There are a lot of myths circulating about carbohydrate foods, particularly breads and cereals, and the biggest one would have to be that they make you fat. Diets that wipe out carbohydrates are currently popular with celebrities but not with dietitians. Carbohydrates are packed with energy and nutrients, provide fuel for your muscles and brain and are needed regularly throughout the day. But it pays to be choosy when going for grain based carbohydrate foods, making sure that you include plenty of wholegrain choices. What are wholegrains? Wholegrain foods are those that use all three layers of the grain rather than just one layer like the germ or bran. Good choices include oats, untoasted muesli, wholegrain breakfast cereals, brown rice and mixed grain breads. Why are wholegrains better? All grains are generally a good source of protein, carbohydrate, fibre and are low in fat, which makes them very nutritious. They are also more likely to satisfy your appetite and fill you up. However, wholegrain foods have the added bonus of special nutrients like vitamins and minerals and protective components known as phytochemicals that have been shown to promote and prolong good health. What are phytochemicals? Phytochemicals is the collective name for an array of different components in plants, such as antioxidants, that offer health protection. Antioxidants act like internal bodyguards that protect your cells from damage by free radicals like those caused by cigarette smoking or pollution. How much should I be eating? As a general guide for all Australian adults, you should be aiming to get in four or more serves of grain based foods per day for optimum health. You should also aim to make at least 1-2 of these serves a wholegrain food. Just remember… Carbohydrates alone cannot be blamed for weight gain. In fact, gram for gram they have the same kilojoule or food energy value as protein and only half as much as fat. If you overeat any food and under exercise, you will end up with a surplus of food energy or kilojoules that will be stored as body fat. Most people who have had success on low carbohydrate diets have drastically reduced their food energy or kilojoule intake, which explains why they lost weight. They are also likely to have made other positive lifestyle changes while motivated on the diet, like increasing physical activity.
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