Lets Talk About Carbs ~ Friend or Foe?
This article is written by Sky Corbett-Methot, a Holistic Nutritionist and 500-hour Hatha yoga and meditation instructor.
Picture taken by Magnus S (@ma5t0)
In some of our past blog posts, we have talked about proteins and their role in mental health. We have also talked about healthy fats and the role they have on overall health. Now its time to discuss carbohydrates! The third macronutrient - an essential building block to keep our body functioning.
Our brain runs mainly off of carbs even though 60% of our brain is comprised of fats. Yet again as a society, we fear this word and the foods that are tied to it.
To further fuel this mindset there are plenty of low carb diets out on the market (such as the Keto diet), that when not properly understood, leads you to believe that all carbs are bad. NOT TRUE. Not every carbohydrate is created equal! This #wellnesswednesday let’s explore which carbs are nutrient-dense and which are not.
Before I delve deeper I want to preface that I am not for or against any particular diet here. As a holistic nutritionist, I firmly believe that people need to follow a diet (defined as what they consume on a daily basis) that feels best for THEIR body. In turn, there is a lot of diversity among people’s food choices.
My goal here is to educate you on carbs and the different types out there. That way the next time you get faced with a food dilemma perhaps this will equip you to cope with, understand it, and/or tackle it head-on.
Once a carb is ingested your body works to break it down to its simplest form which is glucose. Glucose then makes its way into the bloodstream. The role of glucose is that it acts as a currency within your body. This currency (glucose) gets exchanged and converted into ATP (energy).
Additionally, glucose plays a role in the structure and the function of our cells. This means it has a role in our hormones, how our tissues and organs function, and how our body performs. Awesome right? Who doesn’t want energy?
For the sake of simplicity, let’s break down carbs into two categories: simple and complex carbs.
Simple Carbohydrates are a source of carbs that does not require much work from your body in terms of breaking it down. They come in short chains of monosaccharides in the form of fructose, glucose, and galactose.
This means its a quick “fix” of energy, and will spike your blood sugar level. Have you ever experienced a “sugar high” that has led to a '“sugar crash?” Happens to us all at some point and is a great example of how this is not a sustainable energy source.
Note that simple carbs are found in a lot of highly nutritious food sources that are combined with other nutrients and minerals that are essential. Also, note that simple carbs (specific sources) can be a great way to maintain energy while in sport if expending a lot of energy and need to quickly replenish (ie. marathon runners). In contrast in our day to day life, simple carbs can lead to energy crashes, fatigue, and mood swings if a nutrient lacking source is ingested.
Examples of simple carbs in low nutrient-dense foods are white sugar, white rice, white pasta, pastries, baked goods, jello, energy drinks, gel packs, candy, etc.
Examples of simple carbs in high nutrient dense foods: all fruits (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries etc.), honey, smoothies, juices, milk/non-dairy milk options).
Complex Carbohydrates contain longer chains (polysaccharides) which provide the body with more sustainable energy. Complex carbs produce longer-lasting energy as the blood glucose levels increase slowly providing longer-term energy. Complex carbs tend to be a more efficient fuel source for our body compared to simple carbs.
Examples of complex carbs in nutrient-dense foods: brown rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, oats, wild rice, buckwheat, legumes (chick peas, black beans, azuki beans, mung beans, etc.).
We need carbs at some capacity to function. Whether you followa low carb diet (ie Keto diet), or on a higher carb diet (ie. Fruititarian) your brain requires glucose (sugar) to function.
Now that you know the difference between the two types of carbohydrates, perhaps now you can choose food source that will help sustain your energy and mood longer! Ditching the stigma that carbs are bad, but instead understanding that not all carbs are created equal!
If you have any questions feel free to DM me @skyyogawellness on Instagram.
Sky