If you're familiar with the Fab Four and my approach to well-being, then you know I teach my clients to understand the science behind how the food we eat affects our body and our health.
One of the keys to living well, feeling great, and managing weight and energy levels is blood sugar balance. Besides sugar (which most people know they should minimize), the carbohydrate conversation still feels confusing to many. Should we eat them? Which ones are part of a healthy diet and which ones aren’t? We’re going to break all of it down below! Here’s what to expect:
- What is Carbohydrate Density and why it matters
- Carb Comparison – how to determine which ones to eat and which to avoid
- A simple formula for finding the Carbohydrate Density of foods (which puts you in the driver seat for making better choices)
- Lupini Beans and why they’re a win for a lower carb eating
- A few of my favorite lower Carb Density foods
I like my clients to focus on whole, unprocessed carbohydrate sources like veggies, and occasionally fiber-rich, starchier foods like sweet potatoes because they don't spike blood sugar in the same way that processed foods (aka acellular carbohydrates) or sugar do.
What is Carbohydrate Density?
Carbohydrate Density begins with understanding Net Carbs. Besides sugar, Net Carbs are the first thing I look for on a nutrition label. Net Carbs equals total carbs minus fiber. We subtract fiber because fiber slows the breakdown/digestion of a food. Foods that are higher in Net Carbs have the potential to spike blood sugar quickly when consumed.
Carbohydrate Density is similar to Net Carbs, but instead looking at grams of carbs, Carb Density is the percentage of a food that is made up of Net Carbs.
In nature, it's not normal for food to contain over 30% Carb Density. If a food (even an "all natural," gluten-free, or Paleo-friendly food) has over 30% Carb Density, it is probably a flour based man-made carbohydrate that is likely to spike blood sugar upon consumption.
Carb Density is calculated when you eat something out of a box or package (aka processed foods or acellular carbohydrates). Even veggies that are higher in carbs like sweet potatoes have only around 17% Carb Density – well under my suggested threshold of 30%.
Not All Carbs are Created Equally
A lot of my clients get confused about "healthy" carb alternatives foods (gluten-free pastas, "healthy" versions of breads or snacks). Something you'll want to consider when you're swapping plant-based or gluten-free products for the original is that when you process a food – even natural foods like vegetables or legumes – it must be made into a flour in order to make that pasta, chip, or whatever it is.
The process of making flour strips the carbohydrate from its fiber cell (making it an acellular carbohydrate), which can increase the likelihood of it to spike blood sugar and promote an inflammatory response in the gut. Together, these things can lead to all sorts of issues like insulin resistance and chronic disease.
Processed carb products, even chickpea pastas for example, often have high Carb Density. Just because something is gluten and grain free doesn’t mean it won’t still quickly overfeed “bad” gut bacteria or spike blood sugar.
How to Calculate Carb Density
- Find Net Carbs for one serving of the food (total carbs minus fiber). This will be in grams.
- Divide Net Carbs by the weight (in grams) of one serving.
Total Carbs - Fiber, divided by the total weight (in grams) of the serving = Carb Density
Again, we want to eat foods with a Carb Density under 30%. If you're mostly eating foods in their whole, unprocessed form, you won't have to worry about this as much since most foods don't naturally contain over 30% Carb Density. The lower the carb density percentage, the less likely for that food to have a significant impact on your blood sugar or to evoke an inflammatory response in the gut. This means less cravings, less bloating, and better health.
Here are a few examples:
- Chickpea Pasta: One serving is 57 grams. The total carbohydrates for one serving is 32 grams. There are 8 grams of fiber. To calculate the Net Carbs, 32 minus 8 equals 24 g. Divide 24 g Net Carbs by 57 g carbs per serving and that equals .42. This means one serving of chickpea pasta has 42% carb density.
- Sweet Potato: A single cup size serving is 133 grams. 1 cup has 27 total carbs and 4 g of fiber. 27 minus 4 gives us 23 Net Carbs. That number divided by 133 equals .17, which means one serving of sweet potatoes has 17% carb density.
Calculating Carbohydrate Density is a great way to really see and understand the nutrition behind the foods we eat. When it comes to carbs, our bodies function much more optimally with carbs that are wrapped in fiber, called "cellular" carbohydrates, such as fibrous veggies and leafy greens. When you eat these cellular carbs with fat and protein, then hitting your body composition goals is easier, gut health improves, and inflammation levels decrease.
One meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found a link between high fiber intake and longer lifespan. And a study in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences found that those who consumed more fiber had an almost 80 percent greater likelihood of a longer life, with decreased risk for hypertension, diabetes, dementia, depression, and more.
Lupini Bean Products: An Excellent Choice for Lower Carb Density Eating
Lupini bean products are a personal favorite alternative to higher carb conventional choices. Let’s take a look at the impressive stats of this super bean…
Lupini beans are a nutrient-dense, low-carb legume packed with protein and fiber. They help support digestion, stabilize blood sugar, and promote heart health. Lupini beans are a complete protein source, containing all 9 essential amino acids. They are naturally vegan and keto-friendly, offering a nutritious option for various dietary needs.
Many varieties of the Lupini bean – such as the Chocho bean (which is what I use in my Be Well Plant-Based Protein Powders – grow solely with rain water through a process called nitrogen-fixation, which makes the soil richer and healthier for future plants. This regeneration process is good for both our bodies and the planet.
Unlike some other plant-based products, Lupini bean products are very allergen friendly: gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, soy-free, dairy-free, lectin/phytate/oxalate-free.
The Carb Density of many Lupini bean based products is impressive to say the least:
- Example: Be Well Vanilla Chocho Plant Based Protein: A single serving scoop (38 grams) of Be Well Vanilla Chocho Plant Based Protein contains 8 total carbs and 8 grams of fiber. That means it has 0 Net Carbs, divided by 38 grams per serving means Be Well Vanilla Chocho Bean Protein Powder has 0% Carb Density.
Packed with essential minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium, as well as B vitamins, including folate and B1, Lupini beans are an excellent lower carb choice.
Keep it REAL...
You’ll probably have a processed carb or sweet treat on occasion. However, understanding Carb Density and its impact on health can greatly motivate you to make better decisions when it comes to bread, crackers, cookies or beyond.
With that said, here are a few of my favorite lower Carb Density swaps:
- Chef's Kiss Lupin Pasta and/or Flakes (code BEWELLBYKELLY for 25% off)
- Siete Almond Flour Tortillas
- Cappellos: Grain-Free Pizza Crust and Grain-Free Pasta
- Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers
- Flackers Flaxseed Crackers
- AWG Bakery Everyday Bread
As a good rule of thumb, grain-free flours like almond and coconut have a lower carbohydrate density than gluten-free, grain-based flours such as rice or quinoa flour because in their whole food form they are less carb dense.
For baking and homemade goods, Be Well by Kelly Plant-Based Protein Powders can be used in recipes as a flour replacement to greatly improve the glucose response to whatever you’re baking. The protein and fiber in the Be Well by Kelly Plant-Based Protein Powders will blunt the blood sugar spike so often seen when consuming baked goods.
Pro Tip: You can also add Be Well by Kelly Plant-Based Protein Powders to baked goods that don’t call for protein powder in order to improve the nutritional profile. Simply reduce by ⅛ to ¼ cup of the flour that is called for in the recipe and add one scoop of protein in the same step as when you add the flour. Choose your own adventure between unflavored, chocolate or vanilla depending on the dish!
Research Links
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872783/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3402009/
