Carbs, Carbs, Carbs

Recently there has been a lot of confusion about carbohydrates in our culture. Between the keto diet taking over and food brands primarily promoting their lowest-carb options, it seems natural to assume carbs are the bad food group we should avoid at all costs. In all reality, carbohydrates serve some incredible purposes in our bodies and are an important part of a balanced and healthy diet, as long as we include them in a healthy way. 

Carbohydrates Defined

Carbohydrates, which break down to become sugar, at their core are compound molecules made up of carbon and water (H2O) used as energy in living creatures. Now before you tune out thinking I’m about to get all science-y on you, I only use this chemical definition as a reminder that sometimes the things we make such a big deal about in our minds are actually quite simple in reality. 

And it is these simple chemical structures that can be found in most of our food groups. Vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and legumes all have different amounts of carbohydrates and each break down into sugar in our stomach to provide our bodies with energy. This energy is then used to perform the majority of our body’s actions- aka thinking, breathing, moving, etc.

However, although all carbs break down to give us energy, carbohydrates differ when it comes to their complexity. It is the complexity of the carb that determines how many nutrients our bodies get from them. The more complex the carbohydrate, the more our bodies can use them. 

The most complex form of carbohydrate is fiber. Fiber, just like we talked about last week, is found in things like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Fiber increases our fullness level, gets rid of excess cholesterol, and regulates blood sugar levels. In contrast, more simple carbohydrates (like sugar, white bread, and white rice) don’t provide us with the benefits that the complex carbohydrates provide us with. So although simple or refined sugars still provide us with energy, they don’t have quite as much to offer when it comes to other health benefits.  

Portion Size and Control

Just like anything else, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Since carbohydrates are used as energy, as our energy needs change based on activity level, age, weight, and gender, so does our need for them. As we get older, less active, or our metabolism slows down, our need for carbohydrates decreases. In contrast, if we become more active, are growing, or our metabolism speeds up for any reason, then so does our need for carbohydrates. So as our bodies and energy needs change with our life stages, we just have to learn to make healthy, fiber-rich choices about the carbs we eat with it.  

In the end, the main thing to understand about carbohydrates is that they are the quickest way for our body to get energy. The most important way to manage our carbs is to be mindful of including varied fiber-rich foods into our daily diet in the amount that suits our body’s specific needs. To learn more about how to healthily fit carbohydrates into your meal plan and lifestyle, reach out to us to schedule an appointment or discovery call on our website today at Nutrition502.com!