I’m trying to figure out what your concerns are around carbs. Are you on a low-carb diet right now?

Remember, all carbs are not bad. The complex, fiberous kind, which come from whole grains, beans, vegetables and whole fruits like apples, produce a very different response in the body than simple carbs like table sugar (sucrose), white rice, or white bread.

The problem with simple carbs is that they cause spikes in blood sugar, which can faciliate fat storage and blunt fat burning.  They also can cause you to feel tired later, once the original "sugar high" wears off.

However, when you combine high fiber carbs together, you slow digestion and help keep blood sugar levels more stable.  So carbs aren’t necessarily the enemy, but rather the types of carbs you eat.

In terms of beans and rice, combining the two will create a complete amino acid profile (a complete protein.)  Beans are excellent foods, because of their high fiber content, as well as the phytochemicals present (which may have antioxidant properties.) They are also very filling and satisfying.

When you choose rice, go for the brown version, versus white, which keeps more of the nutrients and fiber intact.

Carb content is an issue of serving size. Yes, the carb content will double if you combine a serving of beans and a serving of rice together, but remember that the fiber lowers the glycemic load of these sources of carbohydrates.

A serving of rice is typically a half-cup cooked (1/4 cup uncooked) and a serving of beans is a half-cup.  Combined this would be about 52 grams of carbs and about 300 calories with 7 grams of fiber.

So, if you wanted to combine them without having two servings of "starches" together, you would combine a 1/4 of beans and a 1/4 of cooked rice. Make sense?

Chemical content does not change when you combine the foods because of the proteins. It’s still a carb, it’s just now a complete protein.

Also, understand that there are other sources of whole grains that you can try in place of rice and alongside beans. Quinoa is a great whole grain, that actually has a complete protein profile on it’s own.  Pearled barley is also a great grain that can serve as a rice substitute, and it’s very high in fiber as well — much higher than brown rice.

Try these grains and see what you think.

Did this answer your question?

Best of luck! 

The same goes for the low fat and low carb crowd, if cutting out something worked perfectly we would all just do it, but our bodies need it, you just need to find the right balance.

Great article, people tend to make dieting out to be something difficult when it really isnt. Dont overdo anything, work out when you can and you will lose weight!

In-depth article about that explains carboydrates, proteins, and fats and the role they play in a healthy, balanced diet….