I recommend a low carbohydrate diet for weight reduction, to avoid insulin resistance, heart disease, and more. The madness is, I also recommend a high-carbohydrate diet for weight loss and general health.

How is this possible? Carbohydrates encompass a large variety of foods from chocolate cake to broccoli. Carbohydrates can be divided into two sub categories:

Simple ways to remember what to eat:

Green – go for it, eat all you want!

Eat plenty of these slow burning, low glycemic vegetables, for example: kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cucumbers, asparagus, seaweed.

Yellow  – be cautious, eat in moderation.

Eat these whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat), legumes, dark berries, apples, pears, drupe or stone fruits such as peaches, apricots, and plums in moderation, as their gycemic index is slightly higher than foods in the “green”.

Red – stop and think about it.

Eat limited amounts of these starchy high-glycemic cooked vegetables: winter squashes, peas, potatoes, corn, root vegetables such as yams, beets or high sugar fruits like bananas, grapes, melons. Eat theses as treats, not dietary staples.

Forbidden carbohydrates

Forbidden carbohydrates to try to avoid or very sparingly, include dried fruits, processed foods and gluten-containing grains.

75 percent of your carbohydrate intake should ideally come from non-starchy vegetables and low-glycemic fruits. This will normalize your weight, prevent sugar crashes, and reduce your risk for numerous diseases.

No Carb Diets

A carbohydrate-restricted diet (including “good” carbohydrates) for a period of time may be necessary treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes, high blood sugar or obesity. Low-glycemic “green” carbohydrates are introduced as insulin sensitivity improves, then “yellow” and “red” high glycemic carbohydrates are re-introduced on occasion.