Bringing clarity to carbs...
 

Krista Clarke, Author, MC, CPT


Question: Carbs are confusing. Can you help me understand what's more important - the amount of carbs or the ingredients? Also, is going low on carbs good even though the product is full of junk?

Answer: First of all, carbohydrates (carbs) are the body's number one source of energy and we need them to survive. I personally eat 200 to 250 grams of carbs everyday!

To clarify your question, let me first ask you this: What kind of carbs are we talking about? The real key is to look at the fiber and sugar content. For example: Optimum Power Breakfast cereal has 41 grams of carbs. However, this is a whole grain product, and 10 of these grams are from fiber. Fiber cannot be digested or absorbed so these grams don't count! That leaves 31 grams of carbs, where 16 of these grams are from sugar. While anything over 12 grams of sugar is a little high, with the 10 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein, this combination helps slow the digestion so you won't get a sugar spike or an influx of insulin into the bloodstream like you would with a cereal that is lower in fiber and protein.

For example, if this cereal had only 2 grams of fiber and 1 to 2 grams of protein this would tell me that it had some white or enriched wheat flour in it. White flour plus the 16 grams of sugar would cause a blood sugar spike. If this were the case, this would be considered an unhealthy carb. When it comes to carbs, choose fibrous - anything over 4 to 5 grams of fiber per serving. Choose whole grains, fruits and vegetables over those foods containing white or enriched wheat flour and sugar.

I would never recommend choosing a product full of junk just because it is low in carbs. Putting your health first helps you to choose with logic. Good luck!

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