The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth About Carbs

It is unfortunate that many people have learned to fear carbohydrates (aka “carbs”). Carbohydrate is just a fancy word for starches and sugars. It is absolutely true that many Americans get too many refined carbs and added sugars in their diets from processed foods; manufacturers add them to thousands of packaged foods, from ketchup to yogurt, plus many things in between. However, many of the foods that are most associated with carbs, such as chips, doughnuts, cookies, and fries carry more calories from fat than they do from whole grain carbs¹. Other foods like pasta and white bread are so processed that most of the nutrients from the original plant have been removed. What we need to stay healthy is a lot of whole plant foods, whether they have carbs or not. Healthy carbs look like everything from asparagus to lentils to apples to oats.

The Truth About Carbs

The truth is that many healthy foods have carbs in them. Not eating beans or broccoli because they have carbs is like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Even those with diabetes can benefit from a moderate intake of carbs, and the American Diabetes Association recommends a balanced diet with some energy from carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein. Eight of the top ten “Diabetes Superfoods” from the American Diabetes Association are mostly carbs². Not accidentally, they are also mostly whole, plant foods, like beans and citrus fruit.

What About Breads and Grains?

These foods are avoided by many, but whole grains still make the diabetes superfoods list. The nutritional dividing line is between grains that are whole and those that aren’t. Whole grains, whether they are oats, wheat, barley, teff, or anything else, contain all edible parts of the grain. The key is that the two most nutritious parts of the grain (the bran and the germ) are also included in whole grain products³, while only the third, least nutritious part (the endosperm) remains in non-whole grain products. Almost all of the decadent foods to limit intake of, like doughnuts, white bread, and cookies, belong to the non-whole grain group.

Good for the Brain – Good for the Blood

Healthy carbs should also be a part of our diet because science demonstrates that our bodies need them in order to function properly. In fact, our brains and our red blood cells must have simple carbs in order to work. Many other cells in our bodies also like to use carbs for energy, such as our red blood cells, because they lack mitochondria (the metabolic powerhouses of most cells), and so cannot use fat for energy⁴. If a person doesn’t eat carbs, their body uses the protein they eat and the protein from their muscles to feed their brain and red blood cells by converting the protein in foods or muscles into sugar. The problem is that protein that’s been converted to sugar can’t be used to maintain the body’s muscles and organs. This can be a big issue when someone is trying to lose weight, since muscle loss is much worse in dieters who don’t eat enough protein⁵. Just eating extra protein doesn’t totally solve the problem either though, since it can crowd out the good nutrition we get from healthy plant foods with carbs.

Healthy Carbs = Energy

Another advantage of eating some carbs is having more energy. Our muscles naturally store carbs in the form of glycogen, which is the body’s most readily available fuel reserve. This means that it’s burned when we exert ourselves, either through sustained, low-intensity activity, or short, intense workouts. Indeed, scientists and trainers have known for many years that eating carbs improves performance for both average exercisers and athletes alike⁶. Since exercise helps us prevent disease and maintain a healthy weight, we want to be sure that we have enough energy to complete our fitness regime without fizzling out. Eating some healthy carbs helps us to do just that.

Healthy Lifestyle vs. Latest Diet

It is possible to lose weight, at least short-term, on any type of diet that is too low in calories or carbs. However, we want a lifestyle that is balanced and sustainable and helps us maintain a healthy weight. To do this, our bodies need a mix of protein, carbs, and healthy fats from unprocessed foods. Sacrificing carbs in our diets can reduce the health benefits we get from eating vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. For example, science is discovering new advantages to eating whole plant foods all the time⁷.  Studies also show that supplements don’t do as much to promote good health as eating a well-balanced, whole foods diet^8,9.  In short, there is a lot of evidence that foods are more than just the carbs, protein, and minerals they contain. So instead of trying to cut out certain nutrients from our diet (like carbs), consider a healthy lifestyle including the whole foods nature provides for all of us. Now that you know the whole truth, there’s really no need to fear the carbs!

 

Related Reading: Do You Eat on Autopilot?, 3 Great Foods for Heart Health

References:

1. National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Release 28. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods?qlookup=&new=1. Accessed 04/13/2016.
2. American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Superfoods. https://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/making-healthy-food-choices/diabetes-superfoods.html. Accessed 04/14/2016.
3. Whole Grains Council. Definition of whole grains. https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/definition-of-whole-grains. Accessed 04/14/2016.
4. Zhang ZW, Cheng J, Xu F, Chen YE, Du JB, Yuan M, Zhu F, Xu XC, Yuan S. “Red Blood Cell Extrudes Nucleus and Mitochondria Against Oxidative Stress.” IUBMB Life 2011 Jul; 63(7):560-5. doi: 10.1002/iub.490.
5. Leidy HJ, Carnell NS, Mattes RD, Campbell WW. “Higher Protein Intake Preserves Lean Mass and Satiety with Weight Loss in Pre-Obese and Obese Women.” Obesity 2007; 15:421– 429.
6. Correia-Oliveira CR, Bertuzzi R, Peduti Dal’MolinKiss MA, Lima-Silva AE. “Strategies of Dietary Carbohydrate Manipulation and Their Effects on Performance in Cycling Time Trials.” Sports Med 2013 43:707–719. DOI 10.1007/s40279-013-0054-9.
7. Wood LG, Garg ML, Smart JM, Scott HA, Barker D, Gibson PG. “Manipulating Antioxidant Intake in Asthma: a Randomized Controlled Trial.” Am J Clin Nutr 2012; 96:534–43.
8. Chalupka S. “Associations of Dietary Calcium Intake and Calcium Supplementation With Myocardial Infarction, Stroke, and Overall Cardiovascular Mortality.” Workplace Health Saf. 2012 Aug; 60(8):372. doi: 10.3928/21650799-20120726-06.
9. Macpherson H, Pipingas A, Pase MP. “Multivitamin-Multimineral Supplementation and Mortality: a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.” Am J Clin Nutr 2013; 97:437–44.