Simple Nutrition Insights

You Don't Need to Fear Carbohydrates—Here's Why They're Essential

• Leonila • Season 2 • Episode 20

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Carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source and an essential macronutrient that provides numerous benefits when consumed in the right forms and quantities. In this myth-busting episode, registered dietitian Leonila Campos explains why carbs aren't the enemy and provides practical guidance for incorporating them into a balanced diet.

• Carbs are one of three main macronutrients that provide essential fuel, especially for the brain which uses 20% of daily calories
• The three types of carbs include simple carbs (fruit, milk, added sugars), complex carbs (whole grains, beans, starchy vegetables), and fiber
• Carbs alone don't cause weight gain - excess calories from any source can lead to weight gain
• Low-carb diets aren't suitable for everyone and can cause low energy, brain fog and muscle loss
• There's a significant difference between naturally occurring sugars in whole foods versus added sugars in processed foods
• Evening carbohydrate consumption doesn't automatically lead to weight gain and can improve sleep quality
• Athletes should not restrict carbohydrates as they're essential for performance, recovery and injury prevention
• Focus on fiber-rich sources like whole grains, fruits and vegetables for optimal health benefits
• Always pair carbohydrates with protein and healthy fats for balanced meals that provide sustained energy
• Be mindful of liquid carbs like sugary drinks which can contain 40-80 grams of sugar per serving

Download my free carbohydrate handout with practical tips on adding more balance to your meals in the show notes. Let me know your biggest takeaway by messaging me on Instagram @nutrition_with_leonila or text me at 559-512-0404.

Carbohydrate Guide

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Speaker 1:

Hey, hey, welcome back to another episode in the Simple Nutrition Insights Podcast. I am your host, leonila Campos, registered dietitian. I feel that it has been a minute since I've done an episode, probably three weeks, and I had been doing two episodes a week, so I definitely miss coming and doing an episode. So I definitely miss coming in and doing an episode. I enjoy these episodes. I enjoy talking about nutrition and wellness, and so, because I've been so busy with other projects, I haven't had a chance to record. So I'm here, I have some time between sessions, so I decided to do an episode right now. So let's talk about the truth about carbohydrates myths, facts and practical tips.

Speaker 1:

I feel that poor carbs get such a bad rep all the time and I still, till this day, I have clients that say you know, carbs are bad, we shouldn't have carbohydrates. You know keto Ds and carnivore Ds, and so it's really important to understand the role of carbohydrates right, understand the importance of carbs. It is one of the macronutrients. I believe I've done protein already, so if you haven't had a chance to listen to that episode, you know, go back to it. I have a nice handout that has high protein sources, plant-based and animal-based, so check it out. But yes, today we're tackling a topic that has been misunderstood for way too long. Right, oftentimes, cars have been blamed for weight gain, cravings and even chronic diseases, but what's the real story here? Are all carbs bad? Do we really need them, and how do we balance them in a healthy nutrition plan? So let's break down some of the biggest carb myths, clear out the confusion and give you practical tips on how to enjoy carbs without guilt.

Speaker 1:

Let's start with basics. What are carbohydrates? Carbs are one of the three main macronutrients, along with protein and fat. I am going to do another episode on fat, because it is the third macronutrient. They are the body's preferred source of energy. So carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy, especially for the brain and muscles. Do you know that the brain uses about 20% of your calories? More specifically, carbohydrates? Right, our brain uses carbohydrates and we need them. Right them for our brain and for other functions. So there are three main types of carbohydrates Simple carbs, which are found in fruit, milk and added sugars.

Speaker 1:

Complex carbs, which are found in whole grains, beans and starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas and corn. We have fiber, a type of carb that the body doesn't digest but plays a huge role in gut health and blood sugar regulation and cholesterol management. Our body needs carbohydrates to function, especially for those who are active, growing or thinking a lot throughout the day. If you have a job right, that requires a lot of thinking, that requires, um, you know you to use your brain a lot. It's important that um, we don't neglect carbohydrates.

Speaker 1:

Myth number one carbs make you gain weight. Carbs alone do not cause weight gain. Excess calories from any source can. The problem is often the quality of the carbohydrates and the portion sizes. A diet filled with refined carbs and sugars without balance can that can lead to overeating and blood sugar spikes.

Speaker 1:

But whole fiber, rich carbs keep you full and provide essential nutrients. So the fiber helps with satiety. The fiber helps with feeling you know that we are satiated. It helps with blood sugar management and blood sugar regulation. So we don't have these spikes right, like these blood sugar roller coasters. So we have something sugary and the natural response of your body is to signal the, the pancreas right to release insulin so it can take that sugar out of the blood and take it into the cells. But if we do that often right, that's where we have this sugar roller coaster and so as the blood sugars drop, right, then that signals your body and your brain like, hey, we need to add more, more food here, right, but not necessarily sugar. We need more balanced meals. We need more complex carbohydrates, more fiber-rich carbohydrates, to maintain that low sugar regulation and we're not having these cravings or this need to want to eat often, but they're not necessary. For let me. I wanted to say here yeah, the whole fiber and adding more fiber-rich carbs.

Speaker 1:

Myth number two low-carb diets are the best for everyone. Low-carb diets like keto can be helpful in certain medical conditions or short-term weight loss, right. Essentially, the ketogenic diet was created to help seizures, right? Or people that had epilepsy, because essentially, we're controlling and it's in a controlled environment right, and it does help. There is research that shows that it does help people that have these conditions, but it has to be done under medical condition or medical supervision, rather. And so, instead of just deciding not to have them, right, the keto diet, it's not for everybody, even people that say otherwise, right.

Speaker 1:

We have to really be strategic and keep in mind is this going to work for me? In fact, cutting out carbs completely can lead to low energy, brain fog and even muscle loss. So, again, we have to be strategic. We have to think about long-term, right? Yeah, we might want to essentially do a diet because we want to lose weight right, we know that diets don't work, and for a specific reason right, because it is not sustainable. And so we have to figure out a plan that's going to work for us, right? It shouldn't be a one size fits all. It should be a you goal, right? What plan is going to work for me? So think of it that way, not like, oh, I'm going to try this diet and that diet and that diet, because we're going to end up even more frustrated.

Speaker 1:

Myth number three all sugar is bad. Not all sugars are created equal. There's a big difference between naturally occurring sugars in fruits and dairy and added sugars in sodas, pastries and processed foods. The key is choosing whole foods with natural sugars which also provide fiber, vitamins and minerals, right. Oftentimes I get asked oh, fruit is bad, right, or carrots are bad because they have more sugar, but that's. You know that's inaccurate If we compare how our body responds eating, let's say, a candy bar, right, or a candy, versus eating a banana or an apple, that the candy bar is just giving us that sugar, right, but the apple or the banana is giving us fiber and vitamins and minerals nutrients that our bodies need, right? So there's not really a comparison, because they're totally different foods and one food is going to provide more nutrients than the other food, but it doesn't mean that we have to completely eliminate. Right, if it's something that we like, but we have to balance things out and be mindful of those things.

Speaker 1:

Myth number four you should avoid carbs at night. Oh, I like this one. Eating carbs at night does not automatically lead to weight gain. In fact, for active individuals or those struggling with sleep, a balanced evening meal with healthy carbohydrates can help regulate blood sugars and promote better sleep. I do see these with my clients that are really active or that work out at night and they for some reason.

Speaker 1:

You know there is this misconception that we shouldn't have carbohydrates at nighttime, and so they're omitting them. Right, but we need them for recovering and repairing, along with protein, and so oftentimes they're having a hard time sleeping. That's either because maybe your blood sugars are dropping or because we're hungry, right, and I oftentimes ask my clients if they're having issues with sleep and they've been active at nighttime. It's like do you wake up hungry, right? Or do you dream about food? Or do you go to bed hungry? Right, because that all can affect our sleep quality. So, even when we're sleeping, actually our bodies are using more energy, essentially right At that time, because we're recovering, we're repairing, even if we're not moving. Your body's doing all that work, right? Essentially that behind the scenes work to get you ready for the next day.

Speaker 1:

Sleep is where we recover and repair, and so sleep is so important to make sure that we're getting good quality sleep. Not only the hours right, but the quality is what matters too. Are we getting deep sleep? Are we getting REM sleep? Right, and those cycles? To look into that more deeply. But also for my athletes right Throughout the day, right?

Speaker 1:

Number one, if you're an athlete, you shouldn't restrict carbohydrates, right? I've worked with so many athletes that you know come to me and they're like oh, I'm not eating a lot of carbs because I don't want to gain weight, or, you know, I don't need carbs at nighttime or whatever the case may be. And I often ask right, how do you feel throughout the day? Right, I'm hungry or my energy goes down, or like there's these factors, right? Or when I'm training, I feel like I'm not training at my best because you're not giving your body that fuel that it needs, right, that extra energy. We use carbohydrates as the first source of energy, right? And so if we're not getting enough, our performance is going to be affected. Our ability to recover and repair is going to be affected. And so, if you're an athlete, don't restrict carbohydrates, right. Yeah, we might be strategic as to the types of carbohydrates that we're adding, but we restrict carbohydrates, right. Yeah, we might be strategic as to how we are the types of carbohydrates that we're adding, but we need them, right. We need them for to be able to perform better, to prevent injuries and for recovering and repairing, as well with protein.

Speaker 1:

Okay, practical tips for healthy carbohydrate choices. Now that we clear up some myths, right, here are some practical ways to include healthy carbs in your day-to-day Focus on fiber-rich carbohydrates. So choose whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat bread and oats. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to get natural fiber. Pair carbs with protein and healthy fats. This is a balanced meal. This is essentially my 3-to-one method, right? My nutrition method, where you have a carbohydrate, you have a protein and you have a healthy fat and, of course, fiber-rich sources, fruits and vegetables. So, instead of just eating a plain piece of toast, right, avocado and eggs which number one is going to help you feel more satiated, but you're also getting different nutrients in, right, that otherwise you wouldn't get if you only had the toast. Instead of just fruit, right, pair it with Greek yogurt or Greek style yogurt or nuts, right, for some balance there.

Speaker 1:

We do have to be mindful of portion sizes, right? So a healthy serving of cooked rice or pasta is about, you know, half a cup to one cup, depending on your needs, and so you know. Work with your dietician to figure this out, to see you know what your needs are and adjust based on that. A serving of fruit is roughly about the size of your fist, right? Uh. Same thing for cooked vegetables, right, about one fist size, about a cup, um. So, and about the same. I think about the same with for carbs or rice or pasta or noodles. Be mindful of liquid carbs. Sugary drinks like soda, so in coffee drinks and juices can add up quickly, up for water, herb teas and infused water instead.

Speaker 1:

I'm going to give you an example here. Not that I'm against this company, but because I've had so many clients ask me about this question, I'm more aware of the sugar content of these drinks, right? So I have a lot of clients that come to me and they're like, yeah, once in a while I get a Dutch Bros drink, or it's something that I do multiple times during the week, and so together, right, when my client asked me that question, together we look at the menu, we look at the nutrition facts and you're able to access that, right, it is public information, so you can go into the Dutch Bros website and look the information of whatever drink you are trying to have, and that will tell you a lot of information. Most of those drinks have over 40 grams of sugar. I don't think I've seen one that has less. There's some that have even 80 grams of sugar.

Speaker 1:

Now, to put it in perspective, right, the recommendation is no more than 10% of your calories, right? Coming from sugar, added sugar. So 40 grams says oh my gosh, that's a lot. That's almost like what you need for a day and a half, right? And so sometimes, if someone is wanting to make changes, right, and we're working on weight loss or whatever the case may be, is looking at the liquid carbs, right, looking at the sugary drinks that we consume, because that alone can make a huge difference. When we drink something sugary, it goes, you know, there's not a lot of digestion happening, so it goes into the bloodstream really fast and that increases your blood sugars and so the pancreas has to send insulin to bring them down Again. You have this rollercoaster of blood sugars, but it's pretty much what we call empty calories, right? So, making some adjustments, either, if it's a drink that you like, okay, what swaps can I do, right to help me decrease that amount of sugar that I'm consuming, either, you know, doing it less sweet, right, or swapping some of the ingredients, right, or something along those lines that can help you manage those sugary drinks.

Speaker 1:

Don't fear carbs, because we need them, right. I know there's going to be lots of conversations about we don't need them, blah, blah, blah. But it's a macronutrient, right. There's a reason why it's a macronutrient, because it's a big molecule. It's something that we need right, and so it helps. Again, it has different, different functions. It has different nutrients that our bodies need.

Speaker 1:

So, specifically, if you're an active person, carbs are your fuel, right? Think of a car that it needs fuel to run. Once you run out and you know, your car doesn't function as good. Same thing with carbohydrates, right? We use that as fuel. Pre and post-workout meals should include a quality carbohydrate, like bananas, oats and whole grains, to help pre-fuel, to give you that push to be able to do your workouts, and post-workout, to help replenish the glycogen which is the store form of glucose in your muscles. So when you go work out the next time then you have enough. But also that will help with muscle recovering and repairing.

Speaker 1:

If you have a sedentary day, focus on fiber-rich carbs, right. So more of your whole grains, more of your vegetables and your fruits to still be able to get those nutrients in. So, my friend, carbs are not the enemy. It is all about choosing the right kinds, right. Just having that balance, eating them in balanced portions and pairing them wisely with proteins and healthy fats. So, essentially, making your balanced meals, making your balanced snacks. So, instead of fearing carbohydrates, let's focus on how they can support our energy, our performance and overall well-being.

Speaker 1:

So I'd love to hear from you what's your biggest takeaway from today's episode. Are you still hesitant about carbs or do you feel more confident about including them in your day-to-day? Let me know by sending me a message on Instagram at nutrition underscore, with underscore. Leonila, you can also send me a text at 559-512-0404. I have created a nice handout for you, as always, so head over the show notes and you'll be able to download that. Download that it's all about carbohydrates, and practical tips on how to add more balance to your meals. All right, my friend. Until next time, take care, fuel your body well and stay nourished. Bye-bye for now.