Hiya Gorgeous,
I didn’t realize how prevalent carb-confusion still is until guiding thousands of participants through Crazy Sexy You, my 21-day total wellness program, last fall (get on the waitlist for the next live immersion here). Much to my surprise, some folks were alarmed and even afraid to see brown rice paired with their Cauliflower and Chickpea Masala! You might be in the same boat—unsure whether you should enjoy carbs or shun them for good. But it’s common to be skeptical because good carbs have gotten a bad rap in recent history.
So why is that? Why are carbs (even whole grains) blamed for issues like mental cloudiness, fatigue and weight gain? Their poor reputation is mostly rooted in diet fads and the fact that some healthy, nutrient-rich whole grains have been lumped in with processed, sugary foods—the real culprit of these health issues (and more).
As a result, the damage done by popular crash diets (ahem, Atkins) has caused nourishing carbs to be misunderstood. So rather than throwing out the quinoa with the Krispy Kremes, let’s get the full scoop.
There’s a wide range of nutritional value in the carb kingdom with sweets, sugary drinks and processed carbs on one end of the spectrum and whole grains, fruits and vegetables on the other. You can probably guess which side is the one I’d recommend adding to your plate.
Very few people can argue with the fact that veggies and fruits are healthy carbs, but whole grains are an in-between-er for some. Did you know that grains, like brown rice, quinoa (which is technically a seed, but we cook it and eat it like a grain), whole grain pasta, amaranth, millet (and the list goes on!), are loaded with essential nutrients? Research has shown that including them in your diet delivers a wide array of health benefits—even long-term weight control!
Obviously, if you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, you’ll want to avoid the gluten-containing whole grains, but there are so many other healthy carbs that can be enjoyed instead (check out my blog on gluten sensitivity here and the pros and cons of gluten-free diets here for more info).
Today, I’m here to defend my little whole grain buddies, quash any fears you have about including them on your plate and get you pumped about trying some new ones. Some of the biggest benefits of eating more whole grains include…
Living Longer
For starters, the pooled results of 14 long-term research studies show that the more whole grains you eat, the longer you’re likely to live (study). At just 3 servings of whole grains per day, your risk decreases significantly, especially when it comes to dying from heart disease or cancer (study). And for every extra serving beyond 3 per day, your risk decreases even more. Not to mention the fact that whole grains are one of the biggest diet components to preventing heart disease to begin with (study).
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
In addition to living longer, people who eat whole grains have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight. In all the studies that have looked at whole grains and long-term health, it has also been found that compared to people who rarely or never consume whole grains, people who eat 3-5 servings of whole grains daily avoid the typical rate of weight gain that happens in adulthood (about 2 pounds per year) (study). This could be because of the satisfying nature of whole grains and the fact that you fill up faster and feel better when your diet includes them.
Losing Unwanted Pounds
And they don’t just help you maintain weight, they also may help you lose it. Eating whole grains has been shown to boost your metabolism. People who eat whole grains daily burn about 100 more calories a day because of their increased metabolism and better digestion, with an increase in bowel movements (study). Plus, eating whole grains at meals helps you stay full longer, which means you’re less likely to snack or binge on unhealthy foods.
Lowering Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Even though whole grains have a hearty dose of carbohydrates and have the potential to raise blood sugar, they also contain fiber, which can prevent blood sugar spikes. Plus, the magnesium in carbs is an important cofactor for helping the body properly use glucose and make insulin. This is why research has shown that regular whole grain consumption can lower type 2 diabetes risk by 31% (study). And, it’s something special about the whole grains because even if magnesium consumption from other foods is high, type 2 diabetes prevention isn’t as strong.
Lowering Risk of Developing Breast Cancer
Large studies done in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women have shown significant reductions in breast cancer risk when eating fiber from whole grains every day. This has been tied to their rich source of phytoestrogenic lignans (plant estrogens found in cereal fiber). The lignans mimic estrogen, causing your body to produce less on its own. Less estrogen production means greater breast cancer prevention. In premenopausal women eating at least 13 grams of fiber from whole grains per day (about 4 servings of whole grains), breast cancer risk decreased by 41% compared to women eating 4 or fewer grams of fiber from whole grains each day (about 1 serving of whole grains) (study). Similar results have been found for postmenopausal women (study).
Improving Digestive Health
Not only do whole grains have wonderful fiber, which can prevent constipation and keep the trains moving on time, but the fiber is also helpful at binding to toxins to get them out of your body. Plus, the fiber in whole grains helps promote gut health by acting as prebiotics—the food that nourishes your good bacteria (probiotics). This is why diets rich in whole grains can help remedy diverticulosis, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive ailments.
After reading this list, you might be warming up a little to whole grains. So now, let’s talk about how many servings you’ll need to experience these grain goodies.
The Dietary Guidelines Committee recommends eating 6-10 servings of grains per day, half of those servings being whole grains (so, 3-5 servings a day). But, I think we can do better than that! What if all your grains were whole grains (and none of the processed stuff that gives healthy grains a bad rap)? You’ll be surprised how easy that can be, especially since one serving is equal to 1/2 cup cooked whole grain, 1 slice of whole grain bread or 1 ounce of whole grain cereal.
Let me give you an example. If you have a cup of cooked oatmeal at breakfast, 2 slices of avocado toast on whole grain bread at lunch and a stir-fry over 1/2 cup quinoa at dinner, that’s already 5 servings of whole grains. Add 10 whole grain crackers dipped in hummus as a snack, and you’re at 6 servings. An A+ day!
Dear Kriss,
Thank you very much for this article, I allways love reading your articles on food! I do have a question however. What would a ‘serving’ be? In my mind, this would be the right amound of food for a meal. Say 150-200 grams of bulgur wheat for 1 person. But in that case 5 servings would be a whole lot of grains..
Hope to hear from you and thanks again for your work and research.
Daniëlle
Hi Daniëlle! A serving is about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of cooked whole grain (that’s about 33 g dry brown rice), 1 slice of whole grain bread, or 10 multigrain crackers. So, if you have 1/2 cup of oatmeal, a full sandwich, 1/2 cup of brown rice, and 10 crackers, that’s 5 servings for the day. Hope that helps! xo – Jen (Nutrition Director at Crazy Sexy Wellness)
As always, I just LOVE your articles Kris 🙂 your writing style flows, is easy to read and of course super educational…. you do such amazing work at educating and helping people thrive…. I just had to say (although I’m sure I’ve said it before)…. many thanks 😉 <3
Dear Kris,
thank you for your beautiful and important work, over and over again!
I appreciated reading on how you defend your little whole grain buddy!
Since there is a lot of promotion for a ketogenic diet as part of a cancer treatment, I sure feel ??? these questionmarks …
Could you imagine discussing the ketogenic diet for cancer patients from your point of view?!.
I would so love hearing from you!
Thank you! thank you! Thank you!
Ula (from Germany)
Hi Ula! I’m the Nutrition Director here at Crazy Sexy Wellness, so I’ll jump in for Kris. The ketogenic diet is a very tough one to stick with and often causes other ills like constipation and brain fog. Because whole grains are typically a big part of a healthy cancer prevention and survival diet, most cancer docs discourage the ketogenic diet. But, research is emerging as to how it may be helpful short-term for people with brain cancer. We will keep our eyes and ears out as I imagine we’ll be learning more in the not-to-distant future. xo! – Jen
Hi Jen
Why do you say the ketogenic diet is hard to follow?
Once you have your insulin under control and sugar cravings are no more, it is the easiest diet I have ever tried to follow. In fact it is not really a diet, but just a healthier way of eating.
I am seldom hungry, don’t crave sugar and when I need more carbs, I eat more vegetables and may even consider some of the good carbs like sweet potato and quinoa.
I don’t need to eat every chocolate I see anymore and that is freedom.
Hi Noline! Glad to hear that it’s working for you! The majority of the nutrition patients I’ve worked with who have voluntarily tried a keto diet have eventually gone back to whole grains because they missed them. And quite honestly, I’ve been relieved because I haven’t seen convincing research on the safety of ketogenic diets for the long-term. But, research is always emerging so we can both keep our ears out for new developments. xo! -Jen
Hi Ula,
I’ll jump in here too. I was recently talking to Keith Block MD (my integrative cancer doc who also runs a cancer center in Chicago) about the ketogenic diet and he said that it can be cancer specific. Some cancers do well (like brain cancer) others do not and can even be made worse. So I would approach with caution and do very diligent research. There are great stories and people who have been helped by this diet but not everyone is the same, nor is every cancer the same. I wish I could tell you more, that’s the extent of my knowledge. x!
If I ate this many servings of whole grains per day (i.e. the grams of carbs contained therein), I’d likely get so fat, I’d explode!
Whole grains (or carbs) don’t make you fat if they’re real food – and if you modify based on your caloric/macro needs. I used to be deathly afraid of carbs – even fruit! – because I thought it would make me fat. But I’ve been eating a carb-moderate diet since January and have lost inches ’round my middle, dropped pounds, and – the best part – feel more satiated and energetic throughout the day.
Thanx for your comment. 🙂
I certainly do NOT want to be in constant ketosis (i.e. no carbs), however, I know my system well and how many carbs I can ideally assimilate daily, and, as I said, if I ate this many carbs, I’d be fat. This is to include eating moderate protein and a healthy amount of fat as should be included in any healthy diet. Aside from my personal experience, the typical elderly patients I see in my practice could not consume this many servings/calories of carbohydrates, albeit healthy carbs, without putting on weight.
BTW, I agree with Kris on some carbs being healthier than others … same with one type of protein vs. another … same with some types of fat being healthier than others … but adding this quantity of carbs daily to a diet adequate in protein and fat would likely put the intake/day over the outtake/day for the average Joe/Jane.
Forgive my delay in saying “thanx” to Kris for pointing to healthy carbs.
As someone who has been in keto before, I understand. It’s about knowing your own body, activity level, and goals for your lifestyle. Case in point, on the days I do not workout, I consume 75 g of carbs a day. It seems rather low when you compare it to a very active person, but it’s the number that works for me. If someone leads a sedentary life, then there could be the concern of them eating “too much” brown rice and putting on weight … but I don’t think carbs are the villain here. If a sedentary person ate “too many” almonds in a day, the same would happen. Counting macros/calories works for some in order to understand the balance between activity level and the food they “should” consume to reach/stay at a healthy weight. Not that the scale is the end-goal, but as someone who has been overweight and in search of the right approach to food/fitness, I understand how this conversation can be simplified down to the roots. 🙂
Hi there! I’m a dietitian and the Nutrition Director here at Crazy Sexy Wellness, so I’ll put in my two cents. Nutrition and calorie needs are different for weight maintenance and weight loss. The research studies mentioned above include positive health results with 3-5 servings of whole grains a day (and a serving is very small… 1/2 cup cooked brown rice or 1 piece of whole grain bread). In our Crazy Sexy You program (which is designed to promote weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week), we include, on average, 3 servings of whole grains a day. The majority of people doing Crazy Sexy You experienced weight loss, although we welcomed adjustments to the program to meet specific needs. In my experience in counseling weight loss patients, people who had some trouble losing weight had better luck when they made sure dinner was the lightest meal of the day, and often chose to lighten it up by eliminating the starchy/grainy food at that meal. Whole grains provide so many health benefits in addition to long-term weight control, that hopefully they can be included to reap the benefits! xo – Jen
Thanks, Kris, for your point of view on this and the info. to back it up. It will alleviate the unease and guilt I feel every time I eat a piece of sprouted whole grain bread or any other whole grain carb.
Thanks so much for the whole-grains blog Kris! I’ve always eaten whole grains and feel very happy to be reminded of all the good reasons that I do ! Thank you for all of the good that you put out into this world ?
These are really interesting points thanks for sharing! We work hard in our house to focus on whole grains – quinoa, oats, brown rice etc. Good to know we’re doing the right thing 🙂
i participated in the CSY course last year and the amount of carbs did not work for me. i think if you are VERY active and young and your metabolism is still firing at top speed, it works but if you are 50+ woman who is only moderately active because of injuries, it does not work. i didn’t even eat any of the snacks or drank any of the milks at night and if i wouldn’t have cut back on the carbs i wouldn’t have lost any weight. I’m not saying that carbs are the enemy and one sure does need whole grains but it is all in the amount.
Hi Claudia! Thanks for your comment! I’m the Nutrition Director here at Crazy Sexy Wellness, so I’ll jump in. Everyone has a different metabolism, and things start slowing down after age 25. Because we have thousands of people in the program, with many different needs, we teach participants how to modify the meal plan to fit their goals–which is exactly what you did. We designed Crazy Sexy You to promote weight loss for the majority of people at a rate of 1-2 pounds a week, with about 3 servings of whole grains per day. Whole grains provide so many health benefits in addition to long-term weight control, so we were thrilled that most people experienced weight loss with CSY. I’m so glad that you were able to make modifications and have success as well. xo! – Jen
Hiya Kris,
I don’t mean to nitpick but….under the heading Living Longer perhaps you could clarify the end of the first sentence – “lower your risk of dying.” We’re all gonna die! Mayhaps adding “from XYZ disease” as you did in the rest of that paragraph would sound more realistic. Hugs!
Thanks, Beverly! Here at Team Crazy Sexy, we never read it that way, but you have a point! We’ve changed it to “longer you’re likely to live” — Hope that settles the confusion! xo – Jen (Nutrition Director)
So what to do if gluten intolerant and told to stay away from grains too?
When I try the beans my sugar goes way up. I’m so confused as to what to eat.
Linda, some grains – like brown rice and quinoa – are naturally gluten-free.
I’m so happy you wrote this article! I’ve always seen the research showing the benefits of grains, and as a plant-based food lover, I can’t imagine life without real whole grains. But as a health teacher, it’s become so confusing educating others recently when so many well-known nutrition-minded doctors (such as Dr. Mark Hyman) advocate eliminating/decreasing all grains. A lot of their advice sounds like the Atkins approach, just re-packaged. I would love to know your view on why these docs advocate eating what looks like a paleo diet (I’ve even wondered if they’re supported by the meat and dairy industry). Thank you for everything you do! xx
I thought brown rice and quinoa were also gluten free but Dr said some people still can’t tolerate these and you will never totally heal unless you avoid them. They were causing inflammation in my body.
Hi Linda! I’m a dietitian and the Nutrition Director here at Crazy Sexy Wellness. Gluten tends to be the most inflammatory grain. But, millet, brown rice, and quinoa are gluten-free and don’t tend to trigger inflammation unless you have a specific sensitivity to them. Sugar and dairy foods are typically the biggest culprits when it comes to inflammation. You may consider working with an integrative doc who can determine your specific whole-body needs, and hopefully he/she can help you include some gluten-free grains as part of your diet to reap their benefits. xo! – Jen
Linda, the reason why most ‘gluten-intolerant’ people have a reaction to grains is not gluten, that’s why they can react to gluten-free grains too, it’s glyphosate (RoundUp herbicide), it’s sprayed on most conventionally grown grains and the only way to avoid it is to eat organic. Even some organic foods have been found to be contaminated, but it’s still your best bet. In fact, you might just find that you’re not gluten-intolerant if you try organic grains, I know a lot of people who did, myself included, but I kind of knew from the beginning.
Thank you Kriss for an excellent article. I’ve been struggling for a couple of years with knowing what I should eat even though I know it’s about bio-individuality and I’ve studied nutrition at IIN and also from a functional medicine perspective. I’ve had digestive issues for years and now have been treating SIBO with a functional medicine doctor. However I find that in many cases functional medicine advocates not using grains at all or minimally and taking a more Paleo approach to the issue. I was just wondering what your take is on the great results people have with vegan type of diets and also with Paleo type of diets? Is it just that certain diets suit others better? I find it difficult to know which way to go as many experts tell a compelling story, like I love Dr. Hyman for example and his idea of the pegan diet, and everyone seems to have evidence to back it up. Do you have an opinion on e.g. The antinutrients (don’t know if that’s what they’re called in English) or lectins that are considered bad in grains and beans? Lots of questions, sorry ? Appreciate your help. Love, Annika
Hi Annika! I’m a dietitian and the Nutrition Director here at KrisCarr.com, so I’ll chime in. The bottom line is that a whole foods diet rich in lots of plant foods offers the most disease-protecting power and helps you feel the most energetic. Tweaks to meet individual needs will always be necessary, even if it’s simply which foods need to be eaten at different times of the day. Paleo-Vegan is increasing in popularity, but because there is so much long-term research on the health benefits of whole grains, we encourage including them in your diet, even if it’s just 3 times a day. People who have slower metabolisms and a harder time losing weight often choose to skip the grains at dinner and make that the lightest meal of the day in order to lose weight. In our experience, it also difficult to sustain a diet completely free of grains. So, realistically, learning to include them in a balanced way can offer health benefits like weight control, and diet satisfaction over the long-term.
As for antinutrients like phytates and lectins in grains and beans, they can be eliminated almost completely by soaking, fermentation, and boiling, which are standard methods in preparing those foods. Hope that helps! xo – Jen
Hi,
thank you very much for your reply. This is about what I gathered as well. I guess I’m just having some trouble knowing what’s best for me, but that could just mean being patient and learning to listen to my body even more..and knowing that could take some time. Thank you for your thorough response. I really appreciate it as I’ve been confused personally about these things for quite some time. =) Also valuable to know that the soaking and cooking takes care of a lot of the antinutrients. Thank you!! =)
Thank you Jen! I am working with a gluten specialist at the moment. That’s who discovered this.
Good article, and something I, like many of us, have been struggling with lately, sifting through the piles of opinions on this matter. At 46 years old, and a pre diabetic who has always eaten fairly healthy and am not overweight I have to be particularly careful.
One thing I’ve heard is that Quinoa, while a healthy grain, should be avoided by folks like me as it causes blood sugar spikes as much as a chocolate bar. I’m not sure of that claim but it keeps me away for now.
Hi Mike! I’m a dietitian and the Nutrition Director here at KrisCarr.com, so I’ll jump in. Eventhough quinoa is a healthy whole grain (technically a seed), it does contain carbohydrates — which provide essential fuel for your brain and heart. If you don’t eat carbs, your body makes them from protein and fat. This is why completely avoiding carbs is not the answer to reversing type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. You may find that your blood sugar increases after eating whole grains or fruit. But without those foods, you may experience insulin resistance along with a blood sugar spike 3-4 hours after eating high-protein and high-fat foods. Eating a healthy balance of high-fiber carbs (like quinoa), and some protein and fat at each meal along with regular exercise and weight control is typically the best recipe for lowering blood sugars and avoiding type 2 diabetes. Hope that helps! xo Jen
Hi Jen,
this comment was really fascinating to me and I was wondering if you’d have the time to elaborate on how one can experience insulin resistance along with a blood sugar spike 3-4 hours after eating high-protein and high-fat foods? I would love to learn the details of what exactly happens in the body as you described in this sentence when you eat a high-protein and high-fat meal for example? Thank you!! =)
Hi Annika, Thanks for your follow-up question. The process of making glucose from non-carbohydrate foods is called gluconeogenesis… which basically means that your body makes glucose from protein and fat. Fatty foods (moreso than high-protein foods) also block the insulin signaling process. So even when you have enough insulin in your body, it can’t work properly (insulin resistance) in order to get the sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cells where it’s used for fuel. This insulin resistance doesn’t happen immediately because fats are digested so slowly. The combination of gluconeogenesis and insulin resistance cause the blood sugar spike 3-4 hours after eating — even if carbs weren’t present.
On a personal note, 2 of my kids have type 1 diabetes and use continuous glucose monitors where I can see their blood sugars every 5 minutes, so I have seen the effects of high-fat foods in particular. When they eat the occasional serving of French fries (homemade of course 🙂 or more peanut butter than they should, I watch their blood sugars climb 3-4 hours later, which is long after the meal or snack, and they often need more insulin at that point to bring their blood sugars down. It’s actually quite fascinating. Hope that’s helpful! xo – Jen
Wow! Thank you so much. I didn’t know the exact workings of this so grateful for the information. Thank you also for sharing your personal story, I didn’t know that happens. The best of health to you and your family ?
Hey there, I really want to go vegan and incorporate whole grains and beans again but several naturopaths have told me I’ll make my zinc deficiency and leaky gut worse and I should remain on a full paleo diet. Help please????
I would suggest staying with mostly paleo. I was a very healthy vegan (no bad sugar and organic wholegrains) for 7 years and ended up with gut problems and autoimmune condition. 3 servings a day of grains is crazy for people like me. Now i have been practising paleo for 1.5 years and intermediate fasting and my brain fog is so much better.
People are just different. Some have very sensitive digestive system and should stay away from grains as much as possible.
Sorry Kris. Love your work but this issue with carbs is so different for everyone so any one-way approach is wrong, in my opinion and experience, of course))).
Hi Alex and Alina! I’m a dietitian and the Nutrition Director here at Crazy Sexy Wellness, so I’ll add some info as well. Alex, sounds like your zinc deficiency and leaky gut may take some special dietary adjustments until they are resolved. If your naturopath recommended skipping grains and beans because of the possibility of phytates decreasing zinc absorption, then you’ll want to stick with those recommendations. You may consider asking your doc about zinc bisglycinate as it’s absorption is unaffected by phytates. As for whole grains, the majority of people are healthier when they include grains in their diet — whether it be type 2 diabetes or cancer prevention, long-term weight control, or digestive health, and 3 servings a day is quite small–just a slice of whole grain bread, a half-cup of brown rice, and a handful of multigrain crackers. Everyone is different, however, and it’s important that you modulate a healthy, whole foods diet to meet your specific needs. Hope that helps! xo – Jen
Ok thx. If I try it will I know right away if it causes issues? If will I have to wait for blood work results again? I appreciate your input. My dr. Didn’t explain that.
I love Kris !
But I am sceptical – that much – 2 slices of bread, oatmeal and grains at dinner and I would never lose weight. I’m afraid that it would pack pounds on
Maybe some women who are naturally thin and lean boned can handle this.
I just don’t know – carbs are still sugar in the body even if whole grains in my body. We all don’t metabolize the same
Hi Lisa! I’m a dietitian and the Nutrition Director here at Crazy Sexy Wellness, so I’ll jump in for Kris. It’s true that everyone is unique and needs to modulate a wholefoods diet to meet their specific needs. The majority of people are healthier and experience long-term weight control when they include some whole grains in their diet. Three servings of whole grains a day is what the research studies have indicated to be health-promoting, and that amount is quite small (just a handful of multigrain crackers, a small bowl of oatmeal, and 1 slice of whole grain bread throughout the day). Folks with stubborn metabolisms often find that making dinner the lightest meal of the day helps with weight control, and that limiting grains is the easiest way to make that meal a lighter one. No one knows your body better than you, but keep in mind that without whole grains and high-fiber fruit, your body will just make glucose from proteins and fat because it’s an essential fuel source…. and that process is actually a pretty exhausting one. Hope that helps explain Kris’ blog a little better! xo – Jen
Thanks so much for this sweet article! I have been avoiding grains and feeling really sad about not having my weekly quinoa 🙁 ! The reason I am avoiding grains is because I have hashimotos thyroiditis, and have been told, to take grains out of the diet. Can you speak to this? Thank you 🙂
Hi Krissy! I’m a dietitian and the Nutrition Director here at Crazy Sexy Wellness, so I’ll jump in for Kris. Many folks with Hashimoto’s see improvement in their thyroid hormones and thyroid function when they avoid gluten in particular. But, I haven’t seen any evidence to indicate that the other gluten-free whole grains like quinoa, millet, and brown rice should be avoided. Hope that helps! xo – Jen
Thank you so much for this blog post. There are so many people out there that are afraid of carbs and don’t realize how important they are to incorporate into our daily diets. The hype of low-carb diets have had a real impact on this and I really hope more people start thinking about their over all well-being!