Look, carbs aren't all bad. Despite what we've heard from the low-carb industry and certain "academics," carbs are mostly beneficial.
Yes, in general, we eat too many of them. Yes, in general, we eat the wrong types of them. But the flip-side of that coin is, if we aren't eating carbs, we aren't getting the nutrients we need to (among other things):
- Fuel our body during intense activity (GPP).
- Provide our body with vital nutrients (vitamins and minerals).
- Provide our body with fiber it needs for Optimal Health.
All of these aren't just important. They are CRITICAL to our health. Let's not go over-looking the importance of carbs in exchange for the nutritional fad du jour.
What kind of carbs should we be eating?
Mostly natural ones.
We suggest eating carbs which are still in their most wild & natural states. If it still looks the same as it did when it came out of the ground (bush, vine, tree, etc.) - eat it. It is probably good for you. Especially if it comes from your region. Especially if it was grown without modern synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Especially if it wasn't processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives. Especially if you eat it during the time of year it became ripe. Especially if you need to do very little processing (cooking) to make it edible. Get what we mean?
How do we know if something is a carb? Simple, if it is a food we can eat, and it isn't a protein, fat or alcohol - it's probably a carb.
I heard we shouldn't eat bananas, potatoes, tomatoes, cashews, (etc.) ...
C'mon. Really?
We are criminalizing bananas, potatoes and other natural foods now? In a world where people are downing (by the ton) highly processed sugars, cheese burgers and other delights which don't remotely resemble natural food, low-carb "food experts" choose to criminalize these?
That's mostly stupid.
If a low-carb "food expert" were to peer into my kitchen on Super Bowl Sunday, bet they'd jump at the thought of feeding me a banana.
There can be no doubt that we should place limits on certain foods. All things in moderation. What is more important is how a food is grown & prepared. Remember "natural." When a food is prepared in a way where it doesn't resemble - well, FOOD - it loses most of it's beneficial nutrients.
The professional low-carb foodies of the world can argue all they want about the academics of eating, and preparing natural foods. We will leave them to it. They can grandstand and peacock all they want. The preparation and consumption of natural foods (as we describe above) is not America's problem. It has more to do with the fact that we aren't eating natural foods - at all, for the most part.
Eat your carbohydrates. They are good for you. They are critical to your health and the health of your family.
As you do, prepare to forge ahead through the shouts of the low-carb industry and of certain academics. They'll keep hollering about how eating carbs is terrible for us for another couple of years, or so. Then, the fad will be over. We'll all have another thing (according to them) to worry about.