Nutrition
Carbohydrates
Did you know?
Eating at least 6 servings of breads and cereals per day is a good 'eating well' decision.
News in a hurry
- Carbohydrates are macronutrients that should make up the bulk of our diet.
- We don’t eat enough of the right sorts of carbohydrate! Only about 1 in 5 Kiwis reaches the recommendation of eating at least 6 servings of breads and cereals per day.
- Choose whole meal/whole grain breads and cereals.
- Eat plenty of legumes, vegetables and fruits.
- Choose food and drinks low in sugar to avoid excess energy intake – soft drinks and fruit juices are high in sugar.
- Keep cakes and sweets for treats. Too much sugar can result in weight gain or obesity, especially when combined with low levels of physical activity.
- To protect teeth, eat sugary foods at meal times instead of eating them as snacks on their own.
- Learn about the glycaemic index to help you make healthy carbohydrate choices.
- The 2003 New Zealand Food and Nutrition Guideline statement refers to the ‘four food groups’: breads and cereals are one of these groups. Read more about breads and cereals and how to get your 6 serves a day.
What are carbohydrates?
Dietary carbohydrates are a diverse group of substances with various properties and different importance to our health They consist of: sugars (techincally known as mono, di and oligosaccharides) and starch and non-starch (known as polysaccharides).
Up until recently, we were told 'dietary fibre' was mainly made up of types of carbohydrate that your body can’t digest or absorb. But, while dietary fibre is still a common term associated with carbohydrates, some nutritionists have now replaced ‘fibre’ with other terms, like non-starch polysaccharides and non-carbohydrates, known as lignin and psyllium. An exact definition of dietary fibre is still to be established - the study of carbohydrates is an evolving science!
Why are carbohydrates important?
All carbohydrates are broken down in the gut to release glucose, which is our main fuel supply. Many nutritionists now think the longer it takes for the food you eat to be broken down to glucose, the healthier that food is for you. That means some carbohydrates are better for you to eat on a regular basis than others.
The rate of breakdown is measured by a system called the glycaemic index (GI), which ranks food on a scale from 0-100 according to the effect it has on blood sugar levels. Foods with an index number of 70 or more are considered to be high GI (breaks food down quickly), with an index number between 55 and 70 as medium GI, and 55 or less as low GI (breaks food down slowly).
The amount of glucose in the blood is related to how much protein you make and possibly to the process of ageing. Some starches affect large bowel function, and oligosaccharides can stimulate the growth of specific bacteria thought to be good for us. So-called 'high-fibre' diets can help:
- prevent and relieve bowel problems such as constipation, haemorrhoids, diverticular disease, and irritable bowel syndrome
- improve cholesterol levels in the blood
- reduce your risk of heart disease
- reduce your risk of diabetes
- reduce your risk of certain types of cancer developing.
Too much energy from eating lots of sugars, especially sugary drinks, may contribute to being overweight or obese. Sugar intake is also linked to dental decay, particularly when sugary foods stick to the teeth for long periods.
Too little carbohydrate in the diet can lead to an imbalance in the blood known as ketosis. But only the most restricted diets risk this condition.
What foods contain carbohydrates?
Sugars are found in fruits, soft drinks, baked goods, many prepackaged foods and sweets. Polysaccharides come from whole grain cereals, flour, bread, rice, legumes, corn, oats and potatoes. [1]. The main sources for New Zealanders are bread (20%), non-alcoholic drinks (10%), potatoes and kumara (10%), sugar/sweets (9%) and fruits (8%). Cereals, legumes (eg, lentils, beans and peas), vegetables, nuts and fruits are the main sources of dietary fibre. Foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk and cheese do not contain fibre.
How much carbohydrate is good for you?
The New Zealand Nutrition Taskforce recommends adults get 50 to 55% of their total energy from carbohydrate. And no more than 15% of your total energy intake should come from sugars.
To meet these intakes, eat vegetables, fruits, legumes, breads and cereals daily. The adult guideline is at least 6 servings of breads and cereals, at least 3 vegetables and 2 fruits. The recommended guideline for dietary fibre is to eat 25-30g per day.
How much do Kiwis eat?
The New Zealand Food and Nutrition Guidelines say we don’t eat enough carbohydrate, with just over a third only getting the recommended intake. We eat 45 to 47% of our energy as carbohydrate, meaning less desirable foods (energy sources) are eaten instead. Only about 1 in 5 Kiwis reaches the New Zealand Nutrition Taskforce recommendation of eating at least 6 servings of breads and cereals per day.
Tips on eating carbs
- Eat a variety of foods that provide carbohydrate, including breads, cereals and legumes.
- Include whole meal/whole grain breads and cereals in your meals.
- Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits.
- Remember that plant foods, such as cereals, breads, vegetables, fruits and legumes, are good sources of dietary fibre.
- Choose food and drinks that are low in sugar to avoid excess energy intake. Remember that non-alcoholic beverages, such as soft drinks and fruit juices, are dietary sources of sugar.
- Sweets, honey, sweet spreads and dried fruits are concentrated sources of sugar.
- Keep high-sugar foods, such as cakes and sweets, for treat foods.
- To reduce dental decay, restrict the frequency of eating foods and drinking beverages with a high sugar content.
- If eating sugary foods, take them at mealtimes not as snacks between meals.
Source: Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Adults: A Background Paper. October 2003. Carbohydrates, practical advice.
|