Lowering your carbs a little is fine (for example, if you're following our Lower Carb Goal), but the danger with a drastic reduction is that you also cut out an essential source of fibre in your diet. The good 'complex' carbs we've talked about are excellent sources of fibre – so if you take a blanket cut on ALL carbs, you're throwing out all the good stuff with the less healthy carbs.
And the problem with that is most of us are not getting enough fibre in our diet anyway! The daily fibre target is 30g, and the average female in the UK is hitting around 17g and male 20g. So as always, it comes down to balance – carbs play an essential role in our diet. Aside from providing energy, they are fibre providers too.
Carbs are an important part of our diet, so we shouldn't cut them out completely. They are our body's preferred source of energy and also high carb foods tend to be the primary sources of important nutrients, such as fibre, in our diet. But if you do want to cut down a little, follow our tops tips to get the most out of the carbs you do eat.
Best quality carbs to eat | Refined carbs to limit |
---|---|
Whole wheat carbs |
Refined carbs |
Pulses |
Confectionery |
Fruits & Vegetables |
Sugary drinks |
Wholegrains |
Desserts |
Potatoes with skin on |
Sugary cereals |
Nutritionist Emma White (ANutr), MSc Human Nutrition is passionate about how food science applies to the human body, and how the nutrients in what we eat affect us and ultimately have an impact on our health.
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