You’ve probably noticed that over the last several years, carbs have been getting a bad rap. To the point where people are avoiding what are perfectly healthy foods that provide an array of benefits.
Back in the 1990’s people began blaming carbohydrates and bread for the skyrocketing obesity rates in the country, and to this day many people continue to believe that consuming any type of carbohydrate will lead to a significant amount of weight gain. In fact, carbohydrates have the same number of calories per gram as protein!
Carbs are an essential part of our diet, providing the bulk of energy for our daily needs. However, not all carbs are created equal, and that is where the confusion started. Understanding a bit more about carbs is key, so let’s briefly explore the different types that fuel our everyday activities.
There are a few types of carbs but let’s just lump them in to two main categories – Simple Carbs and Complex Carbs. The confusion arose when the two became blurred in the public eye and all were ‘tarred with the same brush’ as it were. So, let’s look at both.
Simple Carbs
Simple carbs are carbohydrates that consist of single or double sugar molecules and are simple in structure. This category includes natural sugars found in fruits and dairy products, as well as table sugar and syrups. Within this category are also refined carbs. Refined carbs refer to grains that have been processed to remove the bran and germ which strips away fibre, vitamins and minerals. The process breaks down the grain into simpler carbohydrates. Within the category of refined carbs are white flour and the many products made from it including white bread, white pasta, pastries and most breakfast cereals.
These simple carbs tend to give us a rapid increase in blood sugar levels which can lead to weight gain and other health issues.
As well as the processing of the refined carbs taking out a lot of the benefits, refined carbs will also likely be in foods that have other additives, preservatives, colourings, trans fats and more. In other words, the highly processed foods which can be detrimental to our health.
Examples of Simple and refined carbs are:
pastries, such as cakes, cupcakes, and muffins
cookies and bars, including almost all packaged snacks, even if they’re marked as “healthy” nutrition bars
sweetened cereals, including granola
sweets, like candies, chocolate, etc.
sweet drinks, like fruit juices, soda, and other sweetened drinks (including sports drinks)
sweetened dried fruits, like raisins, dried cranberries, banana chips, dried dates or figs, etc.
. . . and pretty much anything that’s processed, and comes in a bottle, bag, box, or takeout container.
Note that although all refined carbs are therefore simple carbs because of their processing, not all simple carbs are refined carbs as some occur naturally in whole foods such as fruit, some vegetables such as sweet potato, sweet bell peppers, dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt, honey and maple syrup (so they can move into the Smart Carb category).
Complex Carbs
Complex Carbs are found in foods like whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. They break down slowly in the body and therefore provide a more consistent energy release and will keep blood sugar levels stable. They are also usually packed with other nutrients such as fibre. We can call them ‘smart carbs’ because they are a smart thing to eat. They are our nutritional allies that help maintain our health and vitality.
Smart carbs include:
fruit (fresh or frozen)
starchy tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, yuca/cassava, taro/tapioca, etc.
other starchy fruits and veggies, such as plantains or sweet winter squashes such as butternut,
whole, minimally-processed grains (such as quinoa, brown or wild rice, slow-cooking oats, buckwheat, sprouted grains, etc.)
beans and legumes
So, you see it’s important to distinguish between the types of carbs you are eating, and the general rule is that the less processed the food you are eating the better it will be for your health. Carbs aren’t the enemy: it’s the processing, the additives, preservatives, sugars, trans fats that are the enemy. It’s about making informed choices about the types we include in our diet. Armed with this knowledge, you’re now able to make healthier choices. Eat smart!
Moderation and quality are key. It's about integrating these energy-providing nutrients in a way that supports our health, rather than disrupts it. As always since dietary needs vary from person to person, it might be worth mentioning that individuals should tailor their carb intake to their personal health goals and activity levels.
In conclusion it can be summed up with a few myths and facts:
Myth1: Carbs make you fat
Fact: Carbs, per se, do not cause weight gain. Eating more calories than you burn regardless of source can lead to weight gain. If you eat refined carbs, they will be less nutritionally dense and contain refined sugars and fats which can lead to weight gain.
Myth 2: Low carb diets are the best way to lose weight
Fact: While low-carb diets can be effective for short-term weight loss, they are not necessarily the best or healthiest approach for everyone. A balanced diet that includes complex carbs are often more sustainable and beneficial for long-term health and weight management.
Myth 3: All simple carbs are bad for you
Fact: As mentioned above not all simple carbs are refined carbs and are bad for you. Natural simple carbs found in fruits and dairy have essential nutrients and fibre.
Myth 4: You should cut out all sugar from your diet
Fact: While reducing intake of added sugars is advisable, it’s not necessary to completely cut out all sugar from your diet. Natural sugars found in fruit and dairy are part of a healthy diet.
Myth 5: Carbs cause blood sugar spikes and diabetes
It’s primarily the type of carbohydrate consumed that affects bloods sugar levels. Complex carbohydrates tend to have a low glycemic index and can help maintain stable blood sugar levels. It’s the excessive consumption of high-glycemic and processed carbs that is more likely to contribute to developing diabetes.
I hope the chart below will help you to make your considered choices.
Hopefully this has given you a brief overview of carbohydrates and emphasised their importance in our diet.
As always if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch. If you’re seeking personalised guidance to the world of nutrition with ease, wish to make choices that energise you and are beneficial to your health, then I can work with you to find the balance that is right for you.
Best wishes
Karen
Images from Precision Nutrition
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