Are Carbs Bad for Your Heart Health?

In recent years, headlines have proclaimed carbohydrates as everything from the healthy diet must-have to dieting enemy No. 1. What's the truth?

Carbohydrates can fall into both categories, depending on how much we eat, how they were cooked and processed, and the person's overall dietary picture. They likely get a bad reputation because people are eating too many highly-processed, nutrient-poor forms of carbs — like chips and sugary cereals — which may replace more nutritious foods.

Healthful Carbs vs. Over-Processed Carbs

In general, healthful carbohydrates should be minimally processed and contain naturally occurring fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Here are some examples:

• Whole fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains and cereals
• Dried beans and lentils
• Low-fat unsweetened milk and yogurt

Over-processed carbohydrates provide minimal nutritional value and often include added sugar, salt, fat and preservatives. Examples include:

• Crackers
• Chips
• Sodas
• Chocolates
• Candies
• Cakes
• Juice drinks
• Pastries
• Syrups

Carb-Free Isn't Always Healthy

Not all carbohydrates are unhealthy, which is why it’s not recommended that most individuals cut out carbohydrates completely.  Many healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables, contain carbohydrates. By eliminating these foods, you also eliminate all the heart-healthy fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that come with them.

Instead, eat them in moderation. If you love pasta, it's fine to have pasta — preferably whole grain pasta. It's more about portions: A serving of cooked pasta is ⅓ cup. You don't have to limit yourself to only ⅓ cup of cooked pasta per meal, but it is important to be aware that an entrée at a restaurant, for example, may have around 3 to 8 servings of pasta in one dish. Make your pasta dish more nutritious by including plenty of vegetables and a lean source of protein.

A simple way to control carbohydrate portions is to eat according to the Plate Method, which demonstrates the right portions of each food group on your plate...

Carbs for Heart Health

Carbohydrates are not bad for your heart, as long as you choose a variety of whole, minimally processed carbohydrates in moderation. For example, quinoa is a healthy carbohydrate, but eating three to four cups of quinoa at a time is too much for most people.

Eating in moderation is key, as is variety. The greater variety of foods we eat, the greater variety of nutrients our body gets.

Learn more about current health guidelines on carbs.