A large and growing body of research shows that this one swap can help reduce your risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes, reduce your chances of dying from heart disease and stroke, and help you lose weight without worrying about calories. It’s helpful.
It may sound simple, but for many it will be a big change. These high-quality carbohydrates account for only 9% of all calories consumed by Americans.
Low-quality, processed carbohydrates are a staple food for most people. They make up 42% of all calories consumed by Americans. These include white breads, pastries, pastas, bagels, crisps, crackers, breakfast cereals, flavored yogurts, desserts, juices, soft drinks and other sugary foods that are found on many supermarket shelves and home dining tables. Includes predominately packaged foods.
What happens when you replace processed carbs with high quality carbs?
Studies have shown that the fiber in these foods has multiple benefits. It promotes satiety and makes you feel full. It nourishes the microbes that make up the gut microbiome, reduces inflammation and protects against chronic disease.and improve blood sugar control and cholesterol levels
A large Lancet meta-analysis investigated the health effects of eating different types of carbohydrates. An analysis based on data collected from 4,635 people in 58 clinical trials found that adults who ate the highest levels of whole grains, vegetables, and other fiber-rich carbohydrates had an increased risk of diabetes, colorectal cancer, and the like. It was shown to reduce by 15-31%.More likely to die of stroke or heart disease compared to those who ate the least of these foods.
They also lost weight “even though they weren’t told to eat less or get more physical activity,” said Andrew Reynolds, a nutritional epidemiologist at the Otago Medical College and co-author of the study. rice field.
Why are processed carbs bad for you?
On average, Americans eat five servings a day of foods containing refined grains, such as white bread and pasta, and only one serving a day of foods with whole grains, such as brown rice and barley, says Fang Fang Zhang. nutritional epidemiologist said. Friedman, a graduate of Tufts University’s School of Nutritional Sciences and Policy, who examined the types of carbohydrates and macronutrients consumed by Americans, is the author of the JAMA study.
In her research, Zhang found that Americans are consuming less sugary sodas and other foods with added sugar, thanks to growing public awareness of the negative health effects of sugar. Did.
But at the same time, we are eating more and more foods that contain refined grains.
“We are seeing an overall trend of increasing consumption of refined grains,” Zhang said. “You can’t reach your goals with refined grains.”
These foods have been stripped of their fiber, vitamins and minerals and industrially converted into flour and sugar. The reward area is activated.
Healthy carbs are those that are not highly processed and have not been stripped of their natural fiber. Fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains are rich in fiber and packed with health-promoting nutrients that help protect against heart disease and other leading causes of death.
Click here for how to replace the carb
If your goal is to lose weight, You don’t need to count calories or diet to improve your metabolic health. Start by cutting empty carbs from your diet. Method is as follows.
Cut white ingredients. Avoid cereals, pastries, white bread, white pasta, juices, sugary drinks, and other foods with added sugar.
Add healthy carbs. Easy. Eat more vegetables, whole grains, beans and lentils.
Add healthy fats and proteins. After removing these empty carbs, some people feel better if they replace them with foods high in fat and protein, such as nuts, seeds, avocados, eggs, chicken, yogurt, and seafood.
Add Healthy Grains: Try replacing white, highly processed carbohydrates with whole grains, whole grain breads, beans, peas, lentils, legumes, quinoa, fruits, vegetables, and other unrefined carbohydrates.
Bring higher quality, ‘nutritious’ foods back into your diet. These foods have different labels to help identify them. Look for descriptors like “minimally processed,” “seasonal,” “grass-fed,” “whole grain,” and “grass-fed.”
It may be difficult to cut back on your favorite refined carbs at first, but if you replace them with fiber-rich carbs and healthy fats, you won’t feel hungry.
Why Carb Quality Matters
One randomized trial, published in JAMA, found that overweight people who were advised to reduce added sugar, refined grains, and highly processed foods for one year lost weight without counting calories. was reduced and there was an improvement in blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
This approach worked regardless of whether people were on a diet relatively low in fat or relatively low in carbohydrates. Christopher Gardner, director of nutrition research, said the findings showed that diet quality is superior to diet quantity for weight loss.
If you want to eat healthier, the first step, he said, should be to “get rid of empty carbohydrate calories that are just glucose and contain no fiber, vitamins or minerals.”
He recommends replacing these foods with what he calls a “basic diet” rich in plant foods, such as beans, nuts, seeds, and vegetables eaten in cultures around the world. increase.
Red, black and pinto beans are staples in Latin American cuisine. In the Middle East, chickpeas and sesame seeds have been used to make hummus and other dishes for centuries. In India, red and yellow lentils are used in delicious dals, soups and stews. In the Mediterranean, broad beans, cannellini beans and peas are incorporated into many dishes.
“Americans eat surprisingly few beans, nuts and seeds,” he said. “We should be eating more like these other cultures around the world.”
Questions about healthy eating? Email EatingLab@washpost.com I may answer your question in a future column.
