The idea that ‘carbs’ weren’t part of the paleo diet of our ancestors is false. Recent research from the Jordon Valley found starch grains dating back 780,000 years and there is plenty of evidence that our Australian First Nations people used grains during their 60,000 years in Australia.
There are many reasons to avoid low carb diets. As well as featuring large quantities of fat and more protein than is useful or beneficial for most people, such diets have ill-effects on the collection of microbes that make up the microbiome. These beneficial bacteria, fungi, viruses, and their genes have many health benefits.
Carbohydrates, like proteins and fats, are macronutrients. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients. Both macro and micronutrients are essential for good health. We also need many different types of dietary fibre – found only in foods containing carbohydrates. Plant foods, including grains as well as seeds, nuts, vegetables and fruit also contain literally hundreds of phytochemicals (often dubbed ‘phytonutrients’).
Judging a food by a single nutrient, whether carbohydrate, fat or even protein, is unwise. For nutrition and healthy food choices, it makes much more sense to look at the whole food.
The different types of carbohydrate fall into two major types – simple sugars and starches. Sugars occur naturally alongside other nutrients and dietary fibre. When extracted from their source, they are known as ‘free’ sugars and can cause many problems. Free sugars have been separated from the nutrients and dietary fibre of their source. Examples are sugars extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets or from fruits.
High quantities of free sugars are found in sugary drinks, fruit juice and so-called ‘energy’ drinks, lollies and sweet snack foods. They should be consumed only in small quantities.
Most foods that naturally contain carbohydrates also provide protein and a range of micronutrients and other nutritional ‘goodies’.
A journalist who was trying to give up sugar recently complained that she could no longer have her morning latte because milk contains sugar. The natural sugar in milk is called lactose. It has about one-tenth the sweetness of sucrose (regular sugar). Some people need to restrict lactose because their intestine will only tolerate small amounts. However, if you digest lactose without any problems (as is the case for most people of Anglo-Saxon or African origin), milk is a valuable source of calcium and other minerals, B complex vitamins and protein. My advice for the journalist was that her morning latte was a good way to start the day.
The carbohydrates in fruits are also simple sugars. However fruits are also a source of dietary fibre, as well as vitamins including vitamin C and folate, plus a range of other micronutrients. Their dietary fibre slows down the absorption of their sugars. Fibre is also filling. Fruit juices have lost the fruit’s dietary fibre, making it possible to consume large quantities of free sugars. Few people could munch their way through five apples in one sitting, but almost everyone could drink their juice (and take in all their kilojoules) in a few minutes. So enjoy an apple, but skip apple juice.
Complex carbohydrates are found in grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and some vegetables. A type of complex carbohydrate known as resistant starch is particularly valuable. It’s found in oats, barley and wholegrains, nuts, seeds and unripe bananas. Some methods of cooking also produce resistant starch. These include cooking rice by the absorption method, cooking potatoes and then allowing them to cool. Even if they’re later reheated, the valuable starch remains.
Resistant starch is not digested in the small intestine, like other types of carbohydrate, but passes to the large intestine where it’s broken down by valuable bacteria, allowing these good microorganisms to multiply and improve the health of the large intestine.
Grains, and foods made from grains also provide valuable quantities of protein. There’s as much protein in 100g oats or 100g dry white pasta as in 2 eggs. Oats are also a top source of dietary fibre, with 100g providing about a third of the day’s needs, including valuable soluble fibre. Pasta itself has less dietary fibre, but that can easily be provided with even a simple sauce of onions, garlic, tomatoes and herbs such as basil.
Wholemeal/wholegrain breads vary but have 8.5 to 12.5g protein/100g (about 2 slices) with up to 9g of dietary fibre, plus a range of minerals and vitamins of the B complex plus some vitamin E.
Nuts and seeds are concentrated little nutrition powerhouses. All are immensely nutritious with valuable fats, protein, minerals and vitamins, dietary fibre and both simple and complex carbohydrates.
Legumes, including chick peas, lentils, kidney and other beans are also packed with nutrients, including both simple and complex carbohydrates, as well as protein, iron, zinc and a selection of vitamins.
Most vegetables have only small quantities of carbohydrates, largely in the form of sugars along with their valuable vitamins and minerals, dietary fibre and loads of valuable phytonutrients.
Vegetable with more carbohydrate, mostly in the form of starches include sweet potatoes, sweet corn, green peas and potatoes. Like other vegetables, this is accompanied by some protein, vitamins, dietary fibre and minerals.
The humble potato is often rejected on the basis of its carbohydrate. The major problem with potatoes is they easily soak up any kind of fat. Depending on the quantity consumed, chips contribute a hefty level of kilojoules, especially if they’re fried twice as many commercial fries are. Blame the added fat rather than potatoes. They’re a worthwhile food – as the Irish can attest.
The most important thing about consuming vegetables is to include plenty – including a variety of whatever you enjoy.
Take home message
Carbohydrates come in many excellent foods, including:
- Wholegrains (oats, wheat, barley, rye, brown rice and foods made from them including wholegrain breads, wholegrain breakfast cereals, bulgur and other forms of cracked wheat, wholemeal couscous)
- Quinoa
- Nuts and seeds – all kinds
- Legumes – chickpeas, lentils, kidney and other beans, peanuts
- Vegetables – all kinds, including potato (include the skin)
- Fruit – all kinds
Carbohydrate foods with little or no value are only suitable for occasional consumption – and only in small quantities. These include:
- Sugars of all types
- Soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, juices and juice drinks
- Lollies and confectionary
- Cakes
- Sweet biscuits and pastries
- Some breakfast cereals designed to appeal to children
Watch out for unexpected sources of sugars, in pasta sauces, tomato and BBQ sauces, salad dressings, canned soups, sweetened yoghurts and yoghurt desserts, canned fruit, protein bars, instant oats, many breakfast cereals, peanut butter, protein bars, flavoured tea.
Post script: Sugars can go by many names, so check the ingredients list for:
Sucrose, dextrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, dextrin, cane juice, barley malt, brown sugar, beet sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, grape sugar, invert sugar, maltodextrin ,caramel, agave nectar, demerara, brown rice syrup, corn syrup, golden syrup, carob syrup, maple syrup, fruit juice concentrate, molasses, treacle, muscavado, panela, turbinado, rapadura, ethyl maltol, high fructose corn syrup (very popular in the US).
