Bodily changes, physiological symptoms and emotional responses such as unwanted weight gain, bloating, slumps in energy levels and irritability are frequently attributed to coinciding carbohydrate consumption, but instead of focusing on the negative aspects of carbs, developing a basic understanding of how they help us to function well and feel our best enables us to use them entirely to our advantage.
Types of Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate-rich foods are generally divided into two categories:
- Simple, either natural or refined
- Complex, also referred to as starch or starchy foods
This article focuses on how to achieve the right balance of foods rich in starchy carbohydrate. It is these which should form the foundation of a healthy, balanced diet, in volume making up about a third of what we eat and providing enough calories to satisfy approximately 50% of daily calorie requirements. Every 1g of carbohydrate contains 4kcal so, for example, a person needing 2000kcal per day should have roughly 250g carbohydrate daily.
Starchy foods are an invaluable source of energy in the diet, but they are also one of the main sources of a range of nutrients including iron, calcium and B vitamins. High-fibre choices help to support a healthy digestive system, regulate blood sugar levels and also reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and bowel cancer.
Some examples of foods rich in complex carbohydrates include: all kinds of bread (wholemeal, granary, seeded, rye, chapattis, roti, tortilla, pitta bread and bagels), rice, pasta, noodles, wholegrain breakfast cereals, porridge, oatcakes, couscous, bulgar wheat, cornmeal, potatoes (including sweet potatoes), squash, yams and cassava. Peas, beans and lentils are also excellent sources.
Basic Tips for a Healthier Diet
When planning your diet try to:
- Choose wholegrain breakfast cereals and cereal products
- Opt for wholemeal, granary and seeded breads
- Eat potatoes with the skins on more often than not, e.g. jacket potatoes or new potatoes (but wash thoroughly first to remove any chemical residues from pesticides or fertilisers)
- When boiling potatoes, use only enough water to cover them and cook for the smallest quantity of time to minimise the amount of nutrients leached into the water
- Go for organic wherever available and affordable, if not for the nutritional value (the jury is still out on whether organic food is more nutritious or not!) then for other health and environmental benefits
- Low GI options may offer additional benefits
Timing and Meal Pattern
According to the Food Standards Agency most people in the UK are not eating enough starchy or high-fibre foods.
The number one rule of healthy eating is to eat regularly! Making sure that you do this is the first step towards achieving a diet that meets your nutritional requirements.
Everybody has their own preferences about their exact meal pattern, but whether grazing throughout the day or opting for a more solid 3-meal-a-day structure, carefully chosen carbs should be included at regular intervals.
- Be sure to base each meal on a good source of starchy carbohydrate (examples given above)
- If you work unusual shifts, simply apply the rule to your day just the same by including some starchy carbohydrate at regular intervals throughout your waking hours
Eating regularly and including those vital carbs provides a readily available, steady source of fuel for the body, thereby helping to maintain energy levels, prevent mood swings, improve concentration levels, avoid uncontrollable hunger pangs and reduce bloating.
Portion Size
What is an appropriate portion size for you ultimately depends on your individual energy requirements, which is largely dictated by lean body mass (as muscle burns more calories than adipose tissue) and physical activity levels. A good starting point is to take the size of your own clenched fist and use this as a guide for your staple, starchy carbohydrate portions at each meal (when eating 3 meals a day). This can then be adjusted as necessary according to body weight and appetite.
Low Carbohydrate Diets for Weight Loss
Nobody can argue that cutting out carbohydrates will not lead to weight loss, afterall carbs do provide calories, but is the weight loss achieved by doing this maintainable? No. Neither is it conducive of good health in both the short- and the long-term.
Instead of going for extreme exclusions, risking nutritional deficiency and setting yourself up for a pattern of yo-yo dieting make sure that your intake of complex carbohydrate is regular, your portion sizes appropriate and that your starchy foods are not laden with high-fat fillings and spreads such as cheese, butter, creamy sauces and oily dressings. This way you will be on the right track to being healthy and happy for the long haul.
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