Good carbs & the not so good carbs

There is so much information, debate, misinformation, opinions and personal preferences that differ around the topic of carbohydrates, today let us dive into the goodness they bring and also some of the myths that are out there!

NOT ALL CARBS ARE THE SAME

Carbohydrates have been labelled across the world as a “bad” food category but really they are not all the same, and the quality, variety and type matters. There are carbohydrates such as white bread, cheap pasta and noodles made from refined white flour, and then there are complex carbohydrates like whole meal bread, brown rice noodles, buckwheat flour, and vegetables & legumes which are much more nutritious for us.

Key considerations when it comes to nutrition and carbohydrates include the quality, how refined they are, and quantity you are eating.

Quality- first and foremost identifying the types of carbohydrates you consume on a daily or weekly basis would be a good start in becoming aware of your diet and food choices. Aim for whole grains and less white coloured carbohydrates. It is very common to consume noodles, bread, steamed buns/baozi, dumplings, and whilst it’s impossible to give up white flour completely, especially when eating out, you can proactively source wholegrains for your kitchen & meals at home.

Healthier types & options to try:

-??????? Brown rice, Black rice or Red rice

-??????? Buckwheat

-??????? Millet

-??????? Quinoa

-??????? Oats

-??????? Barley

-??????? Sweet potato noodles

-??????? Mung bean noodles

-??????? Brown rice noodles

-??????? Buckwheat noodles

Complex carbohydrates also include vegetables, legumes, sweet potatoes and all types of beans (fresh and dried). So, get more of these wholesome options in your lifestyle too.

Refinement- when we consume white flour products such as most breads, cakes, cookies, noodles, dumplings, and white rice, the ingredients are stripped of their fiber, minerals and vitamins. White flour is made from the endosperm of a wheat grain only. Whereas brown flour includes some of the grain's germ and bran, and even better is whole grain or whole meal flour is made from the entire grain, including the bran, endosperm, and germ. When you eat wholegrain flour products you get the full nutritional spectrum, and how nature intended for the plant to provide health benefits. Food production and the food industry has for a long time been making foods cheaper, whiter and “tastier” but in doing so has reduced the nutrient density significantly. This is a contributing factor to many of our modern day health problems, such as diabetes, digestive issues, heart conditions, immune system function, autoimmune conditions, weak constitutions, as we lack enough whole fibrous foods.

Quantity- a lot of people who eat carbohydrates tend to eat a lot of refined carbohydrates, a lot of cookies, cakes, white bread, white rice, potatoes, French fries, chips, snack food, and when they decide to go “carb-free” and stop all consumption of carbohydrates they take all carbohydrates out. When you do so without realizing that the body needs energy and fuel you could actually be disrupting the balance in the body. Instead of eliminating all carbohydrates, as if they were evil- which they are not, try some of the complex carbohydrates in your life and start asking for things like brown rice in restaurants. Restaurants, chefs and food companies follow consumer demand, if more people start asking for complex carbohydrates products and options that's what they will start making & serving.

WHY WE NEED CARBS

Do not discriminate against the whole macronutrient food category of “carbohydrates” as you will be doing a disservice to your body & health by skipping or avoiding carbohydrates. The human body needs carbohydrates, fuel and energy to function, our metabolism and all systems of health rely on them to thrive and move you daily. Often people who don’t eat carbohydrates long term will find themselves lacking energy, getting fatigued, or experiencing low blood sugar and dizziness.

The human body needs carbohydrates, healthy fats & oils, and protein, it makes sense to include all 3 macronutrient food groups.

There is a trend in the nutrition & wellness world to eat according to labels such as Paleo or Ketogenic diets, which can be fine for a short time, but ultimately the body will start to crave the carbohydrates and energy. We often see long term Paleo/Keto dieters resort back to some quinoa, brown rice or sweet potatoes after a while as their body needs the energy that carbohydrates provide us. Yes carbohydrates contain sugar/glucose which we convert to energy, but complex carbohydrates also have the fiber and nutrients we need. The body needs carbohydrates to support bodily functions, physical activity and life.

Complex carbohydrates also help with sleep. Complex carbs boost the body's melatonin levels and people who consume more complex carbs may also be less likely to experience insomnia. Consuming more of the complex carbs in vegetables has been linked to less tossing and turning overnight and better sleep quality.

Complex carbohydrates help control the sleep-wake cycle, and also helps raise tryptophan which converts into serotonin, then melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel tired. So, get a better night sleep with more complex carbohydrates in your daily meals, especially at dinner.

WHY COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

There are few simple and logical reasons to include more complex carbohydrates in your life, including:

Fiber- they are the whole grain, with all the layers of bran and fiber on them. When you eat white rice it is actually brown rice but the inside only and minus all the layers of fiber on the outside. Why strip away the nutrients and goodness?

Nutrient density- in the fiber and whole grain we also have important vitamins and minerals that we miss out on if we don’t consume complex carbohydrates. It is very trendy to take supplements, which can be useful and good, but if we all started with more whole foods and fiber we would be able to naturally & automatically boost our vitamins and mineral intake.

Less sugar- complex carbohydrates don’t spike your blood sugar like white/refined carbohydrates do, meaning you will be satiated and fuller for longer during the day on a bowl of brown rice and some sweet potatoes, compared to white rice or sugary white bread for breakfast.

FUEL YOURSELF WITH COMPLEX CARBOHDRYATES

So the ultimate question is how are you going fuel yourself from now on? With complex carbohydrates for long lasting energy every day and with fiber rich goodness, or with poor quality, sugar spiking, nutrient deficient white carbohydrates?

Yours in health & good nutrition,

Kimberly

Kimberly Ashton is a Wellness Coach, Nutrition consultant & Yin Yoga teacher. She is the author of a theory & recipe book in Chinese called “了不起中国超级食物,” and founder of Qi Food Therapy wellness platform. www.qifoodtherapy.com