The Good/ Bad Carbohydrates Debate. By: Olivia Lange (guest author)

Introduction:  In the nutrition class I teach, students were asked to respond to and prepare a convincing argument to counter the statement, Carbohydrates are bad for you.  One of those students, Olivia Lange, has been asked to be a guest author on this blog site.  Her paper on Good Carbs-Bad Carbs is below. 

It’s a common misconception among the public that carbohydrates are bad for you, or will make you gain excess weight. According to WebMD.com, the enemy that many people are referring to are the refined and processed carbohydrates, which can also strip away fiber. Fiber is important to digestive health through feeding the bacteria in the gut, as well as helping one feel fuller by slowing down glucose digestion (Mayo Clinic Staff, 1). This is one element that is often paired with heart-healthy whole grains and other good-for-you carbohydrates.

Further expanding on the “bad carbs”, one should avoid or cut back on refined foods like white bread or foods high in added sugar. These foods tend to be low in fiber, which will make someone feel less full, and often these foods are stripped of nutrients (“Carbohydrates and Sugar”, 1). Taking away the whole grain and refining it to a polished grain will strip the nutrients. Foods to avoid eating too much of include cakes, cookies, white bread, or other foods that are highly processed, high fat, and loaded with added sugar. Essentially, the simpler you eat, the healthier the food will be for you.

Carbs should be 50% of our daily intake of calories! Eating healthy will provide essential vitamins and minerals, such as Folate, other B Vitamins, and Vitamin C. Simple carbs like the monosaccharides and disaccharides will provide easy, fast energy.  The simple carbs can be found in healthy foods such as milk providing lactose, or fruits and vegetables providing fructose. However, many people eat excessive table sugar, or sucrose, which will lead to an unhealthy diet. Also, it's important to note that complex carbohydrates from the starches (which have fiber too) will provide longer lasting energy. The complex carbs include most or all of the grain group as well as some vegetables, like potatoes!

Milk provides lactose for energy as well as protein, calcium and vitamin D

Good advice to give to a confused friend asking you about carbs would be to cut down on processed foods with too much fat and added sugar.

Many people are lacking important nutrients in their diets. This is true for many Americans, as so many rely on refined foods. An old-fashioned saying that I've heard in my family is to "stick to the outside aisles in a grocery store" which can make sense, because you will find areas for produce, meats, dairy, and breads/grains. However, this phrase is flawed because in the bakery, there are many processed sweets, cakes, cookies, and white breads! This shows that whole grains can be overlooked, though they are very beneficial to one's health.  Therefore, cutting out bread won't necessarily help one's health, but swapping to a new type of whole grain bread or other whole grain source like adding oatmeal to one’s day certainly can.

Oatmeal for heart health and lasting energy

For a second point to convince a friend to eat good carbs like whole grains, is that a diet high in fiber can help heart conditions in a positive way. Additionally, the other simple carbohydrate "sugars", like lactose or fructose will provide fast and easy energy for the body. The complex carbohydrates, or linked chains of sugars, like starches and fiber found in grains and some vegetables like potatoes will provide the longer-lasting energy. Both types are needed to function properly and maintain healthy energy and blood glucose levels!

Apples provide fructose for quick energy

Overall, keeping it simple by cutting back on refined foods and adding whole grains to your day, can promote a healthy lifestyle, and fitting in plenty of plant foods will help as well!

Works Cited

“Carbohydrates and Sugar.” Edited by Jane M. Benton, KidsHealth, The Nemours Foundation, Jan. 2017, kidshealth.org/en/parents/sugar.html.

Kotula, Kathryn. “Chapter 4” Lecture. HLT 230 Principles of Nutrition & Human Development. Germanna Community College, Virginia. 13 Sept. 2017.

Magee, Elaine. “Good Carbs, Bad Carbs: Why Carbohydrates Matter to You.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/carbohydrates.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “How to Add More Fiber to Your Diet.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 22 Sept. 2015, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983.

Whitney, Eleanor Noss, and Sharon Rady Rolfes. “Chapter 4: The Carbohydrates: Sugars, Starches, and Fibers.” Understanding Nutrition, 14th ed., Cengage Learning, 2015.

Image sources:  oats, potatoes, milk, apples