Welcome to the fourth week of National Nutrition Month where we will take a look at clean carb sources! Fats and protein are important for your diet, but you cannot forget to consume carbs. I know the keto diet or other low carb diets may appear to be the best choice for weight loss but cutting out carbs really isn’t doing your health a favor. Knowing what kinds of carbohydrate sources to choose from might make all the difference in providing you energy and helping you with sustaining weight loss.
Just a heads up, coming up in early April, I will be launching a 30-day challenge meant to welcome a new spring season and get you on a better path of accomplishing your goals. My interns and I are so excited to start this journey with you. The dates for the challenge will be 4/25-5/24, and registration is slated to open on April 4th ! Stay tuned for more details, but first let’s circle back to clean carbs!
What are “carbs”? Carbohydrates, or carbs for short, comprise the first food source your body turns into useable energy. This happens through multiple mechanisms that eventually turn the macromolecule into glucose. Glucose is then converted into another molecule called adenosine triphosphate that results in body functions such as muscle contraction. Carbohydrates, like protein, provide 4 calories per gram. Therefore, you can eat more grams of carbs than fat, which is 9 calories per gram.
Simple carbs vs complex carbs. Consisting mainly of sugar, simple carbs are able to be quickly digested and distributed into the bloodstream. On the other hand, complex carbs have both a fiber and starch component. Since complex carbs have more fiber, they will take longer to digest. Not one carb type is better than the other, but each serves a different purpose. Simple carbs are usually in processed foods as refined sugar to add sweetness.
However, sports dietitians use simple carb sources as a pre-workout or pre-game snacks to provide a quick boost of energy. For most people, complex carbs are the more common choice because they provide energy plus longer lasting fullness. Individuals looking to lose weight or those with diabetes may want to consider consuming more complex carbs rather than simple carbs.
Great sources of simple carbs include fruit and dairy products. Consuming a low-fat yogurt with added raw fruit would provide a fantastic energy boost in the morning. Wonderful sources of complex carbs include whole grains, fiber rich vegetables, and beans. Cook a bit of quinoa with lima beans and chop up fresh red bell peppers to add complex carbs into lunch or dinner. Carbs sources to stay away from consists of sugary cereals, bleached white flour bread, packaged cookies, soda, fruit juice concentrate, and pretty much any food/drink with a high sugar or overall carbohydrate content that is nutritionally poor in value.
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
Candice Shipley, Student Nutritionist
Nutrition & Food Science – Dietetics
University of Maryland, College Park | 2023