- Research found that the type of carbohydrates most often consumed during midlife can have a major impact on healthy aging.
- Women who ate the most fiber and “high-quality” carbs were up to 37% more likely to live past 70 with no major illnesses or impairments.
- The study defined “high-quality” carbohydrates as those that occur naturally in nature, coming from foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Carbohydrates get a lot of hate in wellness circles. Plenty of people have touted low-carb and even no-carb diets for weight loss over the years while singing the praises of protein and healthy fats. But not all carbohydrates are bad for you. In fact, research suggests that carbohydrates slow aging, provided you are eating the right ones. Read on to discover exactly what the study found, plus the healthy carbs you should be loading onto your plate.
In a study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers sought to uncover whether carbohydrate intake in midlife was associated with healthy aging, specifically concerning chronic diseases, physical and cognitive function, and mental health.
Researchers analyzed data from 47, 513 women who completed the Nurses’ Health Study questionnaires between 1984 and 2016, including participants younger than 60 years old in 1984. Scientists analyzed data on each participant’s dietary intake, evaluating the types and total amount of carbohydrates consumed, including refined, high-quality (unrefined), and those from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
They examined this data through the lens of “healthy aging,” which they defined as surviving to the age of 70 years, being free of 11 major chronic diseases, having no impairment in memory or physical function, and being in good mental health.
The study found that women who ate the most “high-quality carbohydrates” during midlife were up to 37% more likely to meet these parameters of healthy aging. On the other hand, the study found that eating refined carbohydrates decreased the odds of healthy aging by 13%.
Researchers concluded that consumption of dietary fiber, high-quality carbohydrates, and refined carbohydrates may all have an important and measurable impact on overall health status in older adulthood.
But what are the “high-quality carbohydrates” and “refined carbohydrates” in question? The study defined “high-quality” carbs as complex carbohydrates that come from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, as well as total dietary fiber. When discussing refined carbohydrates, the study refers to carbohydrates that come from processed foods like bread, pasta, white rice, pizza, pastries, soda, added sugar, bread rolls, and cake.
While this study linked high-quality carbohydrates to healthy aging, experts have long touted the overall benefits of complex carbohydrates over the refined variety. Complex carbohydrates are essential to bodily function, helping us feel full and satisfied, optimizing brain function, and maintaining consistent blood sugar levels.
These carbohydrates are rich in essential vitamins, nutrients, and dietary fiber, but processed (a.k.a. refined) carbohydrates are altered in the process of turning them into packaged, “better-tasting” foods with a longer shelf-life, Julie Smith, R.D., a registered dietitian at The University of Toledo Medical Center previously told Prevention. These refined carbohydrates are full of starch and sugar, but have very little (if any) of the nutrients and fiber that our bodies need.
The bottom line
Not all carbs are created equal. And while some are worth limiting—namely the processed and refined carbohydrates found in breads and baked goods—the naturally-occurring, high-quality carbs found in whole grains, fruits, veggies, and legumes are worth making space for on your plate. They may help add years to your life.
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