Talk about carbs and most people will think of grains. But did you know that all plant foods are largely composed of carbohydrates? But – here’s the golden rule: just as calories from different foods act differently, even calories from different sources of carbs act differently in the body. So, depending on the plant food in question, differing amounts will be both indigestible (fibre) and digestible, the latter converting to blood sugar, sometimes at markedly different rates. That’s what we call the glycaemic response.

Governments continue to tell us that carbohydrates, being one of the three macronutrients, alongside protein and fats, should be the mainstay of our daily diet. That’s odd when we know technically carbohydrates are non-essential to human survival, unlike the other two groups. Making matters worse, modern populations have become increasingly reliant on ultra-processed simple carbs, guaranteed to spike blood sugar and insulin levels putting our feet well and truly on the path to obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes along with many other related chronic diseases.

There is another way. The choice of plant-foods has never been more diverse. So even if you cut down on starchy carbs, you’re never carb-free, unless you cut out all vegetables and fruit. Doing this is likely to affect your long-term health, particularly given that, aside from the carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits are incredibly important sources of micronutrients and phytochemicals that help modulate a wide array of biochemical pathways in our bodies.  

By choosing your carbs wisely, cutting out simple, refined carbs and focusing on a rainbow of nutrient-dense veggies plus a small amount of fruit every day you can take a different path to wellness. Our newest Health Hack video explains how to change the type and amount of carbohydrate foods in your diet to help you on your journey from disease promotion through disease prevention all the way to health regeneration or creation.