Nutrition
Are Carbs Good Or Bad?
As a fitness trainer and health coach one of the top things my new clients say to me is, “I know I need to eat less carbs.”
The “low carb” craze is real and it seems like 9/10 people are on that train.
But why? What does low carb mean and is it right or wrong?
Let’s start by talking about what a carbohydrate is, then talk about the different kinds, and lastly the different factors that influence how healthy or unhealthy carbs might be for your body.
What Is A Carb?
A carbohydrate is a molecule that contains carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms and is one of 3 macronutrients that your body uses in large supply - the other 2 being fat and protein.
But not all carbs are created equal. Certain carbs are deemed simple and some are complex. Simple carbs are known as sugars whereas complex carbs are either starch or fiber.
Simple sugars are more quickly broken down in the body.
That’s about as “sciency” as I want to get with you on that particular topic.
Fiber
When I coach clients in the 10-Week Transformation, I preach fiber. I say that if you want to track anything with your nutrition, then track protein and/or fiber.
Aiming to get 25-35g of fiber a day is a great place to start, and for most people, more is beneficial.
Fiber is good for our digestion, it keeps us full, it helps stabilize our blood sugar, and is good for our gut health.
Some of the best sources of fiber are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, rice, beans, quinoa, lentils, and avocados.
Processed foods - most everything you find in a package or a wrapper - is going to be almost completely stripped of its fiber content. Which causes it to impact our blood sugar levels more severely. More on that later.
When it comes to carbs, fiber is our best friend.
Sugars
Let’s talk about sugars next, starting with fruit.
Let’s just get it out there - fruit is not bad. A lot of people think because fruit contains simple sugars that it’s bad.
Yes, certain fruits will impact your blood sugar more severely than others - based on their glycemic load - feel free to look that up on your own.
And for that reason, some people - people who are insulin resistant and metabolically unhealthy - might benefit from eating less fruit for a period of time. If certain fruits cause a dramatic spike in your blood sugar, then it might be best for you to minimize how much you consume them.
But if you eat fruits that are higher in fiber like berries or you eat fruits with other foods like protein and healthy fats, then it’s not going to have as big of an impact on your blood sugar.
And fruit is also a great source of micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and polyphenols. All of these can positively impact other factors of health like energy levels, cellular health, and your immune system.
Fruit will never make you fat. Is it favorable for body composition at high concentrations? P
Probably not.
But for most people, fruit is not what’s holding them back from achieving their goals.
Lastly, the best time to eat fruit would be before a workout or with other healthy fats and protein.
Starches
When it comes to starches, that’s where a lot of people get confused.
Is rice good or bad? What about bread? What about pasta?
Generally speaking, for most of these foods there is not a blanket answer. I like to think of consuming starches - and basically all carbs - based on 4 factors:
1. Who Is Eating The Carbs?
2. When Are You Eating Carbs?
Having a healthy source of simple carbs prior to an intense workout, can be a great source of fuel and can help boost your performance.
Having a healthy source of starches post workout like rice, quinoa, lentils, and potatoes, can be a great way to replenish muscle glycogen after an intense workout.
If you’re eating these in isolation - not in tandem with a workout or without fiber, healthy fats, and protein - then your blood sugar levels will spike more severely.
Everyone’s blood sugar responses to carbs are different. And it doesn’t just vary from person to person but from carb to carb.
3. What is the Quality of the Carbs?
There is a difference between having a sandwich on white bread vs. on Dave’s Powerseed Bread. The difference is the ingredients used in making the bread and the impact it has on your blood sugar.
There is a difference between having white or brown rice and having a bowl of rice krispies cereal.
There is a difference between having instant oatmeal and steel cut oats.
The difference in all of these is how close to the source is the food itself? Is it maximally processed or minimally processed? That impacts the ingredients in it and the impact on your blood sugar levels after consumption.
4. What Are You Eating With The Carbs?
If your meal contains just pasta with a little meatless marinara sauce, then a majority of your calories are coming from carbs.
Not only will you not be hitting your protein, fiber, and healthy fats goals, but your blood sugar levels will rise much more significantly which negatively impacts your metabolic health and your energy levels.
Remember, when consuming healthy carbs, either:
1. Eat them before or after a workout for fuel or replenishment and/or
2. Eat them with protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
For example:
An everything bagel with eggs, breakfast sausage, and cheese is going to be much better than an everything bagel with cream cheese. You have a healthier array of macronutrients and your blood sugar levels will thank you.
The real culprit of poor metabolic health and excess body fat is the ultra processed carbs.
A packaged carb that is high in carbs, low in fat, low in protein, and low in fiber and has a lot of artificial ingredients will do much more harm than good.
This is what leads your cells to become more insulin resistant which leads to excess body fat, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, and many more unhealthy conditions.
Conclusion
Carbs are not bad.
Some carbs are very healthy; some are not very healthy.
It always depends on:
1. Who is eating them
2. When they’re being consumed
3. The quality of the carb and
4. What they’re being consumed with
A quick bullet point list to provide you with some general guidelines that are true most of the time for most people:
1. If you are metabolically unhealthy, then you would probably benefit from lower levels of carbohydrate, especially processed cabs. Metabolically unhealthy means you have:
- Excess Body Fat
- High Blood Glucose Levels
- High Blood Pressure
- High Triglyceride Levels
- Low HDL Cholesterol levels
2. If you don’t have much muscle and are inactive you would probably benefit from eating less carbs.
3. If you have more muscle and are more active, carbs can be used as a great tool.
4. If you are consuming them before or after a workout, they can be great for fuel and replenishment.
5. If you are eating them in isolation, they are not as healthy.
6. If you eat them with healthy fat, fiber, and protein it’s much better.
7. If the carb is a whole food or minimally processed, it’s much better.
8. If it’s an ultra processed carb, it’s not very healthy.
Not all carbs are created equal.
And like everything in health, there is not a black and white answer to this question.
If you are ever listening to someone who talks in absolutes, be wary. They are not giving you the full picture. They are not speaking with any context.
Context and personalization is required for all things nutrition.
I hope this helps you understand the whole narrative about carbs a little bit better and allows you to make more informed decisions with your food choices.
If you want personalized help with this, then be sure to join the next 10-Week Transformation starting January 22nd, 2024.
You can join an in person group in Nashville or you can join the Virtual group from anywhere.
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Nick
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