Good carbs and high fiber

Just as with fats, there are “bad carbs” and “good carbs” (and conflicting dietary claims and sometimes controversy). Importantly, good carbs are high in fiber but not high in sugar. Good carbs include fiber-rich whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

Despite the proponents of low-carb diets, recent scientific reviews and research indicate that for long-term health (and not just immediate weight loss) people should eat more carbs, not less–but they should consume good carbs rather than bad.

The reviews and research suggest that consuming more good carbs as part of one’s diet (and that’s significantly more than what most people currently eat) can lead to 15-30% decreases in mortality and the incidence of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and colorectal cancer. Other benefits can include weight loss, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol. “The relationship between a high-fiber diet and lower disease risk could be causal.”

Read the article (Rita Rubin, JAMA, 17 April 2019).

And, go to the source — Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (Andrew Reynolds, et al., The Lancet, 10 January 2019).