Most of us embarking on a health kick or weight loss journey have been warned off carbohydrates at some point in time. It’s tough to give up the foods we love, especially when carb-rich staples like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes are so versatile and delicious.
However, one doctor insists that carbs are “absolutely essential” for a healthy diet and has shared how to make the most of them. Dr Federica Amati, a medical scientist and nutritionist, took to TikTok to reveal: “The healthiest diets in the world are made up of a majority of carbohydrates. We’ve been fed this idea that carbohydrates are the enemy but it’s really important to distinguish between highly refined, highly processed carbohydrates and carbohydrates that makeup a very healthy diet.”
She then showed off a selection of her favourite carbs from her pantry, adding: “This can include everything from whole grains to oats, beans, vegetables, fruits, sweet potatoes, popcorn, crackers and of course – delicious pasta!”
Dr Amati emphasised that these foods aren’t just high in carbs, they’re also packed with fibre and resistant starch, which nourishes our gut microbes. She went onto explain that her food cupboard stock was made up of healthy carbs that can form part of a really healthy diet.
In her closing remarks, the doctor emphasised the need for a balanced diet, warning against relying on one type of food, such as pasta, for all meals. “It means combining these foods in ways that give you lots of different nutrients, plenty of flavour and high fibre,” Dr Amati advised.
“The one simple tip to remember is aim for complex high quality carbohydrates – steer clear of the very highly refined ones and the free sugars that are added to things like soda drinks and fruit juices and stick with ones you can build delicious meals with.”
In a subsequent video, meanwhile, she also highlighted the benefits of high protein foods for those considering this dietary approach. “One of the main arguments for a high protein diet and supplementing with protein is that it can be useful for weight loss,” she explained.
“This comes from science that shows that when you have a high protein meal, your body releases more satiety signals to your brain to say that you’re full up. This is absolutely true but we also have to remember that the same thing happens when you eat a high fibre meal just with a different mechanism.
She added: “When you eat a high protein meal you get a message from your small intestine to the brain to say that you’ve received enough amino acids in this meal. For fibre, it’s lower down in the gut, in the large colon. When we have a high fibre meal, our gut brain axis (the vagus nerve) tells our brain that we have plenty of fibre to work with and that our gut microbes are happy.”
According to the NHS, starchy foods, such as potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and cereals, should make up just over a third of the food you eat. They are needed as they are the main source of a range of nutrients, including fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins. They should be eaten every day “as part of a healthy, balanced diet”.