The Truth About Carbohydrates

There are plenty of common misconceptions about carbohydrates these days. The whole low-carb phase of recent years brought on by Atkins and others has led to many of these unfortunate misconceptions. Carbohydrates are not the problem many people now believe they are; it is that we choose the wrong carbohydrates - white bread, white pasta, processed foods like chips and cookies - foods that are high in carbohydrates without much nutrition value. We also tend to eat more than we need to when it comes to carbohydrates and thus consume more calories, which lead to weight gain. Let's shed some light on the truth about carbohydrates.

1. Carbohydrates are not inherently bad, but Americans tend to choose overly processed, nutritionally depleted carbohydrates that have graced our grocery shelves for decades, including Wonder Bread, Saltine Crackers, Pringles, and Corn Flakes. These foods, overly marketed and considered "All American," are nearly devoid of nutritional value and loaded with calories.

2. There are so many other carbohydrates available that are loaded with nutrition and flavor. These are whole food carbohydrates - carbohydrates that are minimally processed, including whole wheat bread, which is high in fiber and rich in taste; legumes (black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans), that are high in folic acid; and sweet potatoes, which are an excellent source of beta carotene. Even the white potato is an excellent source of fiber and B-Vitamins, though it loses its nutritional value when it is peeled and fried.

3. As Americans, we need to learn how to choose the right carbohydrates, not eliminate the whole of them. We need to choose foods like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, barley, whole grains, and oatmeal.

4. Another truth about carbohydrates is that they are the primary source of energy for our bodies. Thus, they are essential for human body functioning. People who go on a low or no-carbohydrate diet are often fatigued, constipated, and grouchy. Their bodies are crying out for carbohydrates.

5. Even fruits, when you really look at them from a scientific standpoint, would be considered carbohydrates, and we would never consider fruits bad. Eating an apple is a much better choice than eating two cookies. While the two may be equal in calories, the apple provides fiber, vitamins and will satisfy the appetite a lot better than two little cookies.

Fortunately, the Atkins diet seems to have been just a phase, and the whole war on carbohydrates is essentially coming to an end; although I still hear many of my patients proudly exclaiming that they stick to a low-carbohydrate diet. It is important for me as a dietitian to debunk the myths about carbohydrates and to explain to my patients their function in our daily lives. If someone you know has declared their own little war on carbohydrates, it would serve them well if you directed them to this article or to associations devoted to informing people on how to truly eat healthy, including the American Dietetic Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Diabetic Association.

I hope you enjoyed reading the truth about carbohydrates! Happy holidays!