First of all - warning, I'm not an expert - no training or authority behind anything that I say - I'm just a fellow traveller also trying to make sense of
nutrition.
With that in mind, this is how I presently understand it:
Carbs are not evil. We like carbs - so many of the foods that we like are rich in carbohydrates - even human milk is especially rich in carbs - they are the preferred fuel of the omnivorous human
body. Similar - fats are not
all evil. Fats can also make our food tastier and healthier - many people are deficient of certain types of fats such as omega 3. Fad diets that attempt to eliminate all carbs or / and all fats are bad for us. It seems that
nutrition is more complex than simply dividing foods into a few groups, e.g those foods that are rich in carbs, etc. You often need to look at the individual merits and evils of each food.
Carbs give us
energy. Atheletes often eat carbs before and after a workout - to provide and replenish
energy. A deficit of carbs leads to weakness, lack of
energy, poor decision-making, dizzyness, etc.
Carbs are often split into two groups - simple and complex carbs. Foods that contain mainly complex carbs are traditionally accepted as ok, while some simple carbs were under scrutiny. However, there has been a trend in recent years, to grade carb-rich foods instead by their
glycemic index rating. In very basic layman's terms, those foods that digest and release their carbohydrates quickly, are considered
High GI, and are bad for you, as they can lead to a rush in blood glucose levels, which kicks in insulin, and can increase
weight gain; foods that digest and release their carbohydrates slower, are considered better - as they give you a more controlled prolonged release of fuel - they are considered
Low GI.
It can be very difficult to determine which foods are low or high GI. For example, how a food is stored, processed, cooked, how fresh it is etc - all can affect its GI rating. In addition, there has been a level of criticism of how a food is tested for GI in different labs around the World. Subsequently
some white rices, for example, Arborio rice, have been classified as high GI, while some other types - Basmati rice for example, have been catagorised as being better. It also depends on how you cook it! If you enter
rice into the search facility of
the Glycemic Index, you will see what I mean.
I wouldn't want to be a GI Fascist - I don't see the GI as infallable, as some kind of holy book of
nutrition. It is another useful source of reference that we can use, when we design our own
nutrition plans. We sometimes need High GI carbs - for example, when we wake up, or feel exhausted after running - we then want easily digested carbs to replenish our diminished
energy stores.
What are good carbs? Foods that contain good
nutrition - vitamins, antioxidants, etc. Foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Foods that are less refined, unprocessed - whole foods, foods that contain fibre - oats, fruits, wholemeal / wholegrain products. All I am saying is that each food needs to be judged on its own individual merits - not whether it is regarded simply as a 'carb or a protein'. I believe that the secret of a successful long-term
diet is to achieve a healthy balance. I don't like rigid
diet plans. I firmly believe that the best plan is one that you design yourself, based on your own levels of activity, tastes, environment, and culture. Learning about
nutrition gives you the ability to design that plan.
Sorry for the long post.
Getting back to the point - I personally, I prefer to avoid most white rice - ok,
sometimes I will enjoy a bowl, but at home I instead buy wholegrain or brown rice, and boil it.
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