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The Truth About Carbohydrates, by Jordan Rubin

Carbohydrates are the starches and sugars produced by plant foods, and like fats, they’ve been getting a bad rap lately from the purveyors of popular diets like Atkins and South Beach. I’m the first to agree that the American diet is weighted way too heavily on the carbohydrate side, especially when you consider how many foods contain sugar.

Sugar comes in so many forms that it’s hard to keep track of the names used for it these days. If the food label utilizes descriptions like corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, corn sweeteners, sorghum syrup, fruit juice concentrate, molasses, maple syrup, or honey, you’re eating a form of sugar. Some sugar-containing foods are healthier than others, however, and these include honey, maple syrup, dehydrated cane juice, or unrefined sugar.

The other main carbohydrate form is starch, which is found in plant-based foods such as rice, potatoes, corn, and grains. When carbohydrates are eaten, the digestive tract breaks down the long chains of starches into single sugars, mainly glucose, which is a source of immediate energy. If these calories are not expended, however, the body converts them to fat.

The problem with carbohydrates is that we eat too many refined carbohydrates. The refining process strips grains, vegetables, and fruits of their vital fiber, vitamin, and mineral components.

Whenever possible, eat your carbohydrates fresh and unrefined. This includes large amounts of fruits and vegetables, properly prepared grains, and small amounts of honey and other healthy sweeteners.