Are carbs bad for you? Michael Catling19 October 202102 views Are carbs bad for you? Carbohydrates are often demonised in the weight-loss world, especially due to the emergence of diets such as Atkins and Ketogenic, but the idea that carbs are bad for you isn’t true. Not all carbs are created equal and it’s the type, quality and quantity of carbohydrates you eat that’s important. Why do we need carbohydrates? Carbs are your body’s main source of energy. When eaten, carbs are broken down into glucose (sugar), which is absorbed into your bloodstream. As sugar levels rise in your body, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin which is used to usher sugar into the body’s cells, ready to be used as energy. When you eat simple sugars or foods with a high glycemic rating, this process is fast-tracked by the body, causing a rapid increase in blood sugar (glucose) levels. Whereas when you eat complex carbohydrates, this process is slowed down, giving you long-lasting energy and making you feel satisfied for longer. What is the Glycemic Index? The Glycaemic Index (GI) is a rating system (0-100) for foods containing carbohydrates according to how they affect blood glucose levels after eating them. Foods with a low GI value (55 or less) are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolised and cause a slower rise in blood glucose and insulin levels. Whereas, foods that are broken down more quickly and cause a rapid increase in blood glucose have a high GI rating. Low GI foods Most fruits and vegetables Pulses, such as chickpeas and lentils Wholegrain foods, such as porridge oats Bran breakfast cereals Unsweetened milk High GI foods Sugary foods and soft drinks White bread White rice Potatoes However, using the Glycaemic Index as a measurement for whether foods are healthy or not can be misleading. According to the NHS, ‘foods with a high GI are not necessarily unhealthy and not all foods with a low GI are healthy. For example, watermelon and parsnips are high GI foods, while chocolate cake has a lower GI value’. Most recommendations on eating a diet consisting of mostly low GI foods are aimed at people with diabetes as this can help to control blood glucose levels. But since the GI value is tested on the food when eaten on its own, it is not advisable to use the GI values in isolation, according to the Diabetes UK, since we generally eat food in combination with other foods. Which foods are rich in carbs? There are two types of carbs: simple carbs that come from free and natural sugars, and complex carbs, or starches, that are present in foods such as wholegrains, vegetables and legumes. Each type of carb impacts your blood glucose levels differently. Simple carbs These are referred to as simple sugars because they are in their most basic form. Natural sugars occur in foods such as fruit, vegetables and milk, but most adults and children in the UK consume too many free sugars, which are added to processed foods and drinks like biscuits, chocolates and cereals. In addition to causing tooth decay, eating too much sugar can causes spikes in insulin and blood sugar levels, which may lead to a subsequent crash that can trigger hunger and food cravings. What’s more, increased insulin levels also promote a higher rate of fat storage which can have negative health effects. Complex carbs Complex carbs are starches which are found in foods that come from plants. They release glucose into the blood slower than sugary foods and provide a slow and steady release of energy. The best ones also contain plenty of fibre, which makes us feel more satiated and helps with portion control so we don’t overeat. Good (complex/starchy) carbs are: Wholegrain bread Wholegrain pasta Brown rice Sweet potatoes Oats Bulgur wheat Quinoa Spelt Barley Are all complex carbs healthier than simple carbs? While complex carbohydrates are a better source of energy than simple carbohydrates, they are not necessarily healthier. For example, whole fruits are packed full of essential nutrients and are processed at a much slower rate than other simple sugars because of the fibre content, which stops blood sugar levels from spiking too high. This is why it’s so important to eat a varied diet and to consider the overall nutrition of a product, rather than focusing on just one macro or micro nutrient. Based on advice from the World Health Organization, we should all be consuming at least five 80g portions (a minimum of 400g in total) of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. Will cutting carbs help me lose weight? There is an argument for cutting back on refined or simple carbs, such as biscuits, crisps and white bread, which are often referred to as ’empty calories’ because they have been stripped of almost all good nutritional value, most notably fibre, vitamins and minerals. But neither carbs, nor any other dietary source, causes you to gain weight on their own. In fact, complex carbs are great sources of fibre which slows down how quickly the food affects your blood sugar levels and keeps you fuller for longer. You might also like: Why is fibre so important? How much protein should we consume per day? Does eating fat make you fat? If you do want to lose weight, you need to take in fewer calories than you burn. Just remember that cutting out carbs does not necessarily mean you’ll be reducing your calorie intake if you’re replacing them with other foods that contain the same number of calories. 1g of carbohydrate contains 4 calories 1g of protein contains 4 calories 1g of fat contains 9 calories Should all white food be avoided? Potatoes often get a bad rap, but they are a great source of fibre, as well as other nutrients like potassium and vitamin C. It is true that white foods, like processed grains and sugars, are higher on the glycemic index, which is linked to overeating and an increased risk of many diseases. But depriving yourself of other carb-rich foods, just because of their colour, can mean you miss out on other nutrients and antioxidants which are essential for overall health. How many and what types of carbs should I be eating? Try to avoid foods that have lots of added sugar. These simple carbs contain little nutritional benefit and eating too many raises your blood sugar and can make you gain weight. Instead, it is recommended that you get most of your carbs – both simple and complex – from natural, unrefined, and unprocessed sources. These include fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, legumes and wholegrains. The government’s healthy eating advice, as shown by the Eatwell Guide, recommends that fruit and vegetables should make up a third of the food you eat every day, with starchy foods accounting for just over another third. Should I limit my fruit consumption? Two to three portions a day is advisable, though eating healthy fats and proteins – like peanut butter or other nuts or seeds – alongside a piece of fruit slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream and provides longer lasting energy. It is also recommended that we consume whole fruit over fruit juices or smoothies due to the higher fibre content. For example, an average banana will provide 20% (6g) of your recommended daily fibre intake, as well as many other key nutrients. What counts as 1 of my 5-a-day? One portion of fruit or vegetables is 80g. This is equivalent to: Half an avocado or grapefruit One medium-sized banana, apple, orange or pear Two satsumas or kiwi fruit Three tablespoons of peas, sweetcorn or carrots Four heaped tablespoons of cooked spinach Seven cherry tomatoes or strawberries 17 small grapes One portion of dried fruit is 30g Around one tablespoon of raisins, cranberries or sultanas. One serving of an unsweetened fruit juice or smoothie is 150ml No matter how much you consume, only one 150ml portion will count as 1 of your 5-a-day. One portion of pulses is 80g Around three heaped tablespoons of beans, peas or lentils. No matter how many pulses you eat, one portion will only count as 1 of your 5-a-day. What’s the difference between natural sugars and free sugars? Natural sugars are found in fruit as fructose (fruit sugar) and in dairy products, such as milk and cheese, as lactose (milk sugar). Free or refined sugars come from sugar cane or sugar beet and are defined as any form of sugar that has been added to food or drinks, or that is present in honey, syrups and fruit or vegetables juices, pastes or purees. How much is too much sugar? In Britain, we eat 700g of sugar a week – that’s an average of 140 teaspoons per person – which is way too much. Eating too much sugar can make you gain weight and can also cause tooth decay. For example, a can of Coca-Cola can have as much as nine cubes of sugar – more than the recommended daily allowance. The reference intake, according to the NHS, is 90g a day for adults, which includes no more than 30g of free sugars (roughly equivalent to seven sugar cubes). However, people with diabetes will benefit from better blood glucose levels if sugar intake can be limited to lower levels. Sources: NHS, Diabetes UK, The Association of UK Dieticians, World Health Organization. 21 (healthy) high carb meals You don’t need to deprive yourself of the carbs you love. By eating more whole foods and switching to wholegrain rices and pastas, you can benefit from more long-lasting energy which will stop you from ‘crashing’ later in the day. All of my pasta dishes, stir-fries and poke bowls have been given a healthy twist and bulked out with plenty of vegetables and pulses to make them go further. Bored of eating the same old cereal for breakfast? You can try my bounty overnight oats, snickers porridge or posh bagels for a more filling and healthier start to the day.