Eating too much staple food will make you fat? The World Health Organization has updated its guidelines: These are the 4 types of carbohydrates you should eat the most!

Rice, steamed buns, noodles, pancakes, etc. are the staple food choices of many people. The main ingredients are carbohydrates, which are one of the main sources of energy for the human body. However, many people choose to eat less or even no carbohydrates in order to control their body shape and avoid gaining weight.

4 types of carbohydrates

“Strongly recommended” by the World Health Organization

On July 17, the World Health Organization updated its carbohydrate guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. The guidelines strongly recommend four types of carbohydrates that should be consumed: whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans.

The Guidelines state:

1. Eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes is associated with a significant reduction in mortality and disease risk, reducing the risk of all-cause mortality by nearly 20%.

2. Eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits or legumes can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease by 10% to 20%.

3. Eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits or legumes can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and colon cancer by more than 20%.

What foods are high-quality carbohydrates?

What are some good food sources of carbohydrates? Liu Taibin, deputy director of the Foodborne Disease and Food Safety Risk Monitoring Institute of the Jinan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Province, published an article in “Jinan CDC Micro Health” introducing common sources of carbohydrates. [2]

1. Cereals

Cereals include whole grains and refined grains, with carbohydrates accounting for 60% to 80%. Whole grains include whole wheat bread, whole wheat flour, oats, barley, buckwheat, whole corn kernels, etc. Compared with refined grains, whole grains are not only rich in starch, but also contain more protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

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2. Miscellaneous beans

Miscellaneous beans include mung beans, red beans, flower beans, broad beans, etc., with carbohydrates accounting for 40% to 60%. They are not only a good source of carbohydrates, but also can supplement B vitamins and calcium, potassium, magnesium, and contain lysine that is lacking in cereal protein. Therefore, when combined with cereals as a staple food, it can improve the utilization rate of cereal protein. In addition, they also contain a large amount of oligosaccharides and dietary fiber.

3. Vegetables

Root vegetables have a high starch content, such as yam, lotus root, water chestnut, carrot, lily, etc. They contain a large amount of healthy polysaccharides, and are also rich in polyphenol antioxidants and vitamin C.

4. Fruit

The carbohydrates in fruits are mainly fructose, glucose and dietary fiber, and they are also rich in vitamins and trace elements, which are also a good source of carbohydrates. Sugar cane, dates, bananas, jackfruits, figs, etc. are high-sugar fruits, so be careful to limit your consumption.

In addition, sweet potatoes, potatoes, taro, etc. are high in dietary fiber and can easily make you feel full. Potatoes can supplement the vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, and beta-carotene that are lacking in refined rice and grains.

How should we eat the 4 types of carbohydrates?

How should we consume four types of carbohydrates in a balanced way during our three meals a day? In May 2022, the official website of the Chinese Nutrition Society published an article giving detailed suggestions. [3]

1. Whole grains: At least 1/4 of the staple food should be whole grains, and it is best if 1/2 of the staple food is whole grains

It is recommended to eat 50 to 150 grams of whole grain foods every day, which is equivalent to 1/4 to 1/3 of the daily grain intake.

2. Beans: Eat with staple food

Miscellaneous beans can be eaten with staple foods. It is recommended to use red beans, mung beans and flower beans to balance the nutrients of dietary fiber, vitamin B, potassium, magnesium, etc., and improve protein complementarity and utilization. In addition, soybeans and their products can be eaten frequently in different ways. Tofu, dried tofu, tofu shreds and other products can be rotated every week to change the taste and meet nutritional needs.

Bean food exchange chart. Image from the official website of the Chinese Nutrition Society

3. Vegetables: Choose dark-colored ones

Include vegetables at every meal, and make sure to consume no less than 300 grams of fresh vegetables every day, with dark vegetables accounting for 1/2.

According to the color depth, vegetables can be divided into dark vegetables and light vegetables. Dark vegetables refer to dark green, red, orange and purple vegetables, which have nutritional advantages, especially rich in beta-carotene, which is the main source of dietary vitamin A. You should pay attention to choosing more.

Table from the official website of the Chinese Nutrition Society

4. Fruits: at least 1-2 kinds per day

Eat fruit every day, ensuring that you consume 200-350 grams of fresh fruit every day. Juice cannot replace fresh fruit. Choose fresh seasonal fruit and buy different types, at least 1-2 kinds a day.

References

[1] Carbohydrate intake for adults and children: WHO guideline. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

[2] 2022-05-19 Jinan CDC Micro Health "2022 National Nutrition Week | Count the carbohydrates that are beneficial to the human body

[3] 2022-05-05 Chinese Nutrition Society official website “Guideline 3: Eat more fruits and vegetables, dairy, whole grains, and soy”

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Source: Health Times

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center

Editor: Yinuo

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