The Best Type Of Carbs To Eat Depending On Your Health Goals
Long vilified by diet culture as the ultimate source of weight gain, carbohydrates are the misunderstood macro in the food pyramid. Despite the rise of low- and no-carb diets, carbs are an essential component of a healthy diet. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, carbs should make up 45-60% of your daily caloric intake. However, all carbs aren’t created equal, and as much as we love a donut, it might not be the right choice for someone looking to keep their blood sugar in check.
“Carbohydrates can be categorized into two types: simple and complex. Simple carbs are digested fast, provide quick energy and are readily absorbed by your blood cells,” said registered dietician nutritionist Amanda Frankeny. “Complex carbohydrates take a while to be absorbed because of all the fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial compounds that come with them. If eaten in the right amount, they’re really beneficial to your health.”
From pasta and bread to bananas and beans, carbs are more than sweet treats; they make up the components of many foods. With that in mind, let’s discuss the best ones to add to your plate depending on your current health goals.
The Best Carbs For Weight Loss
It may feel counterintuitive to include carbs on your plate when weight loss is the goal, but cutting them out completely can have serious consequences for your health.
“It is important to avoid an excess of carbs — but it can be detrimental to metabolic function to go too far in the opposite direction, which we see in ketogenic diets and similar eating patterns,” said McKenna Welshans, a registered sports dietitian and exercise physiologist for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health in Pennsylvania.
“An insufficiency in carbohydrates can cause metabolic slowdown and excess muscle breakdown, which works against sustainable weight loss.”
Choose high-fiber and whole food-sourced carbs from ingredients like fruits, veggies and whole grains that are paired with lean proteins and healthy fats to prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes.
Try this: A fruit smoothie with frozen berries, bananas, frozen spinach and Greek yogurt; a midmorning snack of trail mix with nuts and dried fruit; or an apple with nut butter.
The Best Carbs For Athletic Performance
Carb-loading, like eating your weight in pasta before a long run or marathon, is a key part of many athletes’ diet. While we often hear protein being shouted as a key component of athletic performance, carbs fuel our glycogen stores, the main source of energy for high-intensity and long workouts, according to Frankeny. And don’t underestimate the power of carbs post-workout, either. According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, a 150-pound person requires another 68 to 102 grams of carbs post-workout to promote recovery.
“Glucose (predominantly found in grain-based foods) is the form of carbohydrate best utilized by the body during exercise and is thus the preferred fuel source during prolonged bouts of exercise,” Welshans said.
During intense, longer bouts of activity (more than an hour), Frankeny recommended choosing simple carbs like sports gels and drinks, as well as candy, to keep your energy up without causing digestive distress.
Try this: Grain-based snacks like granola bars and crackers can ease gastrointestinal discomfort while pushing through a high-intensity interval training class.
The Best Carbs For Heart Health
Fiber is often discussed in the context of gut health, with commercials featuring orange-colored drinks and earnest folks discussing their bathroom habits. However, the indigestible bulk found in plants can also help reduce cholesterol by slowing digestion, as well as stabilizing and lowering blood sugar. In nature, fiber is primarily found in carbohydrates like whole fruits and veggies, whole grains and legumes.
“Consuming higher amounts of fiber is associated with healthy cholesterol levels; specifically, higher amounts of soluble fiber are associated with lower LDL cholesterol (that’s the ‘bad’ cholesterol) levels,” said registered dietician nutritionist Mary Ellen Phipps. “Because the human body cannot digest fiber, soluble fiber binds to cholesterol and prevents the body from absorbing cholesterol.”
While all fiber is important (and you’re probably not eating enough), there are two main types: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance, helping lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels. A 2019 observational study found that soluble fiber lowered blood cholesterol. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, doesn’t absorb water and adds bulk to your stool, helping it pass through the intestines.
Try this: Choose heart-healthy carbs packed with soluble fiber like oats, beans, apples, pears, lentils and peas.
The Best Carbs For Blood Sugar Control
The same type of carbs that benefit your heart health are a win for keeping your blood sugar in check: fiber.
Despite the name, a sugar crash isn’t typically caused by downing a bag of candy. If you’ve ever experienced a midafternoon slump (or any blood sugar dip for that matter), the culprit is likely refined carbs. Instead, choose complex carbs that are packed with fiber, making them slower to digest and providing you a longer supply of energy, preventing a hangry 3 p.m. hunt for snacks.
“The best carbs for maintaining stable blood sugar levels are carbs that contain fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate the body cannot digest and, hence, can help moderate blood sugar levels,” said registered dietician nutritionist Kim Rose Francis. “Foods containing high-fiber carbohydrates include nuts, fruits, non-starchy vegetables such as spinach and cucumbers, starchy vegetables such as corn, brown rice, whole grain pasta and bread.”
Try this: Francis recommended increasing your fiber intake slowly by choosing a breakfast cereal that contains at least 5 grams of fiber per serving or switching to bread or another grain that contains at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
The Best Carbs For Digestive Health
You might be sensing a pattern by now, and yes, fiber is the star of the show — again.
“Fiber’s role in gut health is multifaceted. It helps soften the stool by absorbing water and adding bulk, keeping things moving more regularly. It also feeds the good bacteria in the gut and helps keep the gut lining intact,” Welshans said.
Choose carbs like whole grains that include wheat bran, which are packed with insoluble fiber and help promote regularity. But more isn’t necessarily better, as Welshans cautioned that too much fiber can cause bloating, constipation and diarrhea.
Try this: Adults (depending on their age and sex) should aim to eat 25-38 grams of fiber daily. A sample meal plan (plus protein and healthy fats) could include: 1 cup of brown rice (containing 3.5 grams of fiber), one apple (4.4 grams), 2 cups of various vegetables (16 grams) and a half-cup of beans (7 grams).
