Micheals on Carbs

Are You Eating the Right Carbs?

From Jilian Micheals

Humans simply cannot function without carbs. Carbs give us energy; without them, we couldn't think, walk, dance, drive, or do anything. We need them to live. That said, some carb sources — such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans — are healthy and nourishing. Others — such as refined grains and added sugars — are pure evil. It's important to know the difference between good carbs and bad carbs so you can get the nutrients you need while keeping your blood sugar levels stable.

One tool that some dieters use to evaluate the quality of carbs is the glycemic index (GI), which ranks foods according to how quickly their carbohydrates break down and release glucose into your blood. Foods with a low GI value are deemed "good," while those with a high GI value are "bad." The problem with the GI is that it paints only part of the picture; it doesn't take into account the amount of carbs you'd actually eat.

The carrot is a perfect illustration of how the GI can give a good food a bad name. The form of carbohydrate in a carrot turns into blood sugar very quickly, giving carrots a high GI value. But if you step back to get a fuller picture, you see that the total quantity of carbs in a typical serving of carrots is low, so their effect on your blood sugar isn't that dramatic.

A better way to judge a food's carb content is to look at its glycemic load (GL), a measurement that takes into account both its glycemic index value and serving size. My site has a handy chart of the serving sizes and GL values of common foods, and you can also check out the Glycemic Index Web site to find the GI and GL values for just about any food.

Good carbs — the ones that have a GL value of 10 or below — take a long time to digest, creating less of a need for immediate insulin release in the bloodstream and thus helping stabilize your blood sugar level. These foods, which include leafy green vegetables, some types of beans, many whole fruits, and nuts, also contain important vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are essential for good health. These are the kinds of carbs that our bodies are designed to consume. Remember, though, that carbs are just one component of a healthy diet, and that balance is key. My advice is to include some fat, protein, and carbs in each meal.