In our latest newsletter, we focused on fats, highlighting which ones positively affect blood sugar levels and which to avoid. Continuing our journey to manage blood sugar, this segment is dedicated to a widely discussed and vital subject for our bodies: carbohydrates!
Carbohydrates: More Than Just Sugar!
Let’s start by stating that carbohydrates are not our enemies; in fact, they’re quite the opposite. Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for our body, the “fuel” that powers everything from the simplest to the most complex actions. This includes voluntary actions like standing, sitting, bending, and lifting objects, as well as involuntary ones: our heartbeat, the expansion and contraction of our lungs while we breathe, and the continuous complex processes of digestion and cellular repair.
In short, they’re involved in everything.
However, not all carbohydrates are created equal—a truth increasingly clear in today’s era of food processing. The journey of grains from soil to our table often becomes a pathway of nutritional dilution. Through refining and bleaching, whole grains are stripped of their nutritious bran and germ, leaving behind an amylose-rich endosperm devoid of the fibers, vitamins, and minerals initially present. What remains are empty calories that spike blood sugar levels.
Empty Carbs vs. Complex Carbs!
This modernization of food processing has effectively emptied many carbohydrates of their nutritional value, earning them the label of empty or simple carbohydrates—often referred to as bad carbs. The absence of dietary fibers in these foods is particularly harmful. Foods like white flour, processed foods, and sweetened beverages belong to this group of simple carbohydrates and are best avoided.
So, what carbohydrates should you consume?
The good carbohydrates are the complex ones, found in foods like unprocessed whole grains (e.g., whole oats, whole rice, barley, millet), legumes, fruits, and vegetables—the way nature intended. These carbohydrates break down slowly, providing a stable source of energy and helping to maintain blood sugar stability and a feeling of satiety over time.
The Unclear Carbohydrates—What About Them?
Unclear carbohydrates are those that might seem healthy but aren’t necessarily so. This includes carbohydrates processed into flours, even whole grain flours. The grinding process itself is the problem. When grains are ground into flour, even whole grain flour, the physical structure of the dietary fibers changes. Although whole grain flour retains more nutrients and fiber than refined flour, the grinding process breaks down the fibers’ integrity, making glucose in ground grains more accessible and quicker to absorb during digestion. Studies, such as those published in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” have shown that consuming whole grains in their intact form tends to have a lower glycemic impact than their ground counterparts.
This distinction highlights the importance of choosing whole, intact grains over flour-based products for better blood sugar management, especially for people managing diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions.
Your Action Plan:
- This week, take a moment to reevaluate your carbohydrate intake. Introduce new fiber-rich foods into your diet: fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and replace processed grains with whole grains in their natural form.
- In other words, try to minimize the use of grain flours as much as possible and opt for legume flours—pea flour, chickpea flour, red lentil flour, etc.
- Small changes can lead to significant improvements in managing blood sugar and overall health.
- Stay tuned for our next content piece, where we’ll delve deeper into the world of whole grains—not what you might have thought…