Good Carb/Bad Carb
Posted on June 27, 2008
It seems to me that carbohydrates get thrown under the bus too often. They are all lumped into the “bad” category and lately many people try to avoid carbohydrates like some sort of disease. There is more to it than that, and today I hope to clear up some misconceptions about carbohydrates.
Our bodies need carbohydrates. The energy that comes from breaking them down fuels our muscles, feeds our brain and nervous system, and helps in other metabolic processes. For most people, carbohydrates are, and should be, the main source of the majority of calories we eat every day. We shouldn’t be focused on “watching our carbs,” but rather, watching what type of carbs are we eating.
Most of the time, carbohydrates are referred to as “simple” or “complex.” It is widely thought that all simple carbs are bad and all complex carbs are good. This is not necessarily the case.
An easier way of classifying the types of carbohydrates is by determining whether they come from refined grains or whole grains. Refined grains are those that have been put through the processes of milling. During this process most, if not all, of the good stuff in the grain is removed. White flour is left. 1
Why are refined grains not that great for us? They are digested more easily than whole grains and this can cause a spike in blood sugar. This spike in blood sugar causes an overproduction of insulin. Consistently eating these types of refined carbohydrates can reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin, meaning it will take more and more insulin each time to remove the glucose from the blood. This can lead to insulin resistance, and ultimately, type 2 diabetes.
Instead, we should be focusing on getting our carbohydrates from whole-grain sources. By whole grain, I mean grains that are as unprocessed as possible. These grains still contain all the good stuff and don’t cause a rapid increase in blood sugar. They are digested more slowly and the body doesn’t have to release tons of insulin to remove the sugar from the bloodstream.
How do we know if it really is whole grain? For bread especially, a lot of times products may say “wheat,” but that may not really be the case. Check the ingredients list and if the first ingredient says “whole wheat flour” you are in good shape. A lot of times the manufacturers will add coloring to make the bread appear like wheat bread, even though it is not. Make sure you check the ingredients.2
Notice on the Healthy Eating Pyramid how whole grains are towards the bottom. They are an important part of a healthy eating plan. Notice how refined carbohydrates are at the top in the “use sparingly” area. Research has shown that eating more whole grains can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. 3
Some people have told me that they have had success with “low carb” diets. They have told me that they lost weight with those plans and even did it without any exercise. They also told me that when they stopped the diet, they gained all the weight back. I always found this so interesting because I feel like there is a better way. Carbs are not the enemy -only some are. Stick to a healthy eating and exercise plan and you can do more for your body than a low carbohydrate diet can do for you. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends about 55-60% of our total energy intake should come from carbohydrate sources. Athletes will usually need more.
Some good sources of carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, and brown rice. Some sources of carbohydrates to eat sparingly include white rice, white bread, pasta, potatoes, and white flour.
- Walter C. Willett, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001), 95. [↩]
- Steven G. Aldana, The Culprit and the Cure: How Lifestyle is the Culprit Behind America’s Poor Health and How Transforming That Lifestyle Can be the Cure (Mapleton, UT: Maple Mountain Press, 2005), 77. [↩]
- Willett, 96-97. [↩]
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Wow, as I read the list of carbs to eat sparingly, I noticed that I eat everything listed there, quite frequently. I think I need to make the switch to whole grain breads and pastas. It’s funny that you wrote about this today, because when I visited the pediatrician a few days ago for Lainey’s check-up, she recommended the same thing: whole grains. It must be good advice!
Great post. I wish more people would understand this. Along with what you said, whole grains are high in nutrition, fiber, and actually may lower cholesterol a little.
Why grains?
Why not get your carbs from fruits & vegetables?
Fruits & veg have higher levels of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber, and provide greater satiety due to their high volume / low calorie ratio.
Basically, more bang for the calorie.
I totally agree with you, carbs get such a bad rap, and people go around thinking they’re the cause of obesity etc. All things in moderation has always been my mantra! Thanks for posting this article.