Carbohydrates – Fuel For Thought

In our previous articles, we had a general discussion about food and nutrition and followed that with information on exercise programmes. Now we are going to explore the role of carbohydrates in our nutrition.

Carbohydrates, fibre, starch – a rose by any other name… Throughout the years, carbohydrates have received bad publicity and have been labelled as food that ‘makes you fat’. This stigma attached to this food group is unfair as carbohydrates are cardinal to a healthy lifestyle.

In this article, we will explore what carbohydrates are and we will have a look at the reason why carbohydrates received such a bad reputation. Thereafter we will look at the types of carbohydrates to choose, and finally, we will have a look at the daily amount suggested for optimal health.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are nutrients the body absorbs and turns into glucose. When you consume carbohydrates (carbs), the digestive system breaks them down into glucose or blood sugar. The bloodstream then transports the glucose to the rest of the body. Glucose, therefore, fuels the body (it gives you energy).

The amount of carbs you eat could also affect your blood sugar levels – if you eat too much or if you eat the ‘wrong’ carbs, you are at risk of high blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia).

Types of carbohydrates

It is easy to classify carbs like starch and just leave it at that simply because of our general understanding of the food group. Carbohydrates, however, have three main categories: Starches, fibre, and sugar.

Starches are also known as ‘complex’ carbs. It takes the body longer to break down complex carbs into glucose. This could explain why you might feel ‘fuller’ for longer when you eat starches. It also ensures that blood sugar levels remain stable for longer. Starchy carbohydrates include food like beans and legumes (e.g. chickpeas and lentils), some fruit (berries and melons), whole-grain products (like oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice) and certain vegetables (like peas, corn, and baby potatoes).

Fibre is vital to your health. Your body cannot break fibre down but needs it to stimulate the intestines and aid with digestion. It is recommended that we eat between 25-30 grams of fibre daily. Food that contains fibre is beans and legumes, fruit (specifically fruit with edible skin), nuts and seeds, whole-grain products, and some vegetables.

Sugars are a simple carbohydrate which means that the body breaks it down quickly and releases the glucose much faster than with complex starches. You might have noticed after eating a simple carb you might feel a burst of energy which is quickly followed by tiredness. There are two types of sugars in our food: naturally occurring sugars and added sugars. The body processes all sugar the same. However, food with natural sugar (fruit) also provide vitamins and minerals and could also include fibre.

Sugar goes by many names (especially on food labels) so read before you buy: agave nectar, cane or corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, sucrose, honey, molasses – all of these are sugar in one form or another.

As you can see from the food examples in the list above, complex carbohydrates offer more than energy to the body – it contains fibre, vitamins, and minerals (like broccoli, for example). This food group is thus a cardinal source of nutrients and should not be excluded from your food intake over a long period.

Refined (simple) carbohydrates vs. whole (complex) carbohydrates

The difference between simple and complex carbohydrates relates to the speed it takes the body to break down the carbs into glucose. Complex carbs take longer to break down than simple carbs. Simple carbs are usually more processed than complex carbs. Processed foods do not have the same nutritional value as complex carbs.

Go for carb-containing food with minimal processing and as close to its natural state as possible and don’t add sugar. That is the golden rule when it comes to carbs.

How to calculate your carbohydrate needs

As we mentioned before (and in previous articles), energy that is not used by the body is stored. It is therefore important that you understand just how much energy you use daily so that you can eat the right amount of carbs.

The amount of carbs you need per day is influenced by your age and gender, metabolic health (the factors that increase your risk of stroke, heart disease and type-2 diabetes) and your physical activity (how much energy you use during the day).

You need to establish the amount of energy you use daily. This will give you an indication of the number of carbs you need to include in your eating plan. Also, you will have to consider the metabolic benefits of complex carbs – slow-releasing glucose that provides a stable blood sugar level for longer is more beneficial.

Before cutting out this essential food group, track your carb intake over two days and track your energy use for the same two days (there are lovely free apps that can help you). If you know what your energy use is, you can calculate how much you need to sustain that energy. If you wish to lose weight, your energy use must be higher than your energy intake. This will prompt your body to use some of the ‘stored’ energy in your body.

To cut or not to cut – that is the question.

Usually, cutting out an essential food group is not advisable – you might lose weight in the process, but it is not sustainable. Instead of cutting out carbohydrates altogether, reduce your daily intake gradually. How should you do this?

• Stop adding sugar to your food or stop eating food with added sugar.
• Move away from processed carbs and focus on complex carbs.
• Snack on low-carb snacks (like nuts and fruits).
• Read food labels before you buy it and pay attention to the total carbohydrates and added sugar (you will be surprised at how much sugar is added to food.)

These are simple steps you can take to ensure that you use the energy that you consume to add value to your health in ways that you might not even notice! You deserve decisions that add life to your life, decisions that will benefit your long-term health.

There’s no reason not to start today…