Carbohydrate Confusion: are Carbs a Part of a Healthy Diet?
Due to the popularity of low carbohydrate diets in the recent years like
Atkins and South Beach, carbohydrates (carbs) received a bad reputation as a
nutrient that will make you pack on the kilos and therefore should be
eliminated. But, the truth about carbohydrates is different than what the “low
carb” diet experts would want you to believe. A healthy, well-balanced diet
should actually contain a certain amount of carbohydrates to provide us with
important nutrients to keep our bodies functioning properly.
What is a carbohydrate and why does my body need
them?
Carbohydrates are found in foods like starch (rice, pasta, bread, corn,
cereal), fruit and vegetables, beans, milk/yogurt, and high sugar foods. Carbs are
any food that is broken down once digested into glucose (sugar). Animal protein, cheese, and fat do not
contain carbohydrate.
The body uses the “sugar” from
the carbohydrates to give you energy for daily activities and to maintain proper
organ function. The glucose is either burned right away or can be saved in the
muscles and liver to be used later.
What is the
difference between “good” and “bad” carbohydrates?
All carbohydrates will turn into sugar after being digested, but
carbohydrates are considered “good” or “bad” based on the amount of fiber,
nutrients, or added sugar they contain. It would be more accurate to describe
carbohydrates as either “complex” or “simple” instead of “good” or “bad”
because all foods (in moderation) can be part of a healthy diet.
Fiber and starch content is what differentiates “complex” from
“simple” carbohydrates. Fiber slows down the digestion and absorption of
glucose because our bodies cannot break it down. Slowing down digestion
prevents the sugar in the food from rushing into the blood stream too quickly,
reducing insulin spikes and blood sugar crashes which tend to make us sleepy.
Eating a high fiber, “complex” carbohydrate should give you sustained energy
during the day….making you less likely to reach for high-sugar “simple carbs to
give you energy during the day.
Complex carbohydrates
also generally contain more important nutrients that our bodies need to
function properly. For example, a slice of whole grain bread contains about 80
calories and 15g of carbohydrates, same as ½ of a can of soft drink. But, the
bread has fiber, B-vitamins (Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folic Acid), and some
important minerals your body needs. The ½ cup of soft drink, although it
contains the same amount of carbohydrate as the bread, does not provide any
vitamins or minerals and has 0g of fiber.
Drinking the soft drink will give you “empty” calories and little real
nutrition, plus you will not feel satisfied with just the soft drink, so you
will end up reaching for something else…adding even more calories to your day.
When choosing carbohydrates
for your diet, choose those that do not contain any added sugar like fruits,
vegetables, whole grains (quinoa, barley, brown rice) and limit those carbs
that have added sugars like cakes, pastries, sugary drinks, or lollies. That
way you will avoid the blood sugar crashes and get the nutrients your body
really needs.
Will carbohydrates make me fat?
I want to lose weight!
Yes and no. Too much carbohydrate can
be converted into fat, if it is not burned off. The problem is that many
“simple” carbohydrate foods are easily over consumed and with our sedentary
lifestyles we do not need much carbohydrate to use for energy. If you are very
physically active or have a physically demanding job, you may need to consume
more carbs to keep you going. For those of us who sit at a desk most of the
day, we don’t use up as much energy and our bodies will end up storing extra
carbs as fat.
Carbohydrates are also a cheap source
of calories. Many restaurants tend to pile on the rice, pasta, or bread leading
us to over consume carbohydrates. A
serving of rice/pasta which will provide 80 calories and 15g of carbohydrates
is only 1/3 of a cup which is very small compared to portions that many people
consider “normal”.
So, how do I fit carbohydrates into my diet?
The minimum number of carbohydrates
we need per day for proper brain function is 150g. Generally it is recommended that 45-65% of
your calories should come from carbohydrates. For a person that consumes 1800
calories per day that is about 200-300g of carbohydrate per day. If you are
physically inactive, try to stick with the lower end of that range, if you are
very physically active aim for the higher end. Choose “complex” carbohydrates
like fruits, vegetables, low fat milk, beans, and whole grains. These complex
carbs should help you get the necessary 25-35g of fiber and they will also give
you a hefty dose of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Limit foods
containing added sugar like cakes, pastries, lollies, or sugary drinks. For
plenty of energy and a healthy life enjoy a diet with complex carbs, lean
protein choices, and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables!
Article by Julie Masci from New Life Nutrition. NLN is a team of dedicated dietitians and nutritionists based in
Brisbane, Australia.
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