Carbohydrates (meaning “carbon plus water”) are the most efficient fuel for your body. They provide steady healthy energy. Along with fat and protein, carbohydrates are an essential nutrient. The two major forms of carbs are: simple sugars (simple carbohydrates), found in sugars such as fructose, glucose, and lactose, as well as in nutritious whole fruits; and starches (complex carbohydrates), found in foods such as starchy vegetables, grains, rice, and bread and cereals.

What makes carbs different from other essential nutrients (fat and protein) is that they are easily converted to energy by the body. Furthermore, the simplest carbohydrate, glucose, is essential fuel for the brain and muscles. When glucose is absorbed from the intestine into the bloodstream, blood-glucose levels increase, and your pancreas begins to secrete insulin to help get that sugar out of the blood and to the brain and muscles. The problem occurs when too much glucose over-whelms the metabolism. In other words, if you regularly eat great amounts of foods with refined starches and sugars—the bad carbs—the pancreas makes too much insulin and the blood sugar drops too far, which, in turn, makes you feel hungry. Furthermore, muscle cells will stop taking in the glucose, and so more of this sugar will be stored as fat, which will result in weight gain.

GOOD CARB FOODS: Complex carbohydrates are the good carbs. Among good carbs are high-fiber, low-sugar fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole oatmeal and all other whole grains, and all types of beans (a Latin staple!). Sweet potatoes, brown rice, grapefruit, fat-free milk (organic and in moderation, please), whole grain pasta (also in moderation), and apples, like other good carbs, cause a gradual rise in blood-sugar levels, which is optimal for sustained energy, mental clarity and focus, and a balanced mood. Also, eating good carbs will help curb your cravings for bad carbs, which in turn can help you avoid chemical imbalances in the brain that can cause depression.

NOTE: I always recommend buying organic products, because they’re free of potentially harmful ingredients.

People often ask me if organic food is worth the price since it’s often more expensive than conventional produce.  My answer is “sometimes.”

Organic foods are grown without chemical fertilizers, insecticides or pesticides.  People often choose to buy organic because they don’t want to consume any chemicals and/or they are doing to their part to conserve the environment.  In fact, organic foods are so popular that nearly a quarter of American shoppers now buy organic products once a week.  But are they more nutritious than conventional foods?  The answer is probably not.
Studies suggest that organic foods do not contain more vitamins or nutrients than conventionally grown foods.  So if you are choosing organic, do so because you don’t want to ingest chemicals or you want to help sustain the environment—not because you want more vitamin C.

If you are concerned about pesticide residue, spend your money on buying organic foods that you eat whole (with the skin—where the residue would be).  Apple, cherries, grapes, nectarines, pears, peaches, raspberries and strawberries contain the most residues so these may be worth spending a few extra cents on.  Kiwi, mango, bananas, papaya and pineapple (all fruits you peel,) contain the least residue and you can save your money and buy conventional.

Keep in mind that organic doesn’t always mean freshest.   Many people are choosing to buy from local farms because the food is fresher even it isn’t organic.  Keep in mind many areas of the country can’t grow produce year round, so if you are buying organic oranges in the winter, chances are they traveled from California or farther to get to your market.  Eating seasonally is the best way to ensure that you are getting the freshest and most nutritious foods available.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Q:  I’m confused about the difference between whole wheat and whole grain? I thought that whole grain was supposed to be better. But, recently I bought some whole wheat rolls that had 5g of fiber, and the whole grain rolls had only 3g of fiber per serving. Isn’t more fiber better? What gives?

A:  Having “whole grains” is one of the most popular marketing claims and the most confusing.  Lately it seems that you can find “made with whole grains” on almost all products, including sugary breakfast cereal. But don’t confuse “whole grain” with “whole wheat.”  The impression may be that “whole grain” is a good source of fiber.  In reality, refined white flour (no fiber) — with just a touch of whole wheat flour added back in — can be listed as “whole grain.”  That’s why many items that say “made with whole grains” have virtually no fiber.

Instead, look for products made from 100 percent whole wheat. If “whole wheat flour” is not the first ingredient, skip it. It’s the whole wheat flour that contains fiber. Fiber is essential for weight management (it keeps you feeling full on few calories) and for reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, adult onset diabetes, breast and colon cancer.

Q:  How safe are organically grown foods? Aren’t some of the chemicals we use for our protection? On both crops and on livestock?

A:  Organically grown foods are just as safe as non-organic foods found in your local markets. What makes a food organic is that is was produced without using conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients, or radiation. The USDA had developed strict labeling rules to help consumers know the exact organic content of the food they buy. Look for the USDA Organic seal on produce and food containers.

Food that isn’t organic does not pose a danger to your health. The USDA spends billions of dollars on testing to make sure that the chemicals and fertilizers used to grow produce and to feed to livestock do not pose any health threats to the public. Whether you buy organic or not is a personal decision. Just keep in mind that the healthiest diets are based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low fat dairy items. Eating organic potato chips is not going to help you lose weight!

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.