Do I eat rice or bread? Or should I just stop eating carbs?

Do you also have a friend who avoids carbohydrates e.g. rice, pasta, and bread at all costs?

As explained by the Mayo Clinic, the idea behind no-carb or low-carb diets is to decrease the consumption of food that turns into glucose and force the body to "burn stored fat for energy and ultimately leads to weight loss."

Luningning Caravana, a registered nutritionist and dietician, in an Ask Away session with GMA News simplifies it even more. "[Carbs] are used para gumana 'yong brain, para makapag-perform sa trabaho, sa school, sa training kung athlete man," she said.

If you're wondering if there are consequences to saying goodbye to carbs, the answer is "definitely yes na yes na yes." 

When people remove carbs from their diet completely, their bodies may not have enough protein. This means they might become prone to injuries, especially if they are particularly active.

"Kasi, ni-u-utilize mo 'yong protein sa katawan mo and 'yong fat, na supposed to be dapat energy 'yong ginagamit. So medyo weak 'yong muscle mo," Caravana explained.

Read: What is Keto diet and why is everybody on it?

Each individual has a specific computation for their diet prescription and going on a diet that increases your protein or fat intake without the assistance of a licensed nutritionist or dietitian may lead to complications like having high uric acid (caused by too much bad protein) or high cholesterol (too much bad fat). 

Rice or bread?

Instead of cutting of carbs, it's more advisable to find out which carbs are more nutritious and are therefore better for the body. 

There are people who switch from rice meals to sandwiches, but Caravana said that white rice and white bread have the same nutrients. They are virtually identical as they both have high glycemic index, broken down by the body as simple sugars quickly.

"Mabilis siyang i-absorb ng dugo natin. Ibig sabihin, tataas agad 'yong blood sugar, magiging hyper agad," Caravana explained.

A real switch would be from white rice to brown rice, which has a medium glycemic index and is absorbed more slowly. Where a cup of white rice is digested in about thirty minutes, brown rice takes about an hour and a half to process.

This leaves you feeling full for longer and provides more energy for the day.

It goes without saying that low glycemic index (red rice, black rice, corn rice, and violet rice) is even better.

A cup of black or red rice gives you energy for about two to three hours and it also helps cholesterol level and regulate blood sugar.

Check out this long list of the glycemic index of food items published by the Harvard Medical School to help you manage your health. — AT, GMA News