While the debate over the merits of fats has held focus in public health messaging for years, attention has now shifted to carbohydrates resulting in many people opting to cut carbs out of their life.
What should you do, avoid carbs or not?
Unfortunately, many popular fad diets recommend restricting or eliminating carbohydrates altogether, however they play an important role in your health. The trick is to understand what type of carbohydrate is indifferent foods and choose sources that optimise your wellbeing.
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy. They’re the brain’s preferred fuel source and they give your heart, nervous system, muscles, and kidneys the fuel they need to function at their best.
Different types of carbohydrates have different properties and therefore have different effects on health. We can place them into three broad groups: Simple sugars; Starches; and Fibre.
Simple Sugars
Sugars, like glucose, fructose, and sucrose (aka table sugar), are simple carbohydrate molecules. These are easily absorbed and used for energy by the cells around your body. But! There is a difference between the sugars added to foods and those naturally found in foods.
Sugars found naturally in whole foods like fruit come together with fibre and nutrientswhich provide health benefits.
Added refined sugars, which manufacturers add while processing packaged foods, don’t provide any nutrients, they are pure caloric energy.
This matters because diets high in added refined sugars are linked toincreased hunger; raised blood pressure; chronic, low-grade inflammation; weight gain and much more.
A 2014 study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found a link between added sugar consumption and greater risk of dying from heart disease. Over the course of the 15-year study, people who consumed 17 – 21% of their calories from added sugar were 38% more likely to die from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumed only 8% of their calories as added sugar.
Dr Robert Lustig famously said “When god gave us a poison, he packaged it in the antidote” eloquently illustrating the importance of eating wholefood and avoiding highly processed foods.
Sugar is enormously pleasurable, enjoy it but aim to consume itconsciously, make it count by having itin foods you love. Be aware that it is hidden in sauces and other pre-packaged meals even when they are marketed as healthy. Sugary drinks like juice contain none of the fibre from the plant so it’s best to limit or even avoid them all together.
What about Starches then?
These are more complex carbohydrates made up of long chains of glucose molecules. They generally take longer to digest because your body must break them down into simple sugars before your cells can use them for energy. You find starches in foods like:
- Pasta
- Rice
- Bread
- Oats, barley, and other grains
- Starchy vegetables like potatoes
Although these foods are generally released into the blood stream more slowly than simple sugars they are still absorbed quickly. However, there are some actions we can take to turn the starch in certain foods into resistant starch, meaning that it’s resistant to being broken down and so will then be released more slowly and be better for balancing blood sugar.
To make the starch in rice resistant cook the rice with a fat sources like extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, once cooked cool it in the fridge. The fat plus the cooling process act together to convert simple starches to resistant starch. The same can be done with potatoes, however, add the fat source after cooking and then place in the fridge to cool. Cooked and cooled chickpeas and beans are alsoa terrific source of resistant starch as well as being fibre rich making them a great source of carbohydrates that can help with blood sugar balancing.
And what about Fibre?
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate commonly found I plants that your body cannot digest, however, your gut microbes can! There are different types of fibre in the foods you eat, and different gut bacteria like to feed on different types.Eating a variety of fibre-rich whole foods is extremely important for promoting a healthy, diverse gut microbiome. Your gut bacteria break down fibre into chemicals that support immune health and help with blood sugar, blood fat, and appetite control.Fibre also helps promote optimal gut motility by adding bulk to stool as well as contributing to fullness and satiety.
Most of the foods you eat contain some form of carbohydrate, choosing sources that contain the most nutritious forms are key to optimising your wellbeing. High-quality carbohydrates include vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. They provide energy, plus important vitamins, minerals, and fibre.
Conversely, highly processed foods lack nutrients and fibre. A plethora of studies demonstrate how diets high in low-quality, refined carbohydrates are linked to lower gut microbiome diversity; type 2 diabetes; heart disease; poor weight management and many more conditions.
The amount of carbohydrates your body can tolerate is individual to you, tracking what you are eating can be beneficial to help find the best proportion for you.Being able to tune in and listen to your body and how you feel is also key to finding the best combination of macronutrients. Your gut microbiome, your body type and your life stage will have an influence on this, as will how highly processed or not the foods you eat are as well as what you pair them with.
Nutrition is so nuanced, if you need support identifying the optimal dietary guidelines for you I’d be delighted to work with you, give me a call to discuss your wellness goals.