Carbohydrates | Health Navigator NZ

This group includes oats, rye, millet, barley, wheat, corn, some breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, cous cous, polenta and bread.

These foods are often referred to as ‘carbohydrates’ although fruit, some vegetables and milk products are also carbohydrates and fall into separate sections of food groups.

Ministry of Health advice

It is recommended that you choose mostly wholegrain foods and those naturally high in fibre.

Some carbohydrates are better for you to eat on a regular basis than others as they are less processed and contain more nutrients.
Grains are especially important for all the vitamins and minerals they contain.
Studies suggest whole grains may help prevent heart disease and perhaps diabetes.

Image: Canva

Energy and nutrients

Foods from this group provide the main source of carbohydrates within the diet. Once eaten they are broken down in your gut to release glucose which is your body's main fuel supply.
It is recommended you eat about 6 servings of grain foods every day to meet your energy and nutrient requirements.
By eating some of these at each meal (3 times a day) you are helping to keep your energy levels stable which will prevent you from feeling tired. This is particularly important if you have diabetes.

Ways to include grain foods every day

Choose a healthy breakfast cereal by reading the label and choosing one that is lower in sugar and higher in fibre. Wheat biscuits and oats are popular healthy choices.
Toast is another healthy breakfast option if you choose wholemeal or wholegrain bread, and top with spreads, eg, egg, tomato, banana or beans.
Sandwiches, filled rolls, pita breads and wraps are easy eat-on-the-run lunch foods and can be prepared in advance. Choose wholemeal or wholegrain varieties where you can, add lots of salad fillings, some lean meat, egg, beans or cheese and a low fat dressing if you need it.
Add pasta or rice to soups with vegetables so you have everything in one bowl and you may not need to eat it with bread or toast.

Portion size

To help get your portions right try and fill ½ your plate with vegetables or salad, ¼ with your carbohydrate / grain foods, and ¼ with lean meats, eggs or vegetarian alternatives.
Another way to remember how much is a good portion is to eat approximately a fist-sized amount of a grain food, eg, pasta, rice, potato with your main meal – this means that you eat in proportion to the size of your body.

Recommended amounts and choices of grain foods

Grain foods provide a range of nutrients, including:

Carbohydrate (energy).
Dietary fibre.
Protein (energy).
Vitamins: all B group (except B12), E (rich in wheatgerm).
Minerals (particularly in whole grain foods): magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc and selenium.

Choose mostly whole grains and those naturally high in fibre. Most adults need about 6 servings of grain foods each day, see the recommended amounts for men and women at different life stages below.

The following are examples of how much makes up a serving size:

½ whole-grain bread roll (40g)
1 sandwich slice whole-grain bread (40g)
¼ cup muesli (30g)
½ cup cooked porridge (120g)
½ cup cooked pasta, rice, noodles, barley, buckwheat, semolina, polenta, bulgur, quinoa (75-120g)
2 breakfast wheat biscuits
3 crispbreads or crackers (35g).

Specific recommendations for population groups

Men:

Aged 19–70 years: 6 servings per day.
Aged over 70 years: 4½ servings per day.

Women:

Aged 19–50 years: 6 servings per day.
Aged 51–70 years: 4 servings per day.
Aged over 70 years: 3 servings per day.
Pregnant women: 8½ servings per day.
Breastfeeding women: 9 servings per day.

Carbohydrates and the glycaemic index

All carbohydrates are broken down in the gut to release glucose, which is our main fuel supply. Many nutritionists now think the longer it takes for the food you eat to be broken down to glucose, the healthier that food is for you. That means some carbohydrates are better for you to eat on a regular basis than others.

The rate of breakdown is measured by a system called the glycaemic index (GI), which ranks food on a scale from 0-100 according to the effect it has on blood sugar levels. Foods with an index number of 70 or more are considered to be high GI (breaks food down quickly), foods with an index number between 56 and 69 are considered to be medium GI, and foods with an index number of 55 or less are low GI (breaks food down slowly).

People with diabetes are recommended to eat foods that are low GI as this helps to stabilise their blood glucose levels.