In the current food and nutrition climate, cutting carbs has become all the rage. Just recently, a new single-study is taking over the Internet, causing some to seriously panic. Some are even reporting that carbs like white bread, potatoes and rice “give you lung cancer” or “are the new cigarettes.” (If you’re interested in learning more, check out my recent take on it.) Rather than continuing to discuss the pitfalls of this particular study, let’s instead cut to the basics about carbohydrates.
Carbs as Fuel: Carbs Provide Your Body with the Energy It Needs
Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source. Carbohydrate digestion starts as soon as food hits your mouth and encounters salivary amylase. Most carbohydrate digestion takes place in the small intestine where disaccharides (larger structures) are broken down into monosaccharides (smaller structures). Most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, the primary fuel used by your brain and muscles. Surplus dietary glucose can be stored in the liver and muscle cells as glycogen for quick sources of energy. Since carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body, you can probably see how this process is extremely important to ensure that your body has the energy it needs at all times. Carbohydrates can be found in in fruits, vegetables, many dairy products and grain foods such as whole grains and refined grains.
Whole Grains: a Type of Carb That Is Part of the Equation
The difference between whole and refined grains can be wholly confusing, but the important thing to remember is they both can be a part of a healthy, balanced diet. Grains are either refined or whole. A whole grain is defined as the entire grain seed of a plant, which consists of three key parts: the bran, the germ and the endosperm. The Food and Drug Administration defines whole-grain foods as foods that contain 51 percent or more whole grain ingredients by weight. Whole grains can be found in foods like oatmeal, brown rice or popcorn, or incorporated as an ingredient in food, such as whole-wheat flour in pasta, crackers or cereal. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines state that “whole grains are a source of nutrients, such as dietary fiber, iron, zinc, manganese, folate, magnesium, copper, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, selenium, riboflavin and vitamin A.” Whole grains have also been proven to be associated with a plethora of health benefits, including reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes, weight management, digestive health and maintaining normal blood glucose levels. Additionally, studies continue to show that including enough whole-grain foods as part of a healthy diet may help with heart disease prevention and management.
A Spectrum of Carbs: Both Whole and Refined Grains Can Be Included in Your Diet
Refined grains differ from whole grains in that they have been processed where the bran and the germ are removed. The purpose of this is to produce foods with a certain desired texture or to extend freshness. Grain products with the bran and germ removed can be made into other foods (like bread), or they can be enjoyed themselves (like white rice). Even though refined grains have been through a few extra processing steps, it doesn’t mean they are without nutritional value. In contrast, most refined grains, such as flour, are enriched before being added to foods. This means that the vitamins and minerals lost during processing are added back into the final product.
More Bang for Your Buck: Enriched Grains Offer Bonus Nutrition
To “enrich” your knowledge on the history of this process, enrichment of white wheat originated in an effort to prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy. In the late 1990s, the Food and Drug Administration mandated that folic acid, a B vitamin, be added to all products made from enriched grains. The Recommended Dietary Allowance from the Institute of Medicine varies by age and life stage (e.g., pregnant and lactating women should consume more). It is recommended that both men and women (ages 14 and up) consume at least or more than 400 µg of folate per day, and enriched refined grains can help women meet these recommendations.
The other mandated nutrients that are added into enriched refined grains are iron and three B vitamins: riboflavin, niacin and thiamin. In fact, riboflavin and thiamin are added back at twice the original amounts. Many of us may not have ever heard of pellegra and beriberi, which are two diseases that have since been eradicated from the United States thanks to the enrichment of grains with these B vitamins that has been happening since 1941. Another important micronutrient found in enriched refined grains is iron, which is a major player in metabolism.
What Does This Mean for You?
The bottom line is that although media headlines may have you believing that carbs are always the culprit when it comes to negative health outcomes, the truth is, there are a lot of important nutrients that come from both whole and refined grains. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends making half your grains whole, by looking for whole grains high up on the ingredient list. So if half your grains are whole, that means there’s room for other type of grains in a healthy diet. The Guidelines encourage Americans to choose enriched, refined grains, so looking for sources in foods like cereals, crackers, bread and pasta can be part of a healthy eating pattern.
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The Carb Controversy: Examining the Science Behind This Nutrient originally appeared on usnews.com
