COMPLEX CARB DIET PLAN DURATION 1-2 Weeks LEVEL Easy GOAL Weight Normalization EQUIPMENT NEEDED None 1. OVERVIEW The complex carbohydrate diet contains specific types of carbohydrates that are structurally rich, filling and slow at delivering carbohydrates to the body. This makes it less restrictive than a low carbohydrate or a ketogenic diet. The diet is also very convenient as much of the dietary staples across the globe are relatively higher in carbohydrate content. WHAT TO EXPECT FLEXIBLE & SIMPLE You will have access to a much wider array of food choices, expanding the sources of nutrients. You can change the carbohydrate content based on your preferences. ADAPTABLE EATING Outside of refined carbohydrates and added sugars, you can eat many types of foods, including fruits and complex carbohydrates sources HEALTHY High carbohydrate diets with quality carbohydrates have been a staple part of many cultures. QUALITY INGREDIENTS, QUALITY SCIENCE We will be using high-quality recipes and ingredients for this meal plan. 2. UNDERSTANDING CARBOHYDRATES SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES Simple carbs can be found in many foods. When they are isolated and added back to foods, they usually tend to be not as filling which may end up leaving you feeling hungry. Too much of these isolated and simple sugars can favor fat gain while also associated with many chronic health conditions. MONOSACCHARIDES These are the simplest forms of sugars that dissolve in water but can't further broken into simpler sugars. GLUCOSE Major component of many carbohydrates FRUCTOSE Sugar found in many fruits and honey GALACTOSE Found in milk, avocados and other vegetables DISACCHARADIES These contain two monosaccharides combined together and can be found in many foods. MALTOSE Combination of two glucose and found in small amounts in many foods LACTOSE Made from glucose and galactose, it is found in food such as milk SUCROSE Major component of cane and beet sugar made of glucose and fructose COMPLEX CARBOHDYRATES Complex carbs break down slower than simpler carbs. They are usually more filling and can lower hunger. This can make you feel full longer and help with weight normalization when compared to simpler sugars.. We will be choosing complex carbs over simple carbs n this diet. POLYSACCHARIDES They consist of several sugar molecules connected together that can react with water to be broken down and use enzymes to speed up this process. STARCHES Complex combinations of sugars to form longer chains found in many foods GLYCOGEN Stored form of carbohydrate that turns into glucose when dissolved FIBERS Indigestible forms of carbohydrates that the body can't use for energy FIBERS SOLUBLE Dissolves in water and turns into gel to slow down digestion, found in nuts, seeds, oat, pees, lentils and other foods INSOLUBLE Adds bulk to stool and speeds up digestion, found in wheat bran, vegetables and grains 3. FOODS & DRINKS Meat Nuts Dairy & Eggs ROOTS & TUBERS Flavors Snacks WHAT IS MEAT Meat is the edible part of an animal with inedible parts such as skin and bones removed. Meats are a great source of healthy proteins and fats and hence provide your body with energy and building blocks for your body. Use shelf-stable foods for your snacks or on-the-go while consume cooked or refrigerated ready to eat foods at home. REQUIRES COOKING Steak Eggs Fish & Shellfish Tofu (Vegetarian) Soy (Vegetarian) Canned Meat Turkey Bacon REFRIGERATED READY TO EAT Pre-Cooked Meats Pre-Cooked Sausage Salami Lunch Meat SHELF STABLE READY TO EAT Low/No Sugar Jerky Pemmican Biltong Bacon Jerky Pre-Cooked Sausage Turkey Pork Rinds NUTS Nuts are rich and well rounded in nutrients, very filling, tasty and shelf stable. They will become a main part of your diet as snacks or part of a recipe TYPES Peanuts Walnuts Cashews Pine Nuts Macadamias Almonds Brazil Nuts DAIRY We will focus on richly structured forms of dairy ie. cheeses and yogurts. You can either use these in a recipe or eat them as a TYPES OF DAIRY Hard Cheeses Soft Cheeses Cheese Sticks Greek Yogurt EGGS Eggs are amazing source of proteins, fats and micronutrients that can be cooked standalone or added to a recipe as an ingredient. TYPES OF EGGS Scrambled eggs Boiled eggs ROOTS & TUBERS They are underground part of a plant that contain nutrients. TYPES Beets Carrots Parsnips Potatoes Radishes Sweet Potatoes Turnips Yam SEASONINGS & FLAVORS We encourage you to season your foods with low or zero calorie sweeteners, salts, spices and various condiments. Food should taste good! Though there are more sweeteners but for the sake of simplicity, we will stick to theones on this list TYPES Sweet Umami Salty Spicy Bitter SOURCES Salt Spices Erythritol Monk Fruit Extract Stevia extract Sugar-Free Sauces Hot Sauce SNACKING Good snacks can make or break a diet. They can either help you stick to a diet or can be counterproductive. In this meal plan we will show you how to make your own snacks but you can also consume some readily available ones. TYPES OF SNACKS 100% Cheese crisps (No added sugar) Energy Pods Pork Rinds 80% Chocolate Drinks Fats & Oils Vegetables & Fruits Legumes Grains Fruits NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS For drinks, the best option will be sticking to zero calorie sweetened or unsweetened beverages. TYPES Diet Soda Sparkling Water Water Tea Coffee ALCOHOLIC DRINKS Alcohol is not a health drink but it's best to consume low alcohol, low sugar and low calorie drinks in rare special occasions. It's best to avoid it on this plan. TYPES OF EGGS White wine Red wine Hard Liquor Light beer ROLE OF FAT Fats are a very compact source of energy. You can use them sparingly to aid in cooking or in recipes. TYPES OF FATS Olive oil Ghee Lard Butter Avocado oil Coconut oil OTHER SOURCES Meat Nuts Olives Avocado VEGETABLES Vegetables are optional but if you enjoy the taste of them, you can add them to your diet as a side or decorative purposes. TYPES Asparagus Broccoli Spinach Kale Cucumber Brussel Sprouts Endives Tomato Cauliflower Green Beans Chard Mushrooms Zucchini Celery Olives FRUITS On this plan, we will focus on low sugar fruits. TYPES Berries Banana Pumpkin LEGUMES Legumes are high in carbohydrates that may require processing to make them more edible. TYPES Peas Chickpea Lentils Beans Lupins GRAINS We encourage you to season your foods with low or zero calorie sweeteners, salts, spices and various condiments. Food should taste good! Though there are more sweeteners but for the sake of simplicity, we will stick to theones on this list TYPES Oats Rice Quinoa Whole grain FRUITS Fruits can be consumed in moderation as a snack, a side dish or part of a recipe if needed. TYPES Berries Banana Pumpkin Apples Grapes Peaches Plums Pears Oranges Figs Grapefruit 4. CHOOSE A PLAN Mixed 2 Week A mixed plan that has a diverse choice of foods Start Plan Two Meal a Day 2 Week For those who lead a busy life and like to have two large meals a day Start Plan High Protein 1 Week Great for athletes and individuals with extreme physical routines Start Plan Vegetarian COMING SOON! 1 Week A mixed plan that has a diverse choice of foods Start Plan