Carbohydrates

What are they?

Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients needed in order to keep the body healthy and having the energy needed to get through the day. They have become quite controversial. There seems to be constant debates about whether they’re good or not, whether going low carb is better than high carb, if they cause weight gain, and the list goes on. One thing is certain, they are one of the macronutrients and therefore are necessary for health.

Carbohydrates include starches, sugars, and fibers.

Sugars are simple carbohydrates, and the body breaks them down fairly quickly. There are two types: naturally occurring such as those found in fruit and milk; and added such as those found in sweets, desserts, canned fruits, juices, sodas, and many other foods. Sugar is often added to foods as a preservative or to help the food taste better.

Starches are a complex carbohydrate meaning they are made up of sugar units that have been bonded together. Starches occur naturally in grains, vegetables, peas, and cooked dry beans.

Fibers are also complex carbohydrates. They occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, grains, cooked dry beans, and peas.

What other names do they go by?

As already mentioned, starches, sugars and fibers are carbohydrates. Food labels account for the total carbs as well as the starches, sugars and fibers.

Other names for carbs that may be listed in the ingredients of a food include: monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose), disaccharides (sucrose, lactose), oligosaccharides (maltodextrins), polysaccharides (cellulose), glycogen, dextrose, carbs, simple carbs, complex carbs, and the list goes on.

What do they do?

Carbohydrates are very important because they are the body's primary source of energy and the brain’s preferred source of energy. This is where the controversy comes in. The body can use the other macronutrients for energy, but that is not sustainable and will be much less efficient. The digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is used for energy. Whatever is not used is stored in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue until further energy is needed. This is where the second controversy comes in – many people think that carbs = weight gain, which is not necessarily true.

Not only do they act as an energy source, they may protect against disease, they may help to control weight, they participate in cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism, and carbohydrate foods provide many important vitamins and minerals. In addition, carbohydrates have been shown in research to support the healthy proliferation of good gut bacteria which is critical to overall health.

As with anything, there are sources of carbs that are better than others. Sugar is a carbohydrate but getting too much added sugar can promote inflammation in the body and negatively impact the health of the gut, for example. Keep reading to learn more.

Where do I get them?

Carbohydrates are found naturally in vegetables, fruits, milk, beans, peas, and grains. Ideally these will be the sources of carbs chosen. Vegetables include both starchy and non-starchy carbohydrates. The starchy vegetables will offer more carbohydrates and fibers. These include winter squash, potatoes, and beans. The non-starchy provide quite a bit less carbohydrates. These include broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, leafy greens, onions, peppers, etc. They are also found in the ultra-processed foods in the store as well as desserts and sweets.

The more complex the carbohydrate, the better. The goal with carbs is to get them by eating starchy vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and beans instead of French fries, white bread, jelly, dried fruit, fruit snacks, pre-packaged snack foods, etc.

Everyone eats pre-packaged or ultra-processed foods. They are difficult to avoid. A good rule of thumb is to look for items (bread, grains, snack foods, etc.) that offer 3g of fiber or more per serving.

How much do I need?

Generally speaking, approximately 50-55% of calories consumed should come from carbohydrates. Not simple carbohydrates, but complex ones. If someone is diagnosed with a specific disease or has unique health goals, that percent range might change.

How do I get them in my diet?

Choose healthy, complex carbohydrates at each meal and snack and try not to eat carbs alone. In other words, try and get all the macros at meals and snacks. Avoid the entire place of pasta with spaghetti sauce. Instead, make the portion of pasta smaller and make sure you also have a protein and maybe a serving of non-starchy roasted veggies included.

Other examples:

Breakfast – piece of fruit, avocado toast on a slice of whole grain bread = 3+ g fiber

Lunch – piece of fruit, sandwich on whole grain bread = 6+ g fiber

Dinner – 1/2 cup roasted butternut squash = 2-3 g fiber

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2021, February). Carbohydrates. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15416-carbohydrates

Holesh, J. E., Aslam, S., & Martin, A. (2021). Physiology, Carbohydrates. Florida: Stat Pearls Publishing.

Mayo Clinic. (2022, March). Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/carbohydrates/art-20045705

Michels, A. J. (2011, September). Skin Health. Oregon State University. Retrieved from https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health

Singh, R. K., Chang, H. W., Yan, D., Lee, K. M., Ucmak, D., Wong, K.,… Liao, W. (2017). Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health. J Transl Med, 15, 73. doi:10.1186/s12967-017-1175-y