In recent years, carbohydrates have become the ultimate dietary scapegoat, blamed for everything from obesity to chronic disease. The rise of various low-carb diet trends has painted carbohydrates as the enemy of gut health and weight management, leading many to severely restrict or eliminate this essential macronutrient from their diets.
This villainization has been particularly prominent in both weight loss and gut health circles, where carbohydrates are often unfairly accused of being the primary culprit behind not only the obesity epidemic but also digestive disorders. A common misconception in gut health communities is that carbohydrates primarily “feed bad bacteria,” leading to dysbiosis and digestive issues.
However, this oversimplified view ignores the complex role carbohydrates play in human health, particularly in maintaining a healthy gut ecosystem. Scientific evidence consistently demonstrates their crucial role in maintaining gut health and overall digestive function. Understanding how carbohydrates support our gut health reveals why they’re not just beneficial, but essential for optimal wellness.
And of course when we say ‘carbs’ we are referring to whole food, real, single-ingredient carb sources like potatoes, rice, fruit, and quality grains (mostly consumed in baked goods like breads). So what represents ‘quality’?
When it comes to all foods, organic is best as these foods have been grown in soils devoid of chemical fertilisers and not sprayed with toxic herbicides or pesticides, and are non-GMO. When we think of bread, most of what is available at bakeries and supermarkets is made of highly processed, GMO, white flour which has been ‘fortified’ with synthetic vitamins and minerals – none of which are the least bit beneficial for our health.
Quality grains are organically grown and minimally processed, without fortification and can include: wheat, spelt, rye, oats, millet, kamut, and barley. Note that some of these contain gluten and may not be suitable for those with Coeliac disease, gluten intolerance or autoimmune disease. These all provide essential nutrients and fibre for gut and microbiome health. Even Dr Mercola who for years was a strong supporter of the Keto way of eating has realised the importance of fibre and carbohydrates for human health.
Another much maligned modern approach to nutrition is the use of calories to determine diet. Calories does not in any way reflect nutrient content.
Processed, packaged ‘carbs’ contain a LOT more ingredients than just carbs … Plus, the calories that come from fat are often HIGHER than the calories that come from carbs for these foods.
For example — for a Krispy Kreme doughnut, the total calories are 190, total fat is 11 grams, total carbs is 22 grams, and total protein is 3 grams. 88 calories come from carbs, and 99 calories come from fat. So, is it really the “carbs”? Or do we need to separate and distinguish whole-food carbs and ultra-processed foods?
In the above ingredients lists you will see the fortified wheat flour. Also vegetable oils and GMO soy derivatives, not to mention lots of sugar. Muffins made from non-GMO organically grown grains may have an ingredients list reading like this:
Organic flour (spelt, oat, millet), butter, eggs, milk, baking powder, vanilla extract. Quite a bit shorter and healthier.
If you would like to read more about the importance of good carbs and grains, please visit Dr Mercola’s very informative website which is once again open to the public.