July 17, 2024
As a dietitian, I've recently noticed carbohydrates have received such a bad wrap in the media. With the growing popularity of the keto and paleo diets, intermittent fasting and diet culture in general, the humble carbohydrate has sadly had its reputation badly bruised. I hope the next few paragraphs will help address some common carbohydrate myths because carbs aren't as scary as they're made to be.
What are carbohydrates?
Carbs are a group of foods made of sugars, starches, and fibre. The main role of carbohydrates are to provide your body with energy to do anything. This includes maintaining good muscle, hormone and metabolic function, supporting immune and digestive systems, and giving you the energy to do all the things you love to do! Carbohydrates are also your brain’s favourite source of fuel. Your brain functions poorly when deprived of adequate carbs - I think nearly everyone has experienced brain fog at 3pm after eating just a leafy salad for lunch. For context, our bodies need approximately 170g of glucose every day to maintain a healthy brain, kidney, red blood cell and reproductive tissue function. Without adequate carbohydrates, you might find you have poor concentration and muscle function, and in severe cases decreased hormone production, high cholesterol levels, and increased risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis.
Carbohydrates in all their forms are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, legumes, lentils, dairy products and refined sugars. Cutting out carbohydrates or entire food groups can lead to nutritional deficiencies and harm your relationship with food.
COMMON MYTHS:
1. Carbohydrates are fattening
Carbohydrates contain exactly the same amount of calories/kilojoules per gram as protein. Excessive consumption of any nutrient will result in weight changes. Most of the time highly refined carbohydrates such as cakes, desserts, and chocolate are combined with fats and other nutrients which are very energy/calorie dense and can contribute to weight gain when consumed in excess. It is well known that a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains such as the Mediterranean Diet supports good health, well-being and weight and is recommended by the Australian Government as a foundational pillar to good health.
2. I cut out carbs and lost so much weight - then I ate them again and it all came back
Carbohydrates are water soluble - this means they are stored in our body dissolved in water. For every gram of carbohydrate stored in our muscles and liver (ready to be used for our next walk or workout) there are three grams of water attached to it. This means on average the 600g of carbohydrates stored in your body will look like 2400g on scales. For healthy individuals, as a general rule, any major fluctuations of weight (few kilos) over a short period of time (<7 days) will most likely be shifts in fluid. Remember carbohydrates are essential for good brain and physical function and low term low carbohydrate diets are very hard to sustain and will hinder any physical performance.
3, Carbohydrates make you bloated and gassy
In people with sensitive guts such as those diagnosed with IBS - foods that most commonly trigger symptoms are types of carbohydrates known as FODMAPs. There are however, MANY other dietary factors such as medications, gut microbiome, health conditions, and other nutrients such as fat and alcohol that can cause gut upset. If you're struggling with your gut health then get in touch and we can explore your symptoms further and tailor a diet that is just right for you.
4.But aren't carbohydrates (sugars) bad for your health?
Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Depending on their composition carbohydrates will act differently in your body.
Whole grains such as oats, grains, cereals, fruits and vegetables (low GI) are much less refined and are slower to digest resulting in stable blood glucose levels and better blood sugar control. These types of carbohydrates should make up the majority of your carbohydrate intake.
Fibres and starches are types of carbohydrates found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These are incredibly important for gut health to support a healthy microbiome and regular gut function and should be included in your diet daily.
Highly refined or processed carbohydrates (high GI) such as table sugar, lollies, chocolate etc. are released into your bloodstream quickly and will cause spikes in your blood sugar levels. High GI carbohydrates are to be limited especially if you have poor blood sugar control however, it is important to remember that these foods serve a purpose for celebrations, special occasions, or weekend sports, and are to be enjoyed in moderation.
5. You shouldn't eat carbohydrates at night.
Your body doesn't magically change the way of it digests food the moment the clock strikes 6:01pm. A slice of toast in the morning will be processed the exact same way at dinner time. It’s important to include some carbohydrates regularly throughout the day and night with each meal to maintain good energy levels, concentration, and physical function.
Conclusion:
When it comes down to it, we need carbohydrates in our diet to support our health, well-being and physical performance. I admit the topic of carbohydrates is incredibly confusing, however, the most important thing to remember is to include high-quality carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruit, vegetables and dairy in your diet regularly, and minimise highly processed or refined foods. If any of this has resonated with you, or if you would like to explore your carbohydrate intake with a dietitian, you can simply head to our Client Portal on our website to book a Dietitian appointment or call us on 9431 5955.
