Carbohydrates are an essential element of a balanced diet but are not all equal. What is the difference between “good carbohydrates” and “bad carbohydrates?” The solution is both easy and difficult.
Here’s all you need to know about carbohydrate selection.
A Carbohydrate Can Be a Simple Carbohydrate or a Complex Carbohydrate
According to MedlinePlus, carbohydrates, sometimes known as “carbs,” are your body’s primary energy source. Starches, sugars, and fiber are the three primary forms of carbohydrates. They are classified as “simple” or “complex” based on their chemical composition and what your body does with them. Because many dishes include one or more types of carbs, it can be challenging to determine what is and is not suitable for you.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), simple carbohydrates are made up of easily digestible sugars. Some of these sugars occur naturally, such as in fruits and milk, but refined or processed sugars are commonly found in meals such as candy, soda, and baked goods. According to Alicia Galvin, RD, a dietitian based in Dallas, these simple carbohydrates are quickly absorbed by the intestines and can surge blood sugar levels.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, added sugars can be labeled as brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, agave nectar, fructose, glucose, maltose, malt syrup, sucrose, honey, molasses, and fruit juice concentrates. The FDA requires all nutrition labels in the United States to disclose the quantity of added sugars per serving in the product, just beneath the total sugar content.
According to MedlinePlus, complex carbohydrates are present in whole grains, legumes, and vegetables and have longer chains of sugar molecules. “Complex carbohydrates have an additional component — fiber, which is technically a type of carb, but it’s not digested and absorbed,” Galvin said. “This not only nourishes the healthy gut flora, but it also slows carb absorption into the circulation, so it doesn’t spike glucose and insulin levels as a simple carb would.”
According to Sandra Meyerowitz, MPH, RD, a nutritionist and proprietor of Nutrition Works in Louisville, Kentucky, this results in more constant energy.
The Details on Simple Carbohydrates
Foods containing simple carbs aren’t always harmful; it all depends on the dish. Dairy products and fruits, for example, include some simple carbohydrates, but they are very different from other meals that contain simple carbohydrates, such as cookies and cakes. According to the AHA, processed sweets also include refined sugar and lack crucial elements that your body requires to be healthy.
“There are health advantages to eating the fruit versus eating a piece of white bread,” Galvin said. “Fruit contains fiber, antioxidants, polyphenols and other good nutritional benefits.”
Dairy also includes beneficial minerals such as calcium, protein, and probiotics (if live active cultures are present), according to Galvin. The protein component is critical in making dairy act like a complex carb. “Protein helps reduce the absorption of carbs into the bloodstream and helps keep appetite levels steady so you don’t have swings of insulin levels and blood glucose going up and down,” Galvin said.
Simple carbs to restrict or eliminate in your diet, according to MedlinePlus, include those found in:
- Soda
- Candy
- Desserts
- Processed foods such as granola bars, crackers, and potato chips.
Dr. Meyerowitz believes simple carbohydrates can be enjoyed occasionally but should not be your primary supply.
The Details on Complex Carbohydrates
According to the Cleveland Clinic, complex carbs are deemed “good” because they include longer sugar molecules that take longer for the body to break down. This implies that glucose will be delivered at a more steady pace instead of peaks and troughs to keep you going throughout the day.
According to the Mayo Clinic, meals with complex carbohydrates provide more vital nutrients, such as fiber and B vitamins, than those with simple carbohydrates – as long as you choose whole grains over processed grains. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), whole grains such as whole wheat flour, bulgur, brown rice, oatmeal, and whole cornmeal have more nutrients than processed grains such as white rice and bread or baked goods produced with white flour.
Look at how the nutrients in white bread compare to those in whole-wheat bread from the Pepperidge Farm brand. Whole-wheat bread has less carbs, less salt, and more fiber and potassium than white bread.
White Bread
- 130 calories per slice
- 4 grams (g) protein
- 1 g fat
- 26 g carbs
- 1 g fiber
- 4 g total sugars
- 230 milligrams (mg) sodium
- 40 mg calcium
- 7 mg iron
- 50 mg potassium
- 0.2 mg thiamin
- 0.1 mg riboflavin
- 5 mg niacin
- 95 micrograms (mcg) folate
100 Percent Whole-Wheat Bread
- 130 calories per slice
- 5 g protein
- 5 g fat
- 23 g carbs
- 4 g fiber
- 4 g total sugars
- 180 mg sodium
- 40 mg calcium
- 3 mg iron
- 125 mg potassium
- 0.1 mg thiamin
- 0.1 mg riboflavin
- 2 mg niacin
- Ten mcg folate
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine recommends the following nutrient-dense complex carbohydrates for a healthy, balanced diet:
- 100 percent whole-wheat breads
- Barley
- Quinoa
- Potatoes
- Oatmeal
- Beans
Scrutinize ingredient labels for bread and pasta, seeking whole grains and less added sugar. “Read the box so you know exactly what you’re getting,” Meyerowitz advises.
Remember this when determining whether a carb source is good or bad: “If you see anything like cane sugar, maple sugar, molasses, honey, even coconut sugar or agave — any of those added sugars anywhere in the primary 3 or 4 ingredients — you want to put it back on the shelf,” Galvin says.
Instead, seek whole-wheat flour, oats, quinoa, and other similar components. Galvin says these are examples of healthful complex carbohydrates with more excellent fiber. Don’t be misled by the term “wheat bread.” “Wheat bread is just a fancy name for white bread,” Galvin said. The product is highly processed wheat if the time “whole” is not the first word.
The Glycemic Load Factor
One approach to categorizing carbohydrates is simple or complicated, but nutritionists and dietitians increasingly employ another idea to help individuals make decisions about their carbs.
According to Better Health, a food’s glycemic index (GI) shows how rapidly your blood sugar may rise after eating that dish from 0 to 100. Foods with a high GI (more than 70) digest quickly and generate a spike in blood sugar. Foods with a low GI (less than 55) digest more slowly and have a flatter blood sugar response.
Knowing the GI of a particular item might help you understand how the carbohydrates in that food will influence your blood sugar, but it’s essential to note that knowing the GI of a food does not always make it harmful or healthy. Fruits like watermelon and cantaloupe have high GIs, 76 and 70, respectively, according to the University of Sydney’s online worldwide GI database, although they are both healthful meals.
To take this method a step further, consider the glycemic load of a meal. According to Oregon State University, the glycemic load weighs the glycemic index and the amount of carbohydrates in the diet. To calculate glycemic load, multiply a food’s glycemic index value by the quantity of carbohydrates in each serving and divide by 100.
According to Oregon State University, a low GL is ten or less, a medium GL is 11 to 19, and a high GL is 20 or more.
A meal might be high on the GI scale yet low on the GL scale. According to Oregon State University, a banana has a GI of 55 and a GL of 13. Even if a product contains carbohydrates with a high GI, the impact will be minimal if the amount of carbohydrates is limited. According to Oregon State University, watermelon has a high GI of 76 yet a low GL of only eight since it provides 11 g of carbs per serving.
“Overall, glycemic load is going to be a better rating system than glycemic index because GI does not take into account the serving size,” Galvin said.
What to Know About Net Carbs
Net carbs are another aspect of the carbohydrate debate. The Mayo Clinic defines net carbs as the quantity of carbohydrates in a meal minus fiber. (It should be noted, however, that because the FDA does not regulate this word, every food firm may not utilize that definition, and some may additionally exclude sugar alcohols.) According to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), because fiber does not significantly boost blood sugar levels, it may be subtracted from the overall carb count of a food to calculate net carbohydrates. For instance, if a product has 10 g of carbohydrates, including 5 g of fiber, it has 5 g of net carbs.
Net carb tracking is the core of various low carb eating plans, such as the Atkins or keto diet. However, according to Galvin, if you’re not following those diets, it’s generally not a good idea to track. “You don’t necessarily have to worry about subtracting the fiber from the carbohydrates if you’re just following a generally healthy diet,” she said. However, according to Galvin, you should still strive to meet the FDA’s suggested fiber consumption of 28 g daily.
The Bottom Line
Carbohydrates are not harmful to your health. Simple and complex carbohydrates are essential components of a balanced diet. Just be mindful of the carbohydrates you consume. To acquire the energy your body needs daily, avoid low-nutrient sweets, examine the amounts of sugar and fiber, and focus on nutritious whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
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