Are you one of those people who doesn’t know what to believe anymore? The internet, newspapers, health magazines and what not is full of „information“ regarding how, when, how much and what carbohydrates - also known as carbs - you should and should not eat. But, with all this confusing information, it is indeed hard to make the right decision. Following this controversial topic for years myself, I packed every information and thought into this article and hope it will leave you with a much clearer view of carbohydrates than before.
First of all, I want you guys to understand that carbs do not equal carbs. There are many different types and most importantly, they come in different packages. What do I mean with different packages?
Starting from the „worst“ carb source and my first category - white table sugar or refined sugar - which has absolutely no fiber, no minerals, no vitamins, nothing, except - calories. White sugar is also called empty calories. Which makes perfect sense considering their nutritional profile. Furthermore, these carbs usually come together with a lot of fat such as in donuts or other baked goods.
Refined carbohydrates - is the term for carbohydrate-rich food that has been processed. Examples would be white bread, pasta or white rice. Where the whole, natural food has been processed. These types still have some nutritional value left, but it is fairly low.
Whole foods - now we have reached the types of food you should never ever restrict yourself from, does not matter which diet you follow. Paleo, vegetarian, vegan or carnivore style. These foods - INCLUDING FRUITS - Yes, fruit has sugar. But, as long as we talk about eating the whole fruit and not extracted fruit sugar that you buy in powdered form, you can and should, eat them abundantly. Why? Because whole foods have much more than just carbs.
These foods are provided with essential minerals, vitamins, and fiber, which are crucial to sustaining a healthy body. I would lose myself in the details if I would continue here so leave a comment if I should further explain why carbs from whole plant foods are vital to optimal health.
These days, people are so focused on the so called „macronutrients“ (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) than the much more important „micronutrients“ (minerals, vitamins). Those are often overlooked and are not taken into account when plugging their food into a calorie tracking app.
I mean - do you really think your body handles the sugar from a candy bar the same why it does from an apple? I sure don´t and I am confident that the majority of people would agree with me.
To sum up, to term „carbs“ is used for every category and if one them might be bad for you, the others are associated with them and are also claimed as unhealthy and weight gain promoting - which can not be further away from the truth.
Do not make the mistake and miss out on whole plant foods like fruits, berries, nuts, beans, lentils, brown rice, whole grain pasta and much more. They provide you with the essential micronutrients that really help you power through your day, keep you motivated and most importantly - healthy.
Cheers,
Daniel