I did a radio interview the other morning and the host said to me — "I've been making changes in my diet.  I completely eliminated ALL white carbohydrates starting this week!"

I said "ALL?"

"Yup, if it's white, it doesn't touch my lips."

Eliminating "white carbs" in general is an decent tip…

…but the color of a food doesn't make it good for bad.

Froot Loops are really colorful.  You mine as well pour liquid sugar down your throat.

A bowl of mixed fruit — same colors, but of course completely different.

And the same goes for white carbs. 

Sugar.

White bread.

Giant, doughy bagels.

Breakfast cereals with a cartoon on the box.

Krispy Kreme donuts.

Yup, these are ALL white carbohydrates.  And these are horrible for you.  Even the “whole wheat” Krispy Kreme that is an embarrassment to anything remotely healthy.

On the flipside, garlic, cauliflower, onions, oats, oat bran, white button mushrooms, chick peas, and shallots are also white carbohydrates.  They’re just not refined white carbohydrates.

So, I admit – I’m a fraud.  I have told you in the past that “white carbohydrates are bad for you.”  But now I’m here to back peddle a bit and reframe my statements.

Those white carbohydrate based foods have unique properties that can literally save your life!

Obviously blanket statements in nutrition don’t work.  Even “trans fats” are bad can be misleading, as there are many different types of trans fats.  But let’s stick to the topic at hand and explore how white foods can help you reach your goals.

Oats and oat bran are great sources of a particular fiber called beta-glucan.  Beta-glucan basically absorbs fat like a dry sponge in a glass of water.  This is why data suggest including these foods regularly can slash your risk of heart disease, by decreasing dangerous lipids (blood fats).  They’ll also fill you up more than junk carbs, so give these a try.

Garlic has health properties second to none – data show it can boost immunity, acts as an antifungal agent, wards off the common cold (and the common neighbor if you go overboard), and may even lower the risk of heart disease.  And, let’s focus on basics – it adds a ton of flavor and nutrition with virtually zero calories.  Mohr Results Tip – slice garlic and let it stand exposed to the air for at least 10 minutes.  Doing so will open up the “healthy cells” that are inside the cloves (they also are what give it its unique smell and flavor).

Cauliflower is known as a cruciferous vegetable, super high in fiber, but also other unique cancer fighting nutrients that are otherwise difficult to get from the diet.  Try this: wash it, break it apart to smaller pieces, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle a pinch of salt and a pinch of nutmeg.  Roast in the oven at 400 degrees until tender.  Voila!  Or, make mashed “potatoes” with it – follow this video to see how!

Chick peas are a great source of soluble fiber, protein, and are high in vitamins and minerals.  They’re also the base of a great food, hummus – try hummus as a snack, as the first layer in a wrap, or just a side with some raw veggies.

White button mushrooms offer a ton of health properties.  In fact, a study published in the journal, Appetite, showed that when two groups were given the same volume of food in a meal, either from mushrooms or meat, those who included the mushrooms lost more weight!  Now, you may be thinking, “of course they lost more weight, they ate less calories” – but the key was they rated their “satisfaction” with hunger and eating just as high as the other group.  Take home point – less calories, but they didn’t overeat to make up for it.  Some data also suggests mushrooms are a unique source of vitamin D, and may have immune boosting properties as well.  Sauté them with some chopped garlic and you’ve got a winning combination.

Shallots are in the same family as onions and garlic, sharing some of the same health properties, but with a more mild flavor. Mix them with eggs, salad dressing, or sautéed with veggies.   

We talked recently about if you should drink milk — also a white food — and again, offers some impressive nutrients in each cup.

Next time you hear a blanket statement about nutrition, take it with a grain of salt – and if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

By the way, refined white carbohydrates ARE horrible for you, so don’t use this as an excuse to stop at the nearest Krispy Kreme shop for a bite to eat — even if you do order the “whole wheat” option.

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Posted April 14th, 2010 under Nutrition. Tags: carbs in white bread, fat free white carbs, how to pick healthy bread, white carbs
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