Are Carbs Good for Your Gut? A Dietitian Explains.

Why are complex, fiber-containing carbs so beneficial for gut health? I’ll keep this short and sweet. Here are 3 evidence-based reasons for you.

A quick note:

If you’ve been struggling with disordered eating or chronic dieting, it can be a scary thought to include carbs in your diet. If you have IBS or other GI-related conditions, I’m sure you’ve also felt some fear around carbohydrates. I really encourage you to read this post as a way to help take the fear away from carbs (because they are pretty great to eat). And if you need help tackling this, we’d love to support you. Fill out an application to work with us here.

1. Whole grains support probiotic growth.

Whole grains promote the growth of lactic acid-producing bacteria (aka the good guys). One reason for this is that they contain prebiotics (aka "food" for probiotics, which they end up fermenting). These bacteria are beneficial for so many reasons, and one of these reasons is that they produce something called short chain fatty acids (SCFA). These metabolites lower the pH in your intestinal lumen so that pathogenic bacteria can no longer thrive. See ya, E. coli!

2. High carb diets are protective for the gut.

We know that diets high in carbohydrates, fiber, and plant-based protein (like beans!) are associated with higher levels of these SCFA too, as well as specific bacteria that have been shown to have a protective role against gut inflammation. On the flip side, low carb diets are associated with LOWER levels of SCFA and decreased bacterial numbers. This is one outcome we see with the keto diet, which is an extremely low carbohydrate diet. The keto diet includes about 5-10% of your calories as carbohydrates, whereas we generally recommend anywhere from 45-65% of your calories as carbohydrates (I told you it was extremely low!).

3. Complex carbs influence satiety.

There is evidence that SCFA production specifically from whole grain fermentation may influence satiety. So we feel fuller, more satisfied when we include complex carbs (i.e. fiber-containing carbs), especially whole grains, with our meals and snacks. Not to mention carbs greatly influence our serotonin production, so we feel happy, full, and good to go… and not left looking for satisfaction elsewhere.

What are our favorite carbs?

every. damn. one.

(Although I have to admit I don't LOVE sweet potatoes unless they're fries)

Need help working carbs back into your diet? Let's chat!

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