderate-fat diet, with three groups divided by their knowledge of the sneaky carbs. The group with the most knowledge about how to avoid these carbohydrates lost 67 percent of their body fat mass, which was almost 50 percent more than the group that had known knowledge of hidden carbs.
To learn more about hidden carbohydrates and how to avoid them, read How to Lose Weight: Avoid Hidden Carbohydrates That are Keeping You Fat from Shape Magazine.
