Carbohydrates A Whole Grain Breakdown

Confusion abounds when consumers try to navigate the carbohydrate highway. What are complex carbohydrates? How do shoppers avoid added sugar? What is a whole grain?

Nutrition information can be confusing, especially when there is so much food to choose from at the grocery store. Diets such as Atkins or South Beach have become popular and many people think carbohydrates are “bad.” Low-carb diets are just a Band-aid fix for the real problem, which is unhealthy food choices and overeating. Carbohydrates are not bad for you. Complex carbohydrates like whole grains are the best way to lose weight, keep it off and lower your risk for obesity related diseases. Implementing a good food plan can be daunting. But knowing some key ingredients can help you define health food from junk food.

Carbohydrates – A Breakdown

Carbohydrates are sugars and starches which come in many shapes and sizes. We need carbohydrates every day for energy. In fact, the brain depends on carbohydrates for energy. As part of a balanced diet carbohydrates make up the largest portion of our daily intake, 60% according to MyPyramid. Some carbohydrates are healthy and packed with nutrients while some are just empty calories.

Simple Carbohydrates are carbohydrates made up of a single or double sugar like fructose, glucose, lactose and sucrose. They are found in fruits, milk and table sugar. A simple carbohydrate can be natural, like those found in fruit or refined and added to processed foods such as high fructose corn syrup. Simple carbohydrates that are added to our food have no nutritional value and can alter your mood, increase food cravings and create swings in blood sugar. Natural simple carbohydrates like those found fruit and milk have nutritional value and can aid in recovery after a workout or tide us over until dinnertime.
Complex Carbohydrates are made up of a string of three or more sugars and are found in whole grains, legumes and starchy vegetables. Complex carbohydrates will provide vitamins and minerals and fiber. Complex carbohydrates aid in digestion, stabilize blood sugars and satisfy hunger for long periods of time.

Whole Grains

Whole grains are foods that are not processed and contain the whole grain kernel components (bran, germ and endosperm) and nutrients found therein. Whole grains have a high fiber content, naturally rich in vitamins and minerals and are considered complex carbohydrates. Whole grains include:

brown rice
bulgur
graham flour
whole grain corn, oats, rye and wheat
buckwheat
wild rice
muesli
quinoa
millet
sorghum

Products that contain whole grains will list these ingredients first on the food label and have high percent daily value of fiber. When choosing whole grain products do not be fooled into thinking that multigrain, stone ground, 100% whole wheat, cracked wheat, seven grain or bran are whole grains. These food products are usually processed and “enriched.”

Limit Added Sugars

Maintaining a healthy weight comes down to not only daily exercise but also controlling the number of calories we eat each day. Added sugars can quickly pack on the pounds. A sugar is a sugar by any name. It may be disguised by another name such as sucrose, cane juice, honey, dextrose, high fructose corn syrup, malt syrup and fruit juice concentrate. Tips to avoid added sugars include

1. Limit candy, sweets and baked goods and replace them with fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
2. Choose water instead of sugary drinks.
3. Cut out processed foods and replace with whole grain snacks, nuts and low-fat dairy.
4. Substitute ingredients when baking such as applesauce for oil or sugar.
5. Replace table sugar in coffee or tea with natural sweeteners like stevia.

Conscious eating requires lifestyle changes, no doubt. These tips can help define food choices and lay the foundation for healthy eating. Choosing healthy complex carbohydrates like whole grains over added sugars are satisfying and packed with nutrition.