How Refined Is That Carbohydrate?
According to Dr. Cheung, the second big problem with the USDA Food Guide Pyramid is that it encourages eating up to 11 servings a day from the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group at its base. “But it doesn’t distinguish between whole grains and refined carbohydrates,” she says. “And biologically, refined carbohydrates act similar to sugar.” Refining carbohydrates strips them of nutrients and fiber. In the course of turning wheat into white flour, mills crush the wheat grain and separate the starchy center from the oil- and vitamin-rich sprouting section (the germ) and from the fiber- and mineral-rich outer coat (the bran). What’s left is nutritionally deficient carbohydrate powder. This white flour is the main ingredient of most bread, crackers, and pasta. White rice and the grains in many breakfast cereals have also lost their germ and their bran. Though manufacturers may add back some of the lost vitamins and minerals, the nutrient profile of the refined grain will never match that
