For the Love of Carbs

With so many deceiving and misleading nutrition messages nowadays, I wanted to write a post specifically about carbohydrates because there are so many controversial messages surrounding this. It is a popular and common belief that carbs are fattening and, often, I find that the first thing most people (who are attempting to lose weight) tend to do is cut out carbs almost, if not, completely, out of their diet. By carbs, I am referring mainly to breads, rice, pasta and cereals as these are the main food sources which we receive our carbohydrates from. However, what most people DON'T know is that carbs is actually present in a LOT of plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains with the exception of dairy being animal-based.

So is carbs good or bad for you?

Well, that depends on the TYPE of carbohydrate you are having. Having a diet which consist of carbs does NOT necessarily cause weight gain, but, eating too much of the wrong type can. There are two different types: simple and complex, and this is based on their chemical structure.

Simple Carbs

Simple carbohydrates are made up of smaller molecules of sugar which is broken down and digested quickly and easily in our body. So our body does not have to work hard to break these down and they can cause a rapid increase in our blood sugar levels. This is usually in a lot of JUNK foods like confectionery, chips and soft drinks.

Fruits are an exception in regards to the simple carbs, because although they contain fructose (which is a simple sugar), it is GOOD for you and worthy to eat because they contain many vitamins, minerals and fibre. Whereas processed foods are basically empty calories that do not have much nutritional value. However, as with everything, moderation is key hence the Australian Dietary Guidelines have recommended that Australians should eat 2 serves of fruit a day.

Source: Australian Dietary Guidelines

Complex Carbs

On the other hand, complex carbs are made up of many simple sugars joined together and because of their more complex structure, they take longer to digest and our body has to work harder to break these down. Foods that contain complex carbs include wholegrain bread, pasta, oats, green leafy vegetables, corn and legumes. Basically, these foods have undergone less processing so they still contain most of their natural nutrient contents which is why they are 'good' carbs and should be included as part of our everyday diet.

WHITE bread and NON-wholegrain cereals also fit under the complex carbs category. BUT, these carbs have undergone processing which removes the bran and germ - which is where all the healthy fats and most of the vitamins and minerals are stored (refer to diagram on the right). After processing, we are left with the endosperm which lacks those great nutrients. So it is best to avoid or at least minimise your intake of processed white breads and sugary cereals because they are like empty calories and have less nutritional value.


Overall, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body and thus, cutting it out of our diet completely can lead to a lack of energy and fatigue. Our body can derive some energy from fats and protein as a back-up source, but carbs is the preferred source of energy especially for the brain. Our brain receives its energy only from carbohydrates which is why it is important to include carbs in our diet in order for our brain to function properly. The Australian Dietary Guidelines suggests that men and women between the ages 19-50 should have 5 servings of breads and cereals per day and most of this should be mainly from wholegrain sources.

Source: Australian Dietary Guidelines

I know this is a LOT of information to take in, but, my main point is that not all carbs are bad. Don't believe everything you hear and read on the internet and jump on the carb-hating bandwagon. Because, in the end, the key is to eat the right type in the right amounts! And, as I've mentioned before, balance and moderation is everything.


If there is anything unclear or if you have any questions, feel free to comment :)
Until next time..
- Fitria