Three Ways Carbs Support a Healthy Diet

We’ve all been there. Dining at a restaurant, staring down the menu, vowing to eat healthy. Then that little voice says, “A small bowl of pasta isn’t so bad. Just eat half, run twice tomorrow. Cheat tonight and enjoy what you want like other people.”

Sound familiar?

Everywhere you turn, somebody’s offering nutritional advice. Remember the no-fat craze of the '80s? How about the grapefruit diet, the cabbage soup diet, and even the baby food diet? Entire food groups have been maligned as off limits, if you want to fit into your skinny jeans, or keep your blood sugar in check. Then they come back.

And now, with low-carb diets like Keto gaining popularity, and Atkins and South Beach making comebacks, carbohydrates (carbs) are again in the spotlight and opinions are all over the map.

The truth is we all need carbohydrates. In fact, The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that carbs make up more than half of your daily calories. So, if you eat 2,000 calories a day, about 1,000 calories should be from carbs. That’s because carbs are your body’s main energy source. The dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients in them play a role in keeping your heart healthy, supporting good digestion, and helping you maintain a healthy weight.

Given all of these health benefits, it follows that you shouldn’t have to go through “stages of grief” to make peace with eating carbs. Instead, follow these three guidelines for making them part of a healthy lifestyle.

#1: Listen to your body

The question of why you can’t just eat what you want while others can, is one that’s getting a lot of attention. It’s part of an emerging science called “nutritional genomics,” a field of study that’s all about personalization. The premise is that what works for one person might not work for another due to genetics.

This is something health experts have long suspected, and current research indicates that nutrition alone can’t predict how certain foods will affect health. Consider the results of a 2019 study in which researchers found that foods which spiked one person’s blood sugar or elevated their fat levels failed to have the same effect on others. This can explain, in part, why one person finds success cutting carbs, another by going vegan, and another by eating healthy fats and protein.

While genomics holds promise, there are other ways to decipher what foods are good for you on your own. Be aware of how you feel after you eat. For example, if you find a particular food or meal consistently makes you sluggish or irritable, review the ingredient list. Try to single out the issue, guided by a health professional. While it’s easy to assume it may be the carbs, you’d be surprised to learn that salty and protein-rich foods have been shown to more likely promote drowsiness.

#2: Know that not all carbs are created equal

Well-established science offers clear guidance as to which carbs are valuable for good health. Whole, nutrient dense, fiber-rich foods like legumes, fruits, vegetables, and non-processed grains are all well-documented to be good for you. They’re loaded with the vitamins (A, B’s and C) and minerals (zinc, folate, magnesium) your body needs to function optimally.

On the other hand, refined flours and sugars from pastries and cake, soft drinks, candy, and many processed foods do not provide the same fiber, vitamins, and minerals necessary for the body to operate at its best.

Sifter can help you find foods that are whole grain and fiber rich. Start here →

#3: Count calories, not carbohydrates

While you may lose weight by eating fewer carbs, it’s more likely because you’re taking in fewer calories. Studies comparing low-carb and low-fat diets for weight loss show there’s little difference between the two.

In 2018, researchers tracked 600 overweight adults between ages 18 and 50 for one year, while they went on either a low-fat or low-carb diet. Dieters were told to avoid processed junk foods and cook with whole healthy foods whenever possible. By the end of the year, the low-carb dieters had lost 13 pounds, and low-fat dieters lost 12 pounds.

The conclusion? No single eating plan works for everybody, so your goal is to find the one that meets your nutrient needs, has you expend more calories than you take in, and is not only pleasurable, but sustainable—preferably in the form of a balanced, healthy, mostly plant-based approach, replete with an abundance of good carbohydrates.

Which brings us back to the dinner out. Using these guidelines, it’s okay to give in to that little voice from time to time, as long as you choose whole-food carbohydrates most of the time and know the right portion for you. Enjoy.

updated January 2022

Additional Resources

Low-Fat Diet vs. Low-Carb: And the Winner Is …
Postprandial sleep mechanics in Drosophila
A Study on Twins Offers Proof That We All Need Personalized Diets
Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet
2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines