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caption98 abouct arbs It’s had a bad rap in the past but the humble carbohydrate is still an important part of a nutritious diet, especially if you choose the right ones. Carmel Sparke finds the healthiest options Twhe hole truth Photography getty images / will horner/ bauersyndication. com. au gm0413car3p98.pdf Page 98 18/02/2013, 9:32:19 AM

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caption99 goodnutrition. What are carbohydrates? It can be quite confusing working out what a carbohydrate is, when yoghurt, bread, rice, soft drink and chocolate all contain carbs. Sydney-based nutritionist Dr Joanna McMillan says although we tend to refer to foods as ‘carbohydrates’, it’s more accurate to say they are carbohydrate-rich foods. This is because our diet is made up of three macronutrients – carbohydrate, fat and protein – as well as vitamins and minerals essential for good health. Most of the foods we eat are a mix of all these components, but some contain primarily carbohydrate. Foods abundant in carbohydrate include bread, pasta, rice, breakfast cereals, oats, fruit, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, pumpkin and corn, legumes such as lentils, as well as sugar, confectionery, cakes and biscuits. “People can get muddled up about carbohydrates” says McMillan. “They refer to them as a food group, but they’re not, they’re a macronutrient.” n Lowdown Carbohydrates are compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen formed by plants. They’re found in fruit and plant material, wholegrain breads and cereals, and dairy products such as milk and yoghurt. Why you need them When you eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose and absorbed in the bloodstream, making them a readily available energy source for cells and muscles. Glucose is stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen, which when required is converted into glucose and released by the liver to top up blood minimally processed oats, some fruits, legumes, pasta, milk and yoghurt. n Lowdown Low-GI foods reduce your body’s production of insulin, a hormone that encourages fat storage. This is great news for weight loss, preventing weight gain and long-term health. How much do we need? How much carbohydrate you need in a day varies depending on your weight, age and how much you exercise. Government health guidelines r

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caption100 O ver the past few years low-carb diets or even no-carb diets, including the Atkins and Dukan diets, have been very popular (and successful for many people). In theory, you’ll burn a higher percentage of fat by limiting carbohydrate intake on a high-protein diet. However, Sydney-based consultant dietitian Bill Shrapnel says studies have shown that where you get your kilojoules – whether from carbohydrate, protein or fat – doesn’t make a diff erence to successful weight loss. What really matters, he says, is how well you can stick to your diet, not whether the kilojoules have come from certain foods. “It’s about adherence to the diet, that’s the telling thing,” says Shrapnel. “In the real world, you are relying on people sticking to the diet. If they’re hungry, they’re going to come unstuck. “Evidence is suggesting that a diet with a higher protein, lower carbohydrate proportion staves off hunger pangs better than one with higher carbohydrates,” says Shrapnel. n Lowdown Shrapnel says we do need good-quality carbohydrates, those that are low GI and nutrient rich, but not in large quantities. W hile some are shedding kilos by skipping bagels, toast and porridge, The Carb Lovers Diet is an eating plan based on carbohydrates rich in resistant starch. This acts in a similar way to fi bre, passing through the small intestine undigested. Foods high in resistant starch include legumes, some wholegrains, and breads and cereals containing Hi-maize (a resistant starch made from corn). McMillan says resistant starch has been shown to make people feel fuller and it does have a potential role for weight loss. But, she says, with or without resistant starch, you can defi nitely lose weight and still eat carbohydrate. McMillan adds that the key to success is to have moderate portions, go for low-GI foods which keep you full for longer, and choose foods that have had little processing. n Lowdown “To me, the ove