{"id":35360,"date":"2022-07-22T11:50:11","date_gmt":"2022-07-22T09:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/?p=35360"},"modified":"2026-11-03T17:12:08","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:12:08","slug":"are-all-carbohydrates-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/are-all-carbohydrates-good\/","title":{"rendered":"Are all carbohydrates good?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carbohydrate <\/span><b>provides<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> an <\/span><b>important macronutrient<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for normal bodily function.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When trying to <\/span><b>improve body composition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, people often feel tempted to eliminate all carbohydrates, whether labelled good or bad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yet this <\/span><b>key nutrient<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> matters, especially with <\/span><b>physical activity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/4-keys-losing-body-fat\/\"><b>fat loss<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/best-diet-muscle-gain\/\"><b>muscle gain<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, you need a suitable strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Our <\/span><b>sports nutritionists<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> explain a macronutrient we appreciate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which carbohydrates should you avoid?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The question many people fear.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Do I really need to <\/span><b>remove carbohydrates from my life<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You may associate weight loss with cutting out <\/span><b>fat, meat, carbohydrate, lactose, gluten, sweets or evening fruit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The body is more complicated than that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fortunately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Progress comes through <\/span><b>planning<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, rather than magic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you are determined to wave a magic wand, we have <\/span><b>two suggestions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Start with things that harm your wellbeing, such as <\/span><b>alcohol<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><b>inactivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><b>unhelpful habits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>persistent stress<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then be <\/span><b>realistic<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> about <\/span><b>reaching your<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/importance-sporting-challenges\/\"><b> sporting challenge<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-30577 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/carbohidratos-buenos-escalada-1280x640.jpg\" alt=\"Person looking at a climbing wall\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You may have heard that <\/span><b>complex carbohydrates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are good and <\/span><b>simple carbohydrates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> should be avoided with a 100-metre pole.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At <\/span><b>INDYA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, we know nutrition does not work identically for the world&#8217;s more than 7 billion people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your<\/span><b> nutrition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> depends on your <\/span><b>circumstances<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. <\/span><b>Needs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> change, and what suits one day may not be ideal three days later.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nutrition is an <\/span><b>individual science<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> involving many variables.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Remember: <\/span><b>nutrition works when adapted to the person and the moment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and supported by <\/span><b>good habits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eliminating every food containing simple carbohydrate is not automatically a good habit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29000 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/carbohidratos-buenos-pasta-1-1280x640.jpg\" alt=\"Plate of carbohydrate-rich pasta\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Simple versus complex carbohydrates<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carbohydrates cover a wide range of compounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like \u201c<\/span><b>carbohydrate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201d, the terms \u201c<\/span><b>fat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201d, \u201c<\/span><b>protein<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201d, \u201c<\/span><b>vitamins<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201d and \u201c<\/span><b>minerals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201d cover many different substances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A <\/span><b>potato<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or <\/span><b>cereal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> differs from a <\/span><b>leafy vegetable<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or another <\/span><b>vegetable<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, despite supplying carbohydrate. <\/span><b>Chocolate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> alone differs from chocolate with <\/span><b>wholemeal bread<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or <\/span><b>nuts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Even <\/span><b>cold pasta<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> differs from <\/span><b>hot pasta<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and a<\/span><b> ripe banana<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> from a <\/span><b>green one<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What are the main differences?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Complex carbohydrates<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They contain <\/span><b>longer chains of monosaccharides<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> requiring <\/span><b>more processing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to <\/span><b>digest and absorb<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Many whole-food sources are <\/span><b>rich in <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/fibre-sporting-performance\/\"><b>fibre<\/b><\/a><b> and protein<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, slowing digestion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sources include <\/span><b>wholegrains<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> such as brown rice, quinoa, bulgur and buckwheat, along with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/why-fruit-pulses-vegetables-healthy\/\"><b>pulses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>vegetables<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Simple carbohydrates<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These can be<\/span><b> readily digested and absorbed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to supply<\/span><b> energy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> <\/span><b>quickly.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Not all <\/span><b>simple carbohydrates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> come from processed or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/what-are-ultra-processed-foods\/\"><b>ultra-processed products<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. <\/span><b>Whole foods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> such as <\/span><b>fruit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>milk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> also contain <\/span><b>simple carbohydrates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, including <\/span><b>fructose<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>lactose<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Readily digested carbohydrate is also found in <\/span><b>refined cereals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> such as <\/span><b>white rice<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>white bread<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, although their starch is chemically a complex carbohydrate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29001 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/carbohidratos-buenos-pan-1-1280x640.jpg\" alt=\"White bread sandwich\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Can you eat carbohydrates at night?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They do not bite, even at dinner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Although <\/span><b>dinner<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is often followed by <\/span><b>hours of inactivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, appropriate <\/span><b>carbohydrate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> portions <\/span><b>do not automatically cause weight gain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They serve <\/span><b>several functions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, including replenishing<\/span><b> <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/carbohydrates-sugars-glucose-glycogen\/\"><b>glycogen stores<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> after training or before a morning session and <\/span><b>supporting blood glucose regulation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> overnight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Evening <\/span><b>carbohydrate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can therefore fit your <\/span><b>individual needs and circumstances<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Is fruit suitable at dinner?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes, <\/span><b>fruit at the end of the day<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can be a good choice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The body does not have a clock that makes a food inherently unsuitable after a certain time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The <\/span><b>food matrix<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> affects how<\/span><b> sugar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> occurring <\/span><b>naturally<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in whole fruit is consumed and absorbed, compared with <\/span><b>added sugar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in <\/span><b>some processed foods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A <\/span><b>piece of fruit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can be useful if it suits your tolerance and needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29002 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/carbohidratos-buenos-banana-1280x640.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carbohydrates for athletes<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We are saying <\/span><b>carbohydrates differ<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, rather than ranking every type as universally better or worse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nutrition <\/span><b>depends<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on the <\/span><b>person<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">,<\/span><b> goal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>moment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Blanket advice to remove carbohydrate can be particularly unhelpful for <\/span><b>people who exercise<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have you heard of <\/span><b>bonking<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Individual <\/span><b>context<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> helps determine the right carbohydrate choice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A <\/span><b>cyclist<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> riding at <\/span><b>high intensity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> may benefit from <\/span><b>simple sugars<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> as fuel. With 3 hours between a meal and training, <\/span><b>complex carbohydrate foods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> may fit well, allowing digestion and supporting <\/span><b>glycogen stores<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29003 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/carbohidratos-buenos-ciclista-1280x640.jpg\" alt=\"Cyclist riding on a road\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That does not mean everyone should eat enormous amounts of <\/span><b>carbohydrate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. We cannot give your individual requirements without understanding your situation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Intake can be moderated. A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/keto-diet-complete-guide\/\"><b>keto diet<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> may suit particular circumstances, but should be planned and supervised appropriately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Without <\/span><b>professional guidance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, focus on <\/span><b>balanced eating<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> rather than indiscriminately excluding <\/span><b>fat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><b>carbohydrate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or<\/span><b> protein<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All have <\/span><b>important roles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in an appropriate plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29004 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/carbohidratos-buenos-comer-1280x640.jpg\" alt=\"Balanced meal containing carbohydrate\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/\"><b>sports nutritionist<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> who can adapt your plan, explore our <\/span><b>subscription options<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explore different types of carbohydrate and how to include them in an athlete\u2019s diet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":27016,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[213],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35360"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35360\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35666,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35360\/revisions\/35666"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}