Carbs Made Healthy Again: How to Choose the Right Carbohydrates for Your Body
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Join Dr. Kevin Schultz on the Foundational Health Podcast as he demystifies the world of carbohydrates and reveals how to make them a healthy part of your diet. In this episode, Dr. Schultz explores the differences between simple and complex carbs, the role of fiber, and the impact of food processing on your energy levels and overall health.
Discover actionable steps to improve your diet, break the cycle of energy crashes, and enhance your family's well-being. Learn how to make informed choices at the grocery store and transform your relationship with carbohydrates for a healthier lifestyle.
Demystifying Carbs: The Key to Gut Health & Energy
Carbohydrates are one of the most misunderstood nutrients in modern nutrition. For decades, low-carb and keto diets have told us to fear them, while the food industry pushes highly processed, sugar-laden products under the label of “healthy.” The truth is far more nuanced.
In this episode of the Foundational Health Podcast, Dr. Kevin Schultz explains how to “make carbs healthy again” by understanding which ones fuel your body, which ones drain it, and how simple tweaks can dramatically change your energy, cravings, and long-term health .
Why Carbs Got Such a Bad Reputation
Carbohydrates became the villain in mainstream health because of their effect on blood sugar. Processed carbs—like instant oats, pastries, chips, and soft drinks—break down into sugar almost immediately. This causes:
Blood sugar spikes: followed by energy crashes
Increased cravings: making you hungrier sooner
Fat storage: since excess glucose is converted to fat
Inflammation: from chronic blood sugar fluctuations
But not all carbs behave this way. The difference lies in whether they are simple or complex.
Simple carbs (like sugar and white bread) are rapidly absorbed.
Complex carbs (like lentils, quinoa, vegetables) take longer to digest, resulting in stable energy and reduced cravings.
A Tale of Two Oatmeals
Imagine you’re in the grocery store comparing two oatmeal boxes:
Both say “100% whole grain oats”.
Both list 27 grams of carbs per serving.
One cooks in 30 minutes.
One cooks in 90 seconds.
The labels look identical—but inside your body, they act like completely different foods.
The instant oats are stripped of fiber, absorbed rapidly, and leave you with a sugar crash.
The steel-cut oats take longer to digest, keeping you energized and satisfied.
The overnight steel-cut oats are even better—soaking them increases resistant starch and further blunts blood sugar spikes .
This example shows why processing matters as much as the label.
How to Choose Healthier Carbs
Choosing healthier carbs for your body doesn’t have to be difficult. Below, we cover a variety of different sources of carbohydrates and how you can make each beneficial—rather than detrimental—for your health.
The Fiber Advantage
Fiber is the game-changer when it comes to carbs. Unlike simple starches, fiber doesn’t fully break down in your digestive tract. Instead, it passes through and provides:
Gut health support: fiber feeds your microbiome, producing beneficial compounds like short-chain fatty acids.
Blood sugar regulation: slows absorption of glucose.
Satiety: helps you feel fuller for longer.
Brain benefits: a healthy gut produces neurotransmitters like serotonin, which influence mood and focus .
Skipping carbs entirely means missing out on this microbiome magic.
Rice: The Resistant Starch Secret
White rice is notorious for spiking blood sugar. But there’s a simple hack: cook, cool, and reheat it. This process forms resistant starch, which behaves more like fiber than sugar. Resistant starch:
Reduces glucose spikes
Supports gut bacteria
Keeps you full longer
But if you really want the best option, long-grain wild or brown rice beats white rice every time. Not only does it contain more fiber, but it also provides minerals and a nutty flavor that makes meals more satisfying .
Fruit: Friend or Foe?
Critics argue fruit is unhealthy because it contains fructose—a simple sugar. But this misses the bigger picture. Whole fruit comes packaged with:
Fiber: slowing down sugar release
Vitamins & minerals: critical for cellular health
Phytonutrients: antioxidants that reduce inflammation
Fruit juice? That’s a different story. With the fiber removed, it acts just like soda in your bloodstream.
Pro tip: Pair fruit with healthy fats—like yogurt, kefir, nuts, or seeds. This combo further reduces blood sugar spikes and keeps you satisfied .
Raw vs. Cooked Veggies: Both Have a Place
Some nutrients are better preserved in raw vegetables, while others are enhanced by cooking.
Tomatoes: Cooking boosts lycopene, though vitamin C decreases.
Carrots: Beta-carotene increases when cooked, especially with skins on.
Spinach & kale: Cooking reduces oxalates, which otherwise block mineral absorption.
Broccoli & green beans: Steaming enhances antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin.
Cabbage: Steaming reduces goitrogens, which can interfere with thyroid health .
The takeaway? Variety matters. Eat some vegetables raw, others cooked, and reap the benefits of both.
How Carbs Impact Digestion and Satiety
The way we eat carbs changes how our body handles them:
Chewing: The more chewing required (like with fibrous vegetables), the more digestive enzymes are produced, improving nutrient absorption.
Food combinations: Pairing carbs with fats/protein slows digestion.
Cooking & preparation: Overnight oats and reheated rice improve the body’s blood sugar response.
This explains why a candy bar and an apple are both carbs, but they behave in your body like completely different foods.
Action Steps to Make Carbs Healthy Again
Choose whole carbs: steel-cut oats, wild rice, beans, sweet potatoes, vegetables.
Avoid ultra-processed carbs: instant oats, fruit juice, pastries, chips.
Pair smartly: eat carbs with fat and protein for stable blood sugar.
Add before subtracting: start adding healthy carbs, and processed cravings naturally fade.
Experiment with preparation: try overnight oats, reheated rice, or veggie steaming .
Q&A: Carbs Demystified
Do carbs make you fat?
No! Only simple, processed carbs and excess sugar break down in your body to add to body fat. Whole carbs like vegetables and legumes support a healthy metabolism.
Is the glycemic index important?
Yes, it measures how fast carbs raise blood sugar. Low-GI foods (like beans and steel-cut oats) are healthier than high-GI foods (like white bread).
What are resistant starches?
A form of carbohydrate that resists digestion, acting like fiber. Found in cooled rice, potatoes, and green bananas.
Should I eat carbs at night?
Complex carbs at dinner can support serotonin and melatonin, improving sleep. Avoid sugary snacks late at night.
Can I eat carbs if I’m diabetic?
Yes—but focus on high-fiber carbs, avoid juices and processed foods, and pair carbs with fat/protein to prevent spikes.
What about low-carb diets like keto?
Keto can help short-term, especially for weight loss or diabetes reversal, but long-term fiber restriction can harm gut health. Balance is key.
How many carbs should I eat daily?
There’s no one-size-fits-all. Athletes need more, sedentary individuals need less. Focus on quality, not just quantity.
Final Thoughts About Healthy Carbohydrates
Carbs are not the enemy. They’re a tool—one that can either drain your energy or fuel your health depending on your choices.
Start small: swap instant oats for steel-cut, white rice for wild rice, fruit juice for whole fruit. These simple shifts compound over time, transforming your energy, digestion, and overall well-being. As Dr. Schultz reminds us: “Success equals simple habits performed daily over time. Knowledge without action is powerless.”
Listen to the full episode of the Foundational Health Podcast to dive deeper into how to make carbs healthy again.
