Carbohydrates, Op-ed

Carbohydrates (also called carbs) are highly nutritious and important sources of energy for the body. Sugars, starches, and fiber are carbohydrates. Other macronutrients include fat and protein. Your body needs these macronutrients to stay healthy. Your digestive system breaks down carbs into glucose or blood sugar. Your bloodstream absorbs glucose and uses it as energy to fuel your body.

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot easily digest. It occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains. Dietary fiber helps promote regular bowel movements, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol, and may help reduce a person’s calorie intake.

Sugars

Added sugars are sugars introduced to products or foods to add flavor or extend shelf life. Total sugars include added sugars as well as naturally occurring sugars like those found in fruits. Glucose, fructose, and sucrose are the basic forms of sugar found in fruit, and natural sugars are in dairy products in the form of lactose. The body very easily digests and absorbs sugars.

The majority of added sugar that people consume is found in processed foods like soft drinks, fruit drinks, milk products, cereals, grains, and desserts. Added sugar is also present in less-likely suspects like condiments, salad dressing, marinades, and plant-based milk like oat milk or almond milk.

Added sugars are worse for your health than naturally occurring sugars because they are more likely to cause a spike in your blood sugar, which over time may lead to health issues like obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Consuming too much added sugar can also put you at a higher risk for other health problems, including high blood pressure, increased risk of cognitive problems including dementia and Alzheimer's, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, weight gain, kidney disease, obesity, fatty liver disease, tooth decay, and cardiovascular disease.

Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that are used to sweeten foods. Contrary to what the name suggests, sugar alcohol does not contain alcohol. Since they don’t raise blood sugar as much, sugar alcohols can be a good option for people with diabetes.

Sugar alcohols have a sweet taste and fewer calories than sugar. Sugar alcohols are added to foods as reduced-calorie sweeteners, such as in chewing gum, baked goods, and sweets.

Common sugar alcohols are mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and lactitol. Sugar alcohols are not commonly used in home food preparation but are found in many processed foods.

Unfortunately, there are some negatives associated with sugar alcohols. The most common side effect is the possibility of bloating and diarrhea when sugar alcohols are eaten in excessive amounts. Weight gain has been seen when these products are overeaten. Some people with diabetes, especially Type I diabetics, have found that their blood sugars rise if sugar alcohols are eaten in uncontrolled amounts.

Simple and Complex Carbohydrates

Monosaccharides and disaccharides are simple carbohydrates, and polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates consist of just one or two molecules. They provide a rapid source of energy, but the person soon feels hungry again. Examples include white bread, sugars, and candies.

Complex carbohydrates consist of long chains of sugar molecules. This includes whole grains and foods that contain fiber. Examples include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grain pasta. Complex carbohydrates make a person feel full for longer and have more health benefits than simple carbohydrates, as they contain more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

People should limit their intake of simple carbohydrates, such as white bread, pasta, and rice. However, the body needs complex carbohydrates to support the immune system, brain function, the nervous system, energy to perform tasks, and digestive function. It is recommended to consume 45–65% of the daily calories from complex carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates and Obesity

Some argue that the global rise in obesity is linked to a high intake of carbs. However, a number of factors contribute to rising obesity rates, including lower physical activity levels, greater availability of ultra processed food or “junk food”, a lack of access to affordable fresh produce, oversized portions, which increase a person’s calorie intake, fewer hours of sleep, stress and emotional factors, and genetic factors.

Carbohydrates and Diabetes

After a meal, the body breaks carbohydrates down into glucose, causing blood sugar levels to increase. Taking in a lot of carbs can raise blood sugar levels. High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can put you at risk for diabetes. This causes the pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that allows the body’s cells to use this sugar for energy or storage. Over time, repeated spikes in blood sugar levels can damage the cells that make insulin, wearing them out. Eventually, the body may stop producing insulin, or may not be able to use it properly. This is known as insulin resistance.

Eating carbohydrates or sugars alone does not cause diabetes. Carbohydrates are an important source of nutrients in most diets. However, people are more likely to have insulin resistance and develop type 2 diabetes if they are overweight or obese, which can be linked with a diet high in sugar.

Tips for Eating Healthy Carbohydrates

A balanced diet should include natural, unprocessed complex carbohydrates that are rich in nutrients including vegetables, nuts, legumes, beans, and whole grains. It is not a good idea to go on a low or no-carb diet unless a doctor specifically advises, as it may not be beneficial to some people.

Start the day with whole grains. Choose a cereal that has at least 4 grams of fiber and less than 8 grams of sugar per serving. Use whole grain breads for lunch or snacks. Look for bread that lists as the first ingredient whole wheat, whole rye, or some other whole grain —and even better, one that is made with only whole grains. Try a whole grain in salad form such as brown rice or quinoa.

Choose whole fruit instead of juice. An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice. Avoid fruit juice made from concentrate as it contains high levels of added sugar.

Pass on potatoes, and instead bring on the beans. Rather than fill up on potatoes – which have been found to promote weight gain – choose beans for an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates. Beans and other legumes such as chickpeas also provide a healthy dose of protein. Snack on nuts instead of potato chips.