What does fact checked mean?
At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- Harvard Health Publications: The Trick to Recognizing a Good Whole Grain: Use Carb-to-Fiber Ratio of 10-to-1
- Harvard School of Public Health: Beyond Willpower: Diet Quality and Quantity Matter
The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. Please check with the appropriate physician regarding health questions and concerns. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made.
What Are Smart Carbohydrates?
If you're confused about carbohydrates, you're likely not alone. The low-carbohydrate diet trend of the 1990s and early 2000s may have left you thinking that any carbohydrate is a bad carbohydrate. In reality, certain carbohydrates, sometimes referred to as "smart carbohydrates," actually support health, keep energy levels high and help in maintaining weight, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Learn how to identify them and improve the quality of your diet.
Smart Carbohydrates
The hallmark of healthy, smart carbohydrates is their vital nutrients and fiber content, which slows digestion and absorption, keeping blood glucose levels more stable. This is important for weight maintenance and diabetes prevention, according to the Harvard School of Public Health 2. White potatoes are one vegetable exception because their rich starch content can cause spikes in blood sugar despite their fiber content; sweet potatoes and beans are better options.
Smart Carbohydrates and Health
What Food Groups Are Carbohydrates Found in?
Learn More
There are many benefits for including more healthy, smart carbohydrates in your diet. Appetite control and weight maintenance are among them as the fiber content in smart carbohydrates extends feelings of satiety and fullness. The body prefers carbohydrates as its primary source of energy, and smart carbohydrates are ideal as they release energy slowly. This supplies steady energy, unlike the quick bursts and crashes that come with highly processed carbohydrates.
- There are many benefits for including more healthy, smart carbohydrates in your diet.
- Appetite control and weight maintenance are among them as the fiber content in smart carbohydrates extends feelings of satiety and fullness.
Processed Carbohydrates
Not all carbohydrates come with the many benefits of smart carbohydrates. Processed carbohydrates have been stripped of virtually all vital nutrients and fiber content during the refining process. They are digested and absorbed very quickly, leading to spikes in blood sugar.
Choosing Carbohydrates
Can Diabetics Eat Rye Bread & Pumpernickel Bread?
Learn More
Let the fiber content guide your decision. According to a Harvard Health Publications article, a whole-grain product should have at least 1 gram of fiber per 10 grams of carbohydrate; for example, a slice of whole-wheat bread containing 20 grams of carbohydrate should have at least 2 grams of fiber 1. Using the 10-to-1 rule can help you separate the real whole-grain, smart carbohydrates from the imposters. Further, always inspect the ingredients list to verify the words "whole-grain" come first.
- Let the fiber content guide your decision.
- Using the 10-to-1 rule can help you separate the real whole-grain, smart carbohydrates from the imposters.
Related Articles
References
- Harvard Health Publications: The Trick to Recognizing a Good Whole Grain: Use Carb-to-Fiber Ratio of 10-to-1
- Harvard School of Public Health: Beyond Willpower: Diet Quality and Quantity Matter
- Cleveland Clinic. Glycogen storage disease (GSD). Updated August 2, 2019.
- Poti JM, Braga B, Qin B. Ultra-processed food intake and obesity: What really matters for health-processing or nutrient content?. Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(4):420-431. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0285-4
- Winwood-Smith HS, Franklin CE, White CR. Low-carbohydrate diet induces metabolic depression: A possible mechanism to conserve glycogen. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2017;313(4):R347-R356. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00067.2017
- Hervik AK, Svihus B. The role of fiber in energy balance. J Nutr Metab. 2019;2019:4983657. doi:10.1155/2019/4983657
- Kunzmann AT, Coleman HG, Huang WY, Kitahara CM, Cantwell MM, Berndt SI. Dietary fiber intake and risk of colorectal cancer and incident and recurrent adenoma in the prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian cancer screening trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(4):881-90. doi:10.3945/ajcn.115.113282
- Slavin J, Carlson J. Carbohydrates. Adv Nutr. 2014;5(6):760-1. doi:10.3945/an.114.006163
- Reynolds A, Mann J, Cummings J, Winter N, Mete E, Te Morenga L. Carbohydrate quality and human health: A series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Lancet. 2019;393(10170):434-445. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31809-9
Writer Bio
Robert Phillips holds a Bachelor of Science in dietetics, as well as a Bachelor of Science in psychology. He works as a health coach with Optimum Health Solutions of Peoria, Ill. Phillips has been writing on health and nutrition topics since 2011, specializing in areas of chronic disease prevention and wellness.