Volume 16, No. 3, Summer 2008
By Debra Gibbons, R.D.
There has been considerable discussion about whether carbohydrates are good for you or whether you should be avoiding them. There is no blanket response.
Eliminating all carbohydrates would nutritionally compromise your health and lower your energy level. That’s because most carbohydrates contain essential vitamin and minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals.
Say “carbohydrates,” and most people think simple starches such as pasta, white bread, and white rice. They figure that limiting these items makes sense.
Basically, carbohydrates are starches, sugar and fiber. This includes breads, cereals, fruits, fruit juices, vegetables, pasta, potato, rice and other grains, dried beans, lentils, yogurt, milk and, of course, sweets such as cookies, cake, candy, regular soda, syrups…and the list goes on. Carbohydrate food sources comprise the major part of any diet.
However, there are two categories of carbohydrates: the simple, which are digested and absorbed more quickly, and the complex.
Simple carbohydrates with processed or refined sugars such as table sugar, regular sodas, candy and syrups have little nutritional value. (Simple sugars, which do contain vitamins and minerals, occur naturally in fruits, milk and milk products and vegetables.) Complex carbs are whole grain breads and cereals, starchy vegetables and legumes. They are high in fiber and provide vitamins and minerals.
There are varying recommendations regarding the amount of carbohydrate that should be included in one’s diet. The National Academy of Sciences suggests that carbohydrates should be 45-65 percent of your calories. The Food and Agricultural Organization and World Health Organization both recommend that the dietary guidelines set a goal of 55-75 percent of total energy from carbohydrates. But, of that, only 10 percent should come from refined sugars.
In other words, your intake of carbohydrates should be primarily from fiber rich foods such as whole grains, rice, breads and cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables. You may add low or non-fat milk or yogurt to help meet your calcium needs.
Now you may be thinking that this adds up to a lot of carbohydrate, which will make you gain weight. However, it’s excess calories that cause weight gain regardless of their source. Calories from carbohydrates are no more fattening than calories from other sources.
Thus, carbohydrates should be a part of a healthy diet. Just be smart about which ones you choose. Remember, some carbohydrates are far better for you than others.
(Ms. Gibbons, a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator, provides outpatient nutrition medical therapy at Cape Cod Hospital.)