Nowadays, carbohydrates are often seen as something negative and labeled as "fattening". However, this is a very one-sided view because carbohydrates are an important source of energy for the human body. However, it should be noted that a distinction is made between healthy and unhealthy carbohydrates.
In this blog post, we will not only review the most important facts about carbohydrates, but also explain how you can recognize where bad carbohydrates are hiding and how you can identify the good ones among them when you shop next.
Good vs. bad carbohydrates – here's what to keep in mind:
Healthy carbohydrates are so-called polysaccharides, i.e. long-chain carbohydrates that allow your blood sugar level to rise evenly and thus provide you with energy over a longer period of time.
This type of carbohydrate is mainly found in cereals, potatoes, and legumes in the form of starch.
In contrast, the “bad ones” are those carbohydrates that drive up your blood sugar levels, only provide you with short-term energy, and thus not only cause cravings, but can also be mainly responsible for weight gain.
These carbohydrates are described in technical jargon as mono- or disaccharides and occur mainly in the form of fructose, granulated sugar, or lactose.
So much for the most important facts and terms on the subject.
What the nutritional table tells us about the quality of carbohydrates
The nutritional information is mandatory for all food manufacturers – so you'll find it on every food package.
Seven statements are mandatory and relate to a quantity of 100 grams or 100 milliliters: calorific value, fat, saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, sugar, protein, and salt.
It is also possible, but not obligatory, to specify other nutrients (fiber, vitamins, etc.).
The nutrition labeling can usually be found on the side or the back of the product packaging and is shown in tabular form. This helps us to get a good overview of the nutritional values and subsequently to meet our daily requirements for carbohydrates , proteins, fats, and the like.
For us, the carbohydrates and the sugar content are especially important if we want to distinguish "good from evil". While the term "carbohydrates" covers all carbohydrate types that humans can digest, the term "sugar" only describes single and double sugars.
Thus, based on these two statements, we can recognize which type of carbohydrate it is and select our products accordingly.
However, there is one small thing to keep in mind – because sugar is not the same as sugar. So whether and to what extent sugar is harmful to the body needs a little more explanation.
Sugar – artificially added or natural?
As already mentioned, a distinction must also be made between the types of sugar. For example, the nutritional table does not show whether it is added sugar or naturally contained sugar.
However, there is a way to tell if the sugar is artificially added – this is indicated in the ingredients list. Often, added sugar is hidden behind terms such as dextrose, sucrose, fructose syrup, or maltose.
Of course, honey, agave syrup, and the like can also be used as sweeteners. In contrast to the other artificially added sugars, these provide some healthy micronutrients – but you should only eat them in smaller amounts, as sugar-rich foods ultimately all have a very similar effect on the body.
For example, very sugary foods cause blood sugar levels to rise faster compared to complex carbohydrates and only saturate for a short time, as they are digested particularly quickly due to their short-chain structure.
Nevertheless, it is a better choice to use products that use honey, dried fruits, and Co. as sweeteners, as these sweeteners, in contrast to classic artificially added sugar, are not only natural but also superior in all nutritional aspects.
At Verival, we take a very careful approach to sugar in our products. Our porridges and cereals therefore contain only small amounts of sugar – usually in the form of freeze-dried fruit.
Caution with diets
Nutritional information and the list of ingredients are particularly important for people on a diet. Because of the limited calorie intake or the absence of certain foods, not only macro but also micronutrients are eliminated. Especially with the very popular low-carb diet, the reduction of carbohydrates not only eliminates important fiber, but also vitamins.
In order to prevent a deficiency, special care should therefore be taken to analyze the ingredients and nutritional values of the limited carbohydrate sources.
Particularly rich in micronutrients and in particular in fiber are, for example, oatmeal or oat bran, which, among other things, form the basis of our porridges.
Good carbs vs. bad carbs at a glance
Although you can now see for yourself how to distinguish good from bad carbohydrates, we would still like to give you a brief overview of some alternatives to common (unhealthy) carbohydrates:
| “Bad” Carbohydrates | Alternatives |
| White bread, bread rolls, etc. | Wholemeal bread, crispbread, etc. |
| Sweetened cereals | Sugar-free cereals or porridge |
| Sweetened fruit yoghurts | Natural yoghurt with fresh fruit |
| Snacks, such as gummy bears, chips, etc. | Fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, etc. |
