Is It Better to Eat Protein Instead of Carbs?

Q: I've been told to choose protein foods over carbohydrate foods. My cholesterol is high, and soy products don't agree with me. I do some water exercises and play golf, but I've gained weight and my joints are really complaining. What should I do?

A: Carbohydrate foods often are maligned, especially when weight loss or blood glucose control is at stake. For good health, our bodies require a balance of all the main nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

We need carbohydrates because they supply the energy our bodies need to function. Carbohydrates turn into glucose (sugar) once they are fully absorbed into the bloodstream.

When you increase the protein in your diet, you tend to increase the fat as well because protein foods usually contain some fat. Higher fat intake can lead to weight gain and high cholesterol. Another important thing to keep in mind is total caloric intake. Regardless of the percentage of proteins, fats, and carbs in your diet, if your total calories are excessive for your needs, weight gain will occur.

I would recommend you visit a dietitian who can help you design a realistic and balanced meal plan. A personalized meal plan will help you achieve reasonable weight loss and better control of cholesterol levels. There's no need to incorporate soy, although some people find this vegetable protein useful because, depending on the specific product (such as reduced-fat tofu), it is low in calories, fat, and cholesterol.

Keep up the physical activity, since this can help with weight loss and cholesterol, too. Water exercises are a good choice because they avoid high impact on joints.

Virginia Zamudio Lange, R.N., M.S.N., CDE, is a registered nurse, certified diabetes educator, and a past president of the American Association of Diabetes Educators.