Carbohydrates are good for you - Nutritionist Kathleen Alleaume

Nutritionist Kathleen Alleaume: Carbohydrates are good for you

January 27, 2015
1:32PM

Nutritionist Kathleen Alleaume — bringing carbs back.
Source: Supplied

CONFUSION about carbohydrates still reigns.

They’re often viewed as a diet wrecker — an even bigger enemy than fat.

But before you completely ditch them, keep in mind that you couldn’t survive without them.

Here are 5 reasons why you can still have the right carbs and eat them, too.

1. Brain food

As
far as food goes, the brain is a fairly picky eater, demanding a
constant supply of glucose. When your blood glucose levels drop because
of the wrong foods, missed meals, or eating low carbs, it can hamper
normal brain function.

This is why so many people struggle with
difficulty concentrating, thinking and ability to recall, because brain
cells are being depleted of their primary fuel.

Mmmmm carbs ... if only they were all created equal.
Source: ThinkStock

2. Nourished gut

Getting enough fibre is
important, but getting a combination of fibre is imperative for good
digestive health. Australians are doing a great job of eating roughage
like wheat bran, which promotes bowel regularity, but we also need to
eat more of the fermentable type, such as resistant starch.

Research
shows that resistant starch has a favourable effects on bowel cancer
and reduces the rise in glucose after eating, so the body demands less
insulin, which is particularly important for people with diabetes.

You
can find resistant starch in many carbohydrate-rich foods, such as
hi-maize corn starch, cooked lentils, white beans, rolled oats, ripe
bananas and cooked (then cooled) potatoes.

Rolled oats: An excellent source of resistant starch.
Source: News Corp Australia

3. Lift your spirits

The connection between carbohydrates and mood is all about a type of amino acid called tryptophan.

When
you eat carbs, more tryptophan can enter the brain, where it stimulates
the release of serotonin — a happy hormone which calms you down and
improves mood. Without enough tryptophan — and therefore serotonin —
you’re more likely to get depressed and have sleeping difficulties.

4. Exercise efficiency

The
immediate impact of carbohydrate intake (or its absence) on daily
training and exercise has been widely researched and documented.
Carbohydrates, fat, and to some extent protein all provide energy, but
exercising muscles rely heavily on carbohydrates as their main source of
fuel.

Going low-carb can deplete muscle glycogen stores, which
can result in lack of energy during exercise, early fatigue and delayed
recovery.

Quality carbs suppress your appetite and help you lose weight.
Source: ThinkStock

5. Flab fighter

Eating a diet packed with quality
carbs is key to getting and staying slim. Quality carbs act as powerful
appetite suppressants because they are digested more slowly than other
types of foods, triggering a sensation of fullness, reducing the
likelihood of overeating.

BUT not all carbs are created equal

In
the past, carbohydrates were commonly classified as ‘simple’ or
‘complex’, and more recently, the terms low and high glycaemic index
(GI) are being used, which is a way of comparing different carbs by
ranking their effect on blood sugar levels.

However, nutritionist
are now finding it more helpful to classify carbohydrates as
nutrient-dense, nutrient-poor or high-fat. As a part of a healthy,
balanced diet, aim to each more nutrient- dense carbohydrates.

Nutrient-dense carbohydrates

They
contain rich sources of other nutrients including protein, vitamins,
minerals, fibre and antioxidants in addition to carbohydrate.

They
include: wholegrain breads and cereals, wholegrains (e.g. brown rice,
quinoa, freekeh, amaranth, spelt), fruit, starchy vegetables (sweet
potato, corn) and dairy-based foods.

Nutrient-dense fruits are a great way to get your daily carbohydrate fix.
Source: News Limited

Nutrient-poor carbohydrates

These contain carbohydrate but minimal or no other nutrients.

They include: white potatoes, white bread, white rice, soft drink, energy drinks and lollies.

Despite the strawberries this delicious pavlova falls into the nutrient-poor category (sigh).
Source: ThinkStock

High-fat carbohydrates

These are typically high in fat and added sugars.

They include: pastries, cakes, chips (hot and crisps) and chocolate.

Kathleen Alleaume is an exercise and nutrition scientist, and author of What’s Eating You? Follow her on Twitter @therightbalance