Carbohydrates – Friend or Foe?

Why do carbohydrates get such a bad press? Thanks to an ever-increasing list of popular low-carbohydrate diets such as the Stillman, Scar dale, Ketogenic, High Protein, Hollywood, Zone and Atkins diet, carbohydrates have been branded the enemy of  body beautiful. Though these diets vary slightly they all have two things in common – they promote cutting out all carbohydrate-containing foods from the diet and promise rapid weight loss. The only thing missing from the promise of weight loss however is short-term. Ant weight lost is quickly regained once you start eating carbs again and this is not a sensible or healthy way to lose weight.

The Research

It may surprise you to know that the campaign against carbohydrates began back in the 1960s when some of these low-carbohydrate diets began and this was when the popular misconception that cabs were fattening began. A recent survey by the Food Standards Agency shows there is still confusion regarding the place of cabs in a healthy diet. Of the 2,094 people surveyed, only 11% (23 people) said we should eat a lot of starchy or carbohydrate-containing foods – showing that people don’t always realise the benefit of eating these foods.

Current press has only served to further encourage this misconception. The contrary however is true. Carbohydrates-containing foods provide bulk (making you feel full), are naturally low in fat and are packed with healthy energy. They form the basis of many diets across different continents for this reason(think Italy-pasta, China-rice noodles) and are also good sources of other nutrients essential for health such as fibre and B vitamins to mention a few.

Carbohydrate-containing foods only become ‘fattening’ when not-so-modest amount of fats and oils are added to them. For example, a slice of toast with lots of butter or margarine or low low fat spread has more calories than plain toast because butter, margarine and spreads contain fat which are high in calories. The only other way that carbohydrate-containing foods can contribute to a weight problem is when  a huge amount of them is eaten regularly as they do contain calories and weight gain occurs when you eat more calories than your body needs or uses up.

The key therefore is getting the balance right and this stems from understanding the importance of cabs as part of a healthy balanced diet. When eaten and digested, carbohydrate-containing foods such as breakfast cereals, bread, rice, potatoes, yam, sweet potatoes, chapattis, noodles and pasta are converted into glucose which is the main energy or petrol for body cells especially cells in the brain. Considering that you would never drive your car on empty, why would you let your body run on empty?

Solution!!

Practical steps to take include eating a range of carbohydrate-containing foods and where possible choosing whole-grain or whole-wheat varieties.

Also avoid or limit the amount of fat or oils added to these foods and be aware of your portion of sizes. For healthy, normal adults, starchy foods should make up one-third of your plate. If you are trying to lose weight, it is always advisable to speak to a registered dietitian about suitable portion sizes to help you achieve your goal.

In closing, the jury has passed it’s verdict on this one – carbohydrates are definitely a friend and not a foe !!