Carb Confusion

  • Dr. Caroline Apovian

It's not true that bread, rice, and pasta are all bad, but refined carbs are not particularly good for you. Let's take a step back and talk about what carbohydrates are, then talk about the difference between refined and unrefined carbs.
Carbohydrates are one of the three primary types of "macronutrients" the human body needs (fat and protein being the other two). Carbs can be sugar, starch, cellulose, or gum, meaning that bread, rice, and pasta are all carbohydrates — as are fruits and vegetables. We all need a certain amount of carbohydrates in our diet to produce energy, and sugar and starch (which is a complex form of sugar) are the foods most easily processed into the energy we need. When we generate more energy than we burn through activity, we store those carbs (and all excess calories) as body fat.
All carbohydrates have calories, but some are certainly better for you than others. The carbohydrates that are the best for your health are those that are the least refined and the highest in fiber. During the refining of breads, rice, and pasta, the coarsest outer part of the grain is removed, which whitens the resulting flour or rice; in the process, however, the healthful fiber and many of the nutrients are removed as well. That means it is best to choose whole grains whenever possible. Dark breads like whole wheat and pumpernickel have more natural fiber and nutrients in them. Avoid the whites — white bread, white rice, and white pasta. Fresh fruits and vegetables, which contain lots of simple sugars, are high in fiber and natural vitamins and minerals and low in calories, so they are a good carbohydrate source, too.
It's great that you're reading labels before buying — they contain lots of information, including ingredients and fiber content. Also look at the calorie count per serving. Make sure you have fruits, vegetables, and unrefined, whole-grain products every day for your health. Remember that if it's white, chances are it's been refined.
Learn more in the Everyday Health Diet and Nutrition Center.