Are Your Children Eating the Right Carbs?
Do you and your children know the difference between french fries and baked sweet potato? Or, what are the differences between typical processed breakfast cereal, full of high-fructose corn-syrup and artificial colorings; and a bowl of steel-cut oats with berries, nuts and seeds?
All the foods above are rich sources of carbohydrates.
In the recent years carbohydrates reputation has swung wildly and carbohydrates have been touted as bad food in many fad diets. On the other hand, some carbs have been promoted as a healthful nutrient that helps maintain optimal weight, while lowering risk of disease and cancer.
So which is it? Are carbs good or bad? The short answer is that they are both.
The Bad Carbs
Carbs found in refined carbohydrates — white flour, sugar, white pasta, soft drinks, etc. — are a big reason behind the obesity epidemic that is affecting our country, including children. Nearly half of the children in North and South America will be overweight by 2010, up from what recent studies say is about one–third, according to a report published by the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. (Source: DrFuhrman.com)
We can minimize health risk of bad carbs by eliminating refined and processed carbohydrates that strip away beneficial fiber and nutrients. Examples: white bread, white sugar, white rice, sodas and processed “juice-drinks”.
The Good Carbs
Yes, there are good carbs, and they include whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits. Plant foods deliver fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals along with grams of carbohydrates. We can increase health benefits of good carbs by choosing carbohydrates full of fiber. Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans get absorbed slowly into our systems, avoiding spikes in blood sugar levels.
Why Carbohydrates Matter?
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy. National Academies Institute of Medicine, the leading nutrition authority, recommends:
- Having daily calories intake of 45% to 65% from carbohydrates, 20% to 35% from fat, and 10% to 35% from proteins
- Eating plant food – the only one way to get fiber. Fruits and vegetables are quality carbohydrates loaded with fiber. High fiber diet lowers risk for heart disease and it may help to prevent colon cancer and promote weight control.
Did You Know?
Leafy greens and green vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli, for example) are the nutrition powerhouses, meaning they are the densest nutrition source of all foods. The majority of calories in green vegetables, including leafy greens, come from protein, and this plant protein is packaged with beneficial phytochemicals: Green vegetables are rich in folate (the natural form of folic acid), calcium, antioxidant pigments called carotenoids and even contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
Educating parents about healthy nutrition is an important goal of NaturalPediatric.com, pediatrician in Hackensack, NJ. Visit our Facebook page and contact us with comments and questions.
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