London - If you regret having a sandwich for lunch or potatoes with your dinner, you are not alone.
Almost half of women feel guilty about eating carbohydrates – even healthy options such as pasta and wholemeal bread.
A quarter of men also worry about eating too much sugary or starchy food, a poll found. Ten percent of women constantly feel guilty about eating carbs, while a quarter avoid them during the week so they can indulge at the weekend.
Some women worry more about what they have eaten than they do about rows with their husband or boyfriend, according to the survey of 3,000 adults for diet supplement XLS-Medical Carb Blocker.
But Jane Ogden, an expert in eating behaviour, said ‘carb guilt’ may mean cutting back on foods that are essential to health. There are two types of carb – simple or ‘bad’ ones from sugary foods and healthy complex ones from starchy foods.
Far from avoiding complex carbs – bread, cereal, rice, pasta and potatoes – men and women should ensure they are a central part of their diet. But fear of overindulging means some shun healthy carbs, Professor Ogden said. This can leave them hungry, so they snack more – and put on weight. - Daily Mail