Refined carbohydrates, also known as white foods, have been fingered as the culprits of our growing obesity epidemic.  Notably because they go down easy and we tend to eat too much of them, especially sweetened drinks, cakes, cookies and candy.

Avoiding refined carbohydrates came onto the radar when diets like Atkins and Sugar Busters denied dieters their favorite breads, cereals and pastas.  And when a 2004 study showed that people who ate too many refined carbs were at increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes, white foods were officially in the hot seat and off the menu.

The diet truth is that eating too much of anything, whether it is sweets, treats or even healthy foods is not good for you and can lead to chronic diseases.  But eating too much broccoli is not the reason we are an overweight nation.

White foods have been maligned because we eat too much of them and some experts think it is the reason for our expanding girth. 

It is easy to over eat foods like cookies or pasta made with white refined flour and sugar.  And it is even easier to drink sweetened beverages.  Sugar in beverages has generated a great deal of criticism because it is estimated that we drink 22% of our calories, much of it from beverages sweetened with sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Carbohydrates are essential for good health and your body’s preferred form of fuel.  We can’t live without them but we would be better off if we get most of our carbohydrates from ‘smart carbs’ such as wholesome fruits, vegetables, legumes, low fat dairy and whole grains. 

Eating white refined foods can be part of a healthy diet but only if consumed in moderation.