Carb confusion; let’s set the record straight

Carbohydrates are an essential nutrient that provide energy for your body as well as a range of vitamins and minerals to keep your body functioning at its best.  Carbs are found in bread and other grain products (wraps, mountain bread, pita bread etc), legumes, vegetables, fruit, dairy products and sugar.  Dairy products are the only source of animal carbohydrate the rest come from plants.

Importance of carbs:

• Preferred energy source for your body
• Contain essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals such as fibre, B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium
• Diets high in fibre reduce the risk of constipation, improve digestion and helps prevent some diseases of the colon. Fibre also promotes satiety and assists in controlling blood sugar levels
• High in phyto-nutrients which are plant based compounds that have a beneficial effects on the body and are thought to play a role in the prevention or even treatment of some diseases

How carbs are broken down (warning science lesson coming!!)

Carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth with the release the enzyme salivary amylase, which begins the process of breaking down the polysaccharides (‘many’ sugars) in the carbohydrate food. Eventually all carbohydrates are broken down into monosaccharides.

Monosaccharides are single sugars also known as glucose that are then absorbed in the small intestine. Carbohydrates that were not digested and absorbed by the small intestine reach the colon where they are partly broken down by intestinal bacteria. Fibre, which cannot be digested like other carbohydrates, is excreted with faeces or partly digested by the intestinal bacteria.

Glucose floats in your blood stream ready to be used for energy or stored if not required. Your blood glucose level rises after you eat carbohydrates causing your pancreas to release insulin.

Insulin shuttles the glucose into the cell to be used for energy. Insulin main roles are to stimulate your brain, muscle, fat and other cells to use glucose for fuel and to stimulate the liver to make glycogen, the storage form of glucose.  This process helps keeps the level of glucose in your blood stable, providing adequate fuel for your body. About one to three hours after you eat your blood sugar and insulin levels return to baseline.

With chronic over-eating and inactivity, some people may develop insulin resistance, a condition where the body ignores the insulin signals. Hence the blood glucose levels remain too high, the body tries to compensate by making more insulin which results in a condition called hyperinsulinemia. The high levels of insulin promote fat storage and inhibit fat burning. Furthermore susceptible individuals may develop a condition called Metabolic Syndrome which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Why the bad rap?

Since carbohydrates are broken down to glucose (sugar) and many people view sugar as bad, hence carbs have been labelled ‘bad’ by some. Obviously we want to minimise some simple carbs and refined carbs such as white bread, white crackers, lollies, pastries, biscuits and cakes but we certainly don’t need to avoid simple carbs such as fruit or dairy products or complex carbs. Bear in mind though that simple carbs eaten on their own will be broken down quickly for energy and your hunger will reappear much sooner.

Types of Carbohydrates

There are two basic types of carbohydrates as well as fibre found in food:

1. Simple: these are molecules of simple sugars such as glucose, fructose (fruit sugar), and galactose, which are known as monosaccharides. When two of these molecules join together, they are called as disaccharides. Examples of these include sucrose (table sugar), which is made up of molecules of glucose and fructose, and lactose (milk sugar), which is glucose and galactose joined together.
2. Complex: Starches (polysaccharides) are “complex carbohydrates.” They are composed of long chains of glucose. Your body breaks down starches—some more rapidly than others—into glucose to produce energy. A special starch, called resistant starch, may be especially valuable for weight loss and colon health.
3. Fibre: Fibre is a carbohydrate found in the cellulose of plant-based foods such as grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. It cannot be broken down for energy use in the body and includes both soluble and insoluble fibres.

How to get more quality carbohydrates into your diet

• Eat vegetables with most meals
• Aim to eat 3-8 servings of carbohydrates per day in the form of wholegrains, fruit or complex carbohydrates per day depending on your lifestyle and activity levels
• Choose the best quality wholegrain products available, check the nutrition panel for the fibre content, the higher the better
• Be aware of serving sizes, many restaurants give you 4-6 times a serving size
• Add vegetables to omlettes
• Choose whole fruit over juice
• Try a chickpea or lentil recipe
• Limit added sugars, look for these on the nutrition panel sucrose, fructose, dried cane sugar, molasses, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, dextrose, corn syrup, brown rice syrup, agave, honey, dehydrated fruit juice
• Choose the most minimally processed products, the more refined the less likely its going to be nutritious