The amount of carbohydrates we need to consume is a topic under discussion.
Dietary guidelines show that about half of calories are obtained from carbohydrates.
On the other hand, some argue that carbohydrates can cause obesity and type 2 diabetes and that most people should limit them in their diet.
Although there are good arguments on both sides, there is no denying that our body needs carbohydrates to function well.
This article describes carbohydrates, their effects on health and how you can decide for yourself the best.
What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are molecules that have atoms of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
In the diet, the word “carbohydrates” refers to one of three macronutrients. The other two are protein and fat.
Dietary carbohydrates have three main categories:
- Zachary. These are sweet short-chain carbohydrates found in foods with glucose, fructose, galactose and sucrose.
- starch. These are long chains of glucose molecules that are eventually broken down into glucose in the digestive system.
- Fiber. Humans cannot absorb fiber, but bacteria in the digestive system can use certain types. In addition, eating fiber is crucial to your overall health.
One of the main goals of carbohydrates in our diet is to provide fuel for our body.
Most carbohydrates are broken down or converted into glucose, which can be used as energy. Carbohydrates can also be converted into fats (stored energy) for later use.
Fiber is an exception. They do not supply energy directly, but feed beneficial bacteria in the digestive system. These bacteria can use fiber to produce fatty acids, which some of our cells can use as energy.
Carbohydrates also include sugar substitutes. They have a sweet taste but don’t usually provide a lot of calories.
“Good” versus “bad” carbs
Although there is a lot of information about carbohydrates, keep in mind that not all carbohydrates are the same.
There are many different types of foods that contain carbohydrates and can vary in their impact on health.
Carbohydrates are sometimes called “simple” versus “complex” or “good” versus “bad”.
Good carbohydrates are minimally processed and contain fiber found naturally in food, while refined (bad) carbohydrates are more processed and natural fiber has been removed or altered.
Examples of good carbohydrates include:
- vegetables
- Quinoa
- barley
- legumes
- potatoes
- whole grains
- oats
- beans
On the other hand, refined carbohydrates include:
- sweetened with sugary drinks
- White bread
- sweets
- other white flour products
Numerous studies have shown that the consumption of refined carbohydrates is linked to health conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. (1) (1) (2) (3)
Refined carbohydrates tend to cause an increase in blood sugar levels, which can lead to subsequent breakdowns, which can lead to hunger and cravings. (4) (5)
They also usually lack a lot of essential nutrients. In other words, these are “empty” calories.
There are also added sugars that need to be limited, as diets high in added sugars are associated with an increased risk of many different chronic diseases. (6) (7) (8)
Although it is important to limit refined carbohydrates and added sugars, wholesome carbohydrates should be part of a balanced diet.
Healthy sources of carbohydrates are full of nutrients and fiber and do not cause the same jumps and falls in blood sugar levels.
Numerous studies on high-fiber carbohydrates, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains, have shown that consuming them is associated with improved metabolic health and a lower risk of disease. (9) (10) (11)
Low carb diet
No discussion of carbohydrates ends without mentioning low-carbohydrate diets.
These diets limit carbohydrates while allowing a lot of protein and fat.
Although there are studies showing that low-carb diets can help with weight loss, research is focusing on those with obesity, metabolic syndrome and / or type 2 diabetes.
Some of these studies suggest that low-carb diets may promote weight loss and lead to improvements in a variety of health markers, including “good” HDL cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and others compared to a standard low-carb diet. fat content. (12) (13)
However, a review of more than 1,000 studies found that although positive results in low-carbohydrate diets were less than and at 6-11 months, there was no significant impact on cardiovascular risk factors after 2 years. (14)
Do Carbohydrates Cause Obesity?
Although restricting carbs can lead to weight loss, this does not mean that eating carbs is the first reason to gain weight.
This is actually a myth, but it is not true. Once calories and protein are controlled, there are no costs or benefits to losing weight from a low carb diet to a high carb diet. (15)
While it is true that added sugars and refined carbohydrates are associated with an increased chance of developing obesity, the same is not true for high-quality sources of high-fiber carbohydrates.
In fact, people have been eating carbohydrates in one form or another for thousands of years.
Nevertheless, the obesity rate began to rise around the mid-20th century around 1980, when 4.8% of men and 7.9% of women were obese.
Today, our numbers have increased exponentially and 42.4 percent of adults are obese. (16)
It is also worth mentioning that some populations remained in excellent health while enjoying a diet high in carbohydrates.
The people of Okinawa and China, who consume a significant portion of their daily calorie intake, are among the people with the longest life expectancy. (17)
What they have in common is that they eat real, unprocessed healthy food.
Many foods that contain carbohydrates are incredibly healthy
Many people who follow a low-carb diet claim that carbohydrates are not an essential nutrient.
This may be true to some extent, but they are a critical component of a balanced diet.
Some believe that the brain does not need the recommended 130 grams of carbohydrates per day. While some areas of the brain may use ketones, the brain relies on carbohydrates to provide fuel. (18)
In addition, foods that contain carbohydrates, such as vegetables and fruits, offer a variety of health benefits.
Although it is also possible to survive on a carbohydrate-free diet, this is probably not the optimal choice because you are skipping plant foods that science has proven to be beneficial. In addition, this extremely restrictive diet should not be something that should be started without talking to a doctor.
How to make the right choice
In general, carbohydrates in their natural form with high fiber are healthy, while those without fiber are not.
If this is a complete food with one ingredient, then this is probably a healthy food for most people, regardless of carbohydrate content.
Instead of thinking of carbs as “good” or “bad”, focus on increasing overall and complex options compared to highly processed ones.
In the diet, things are rarely black and white. But the following foods are a better source of carbohydrates.
- Vegetables. Everything. It is best to eat a variety of vegetables every day.
- Even fruit. Apples, bananas, strawberries, etc.
- Legumes. Lentils, beans, peas, etc.
- nuts. Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, etc.
- Seeds. Whose seeds and pumpkin seeds.
- Whole grains. Choose grains that are really whole, such as pure oats, quinoa, brown rice and more.
- Tubers. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.
There are other foods that are acceptable for some people in moderation, but many will do their best to limit them as much as possible.
- Sugar drinks. These are carbonated drinks, fruit juices with added sugar and drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.
- White bread. These are refined carbohydrates that have few essential nutrients and negatively affect metabolic health. This is true of most commercially available breads.
- Pastries, biscuits and cakes. These foods are high in sugar and refined wheat.
- Ice cream. Most types of ice cream contain a lot of sugar, although there are exceptions.
- Candy and chocolate. If you are going to eat chocolate, choose quality dark chocolate.
- French fries and potato chips. Whole potatoes are healthy. However, french fries and potato chips do not provide nutritional benefits.
Low carbs are great for some, while others work best with lots of carbs.
There is no universal solution in nutrition.
The “optimal” intake of carbohydrates depends on many factors, such as:
- age
- sex
- metabolic health
- physical activity
- food culture
- personal preferences
If you are overweight or have health problems such as metabolic syndrome and / or type 2 diabetes, you may be sensitive to carbohydrates.
In this case, reducing carbohydrate intake is probably beneficial.
On the other hand, if you’re just trying to stay healthy, there’s probably no reason to avoid carbs.
