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Refined Carbohydrates List
What are refined carbohydrates?
It is actually easier to define which carbohydrates are NOT refined, because the term "refined" is very confusing. ALL sugars and starches, EXCEPT those that come in the form of a natural whole food like a piece of fruit, a Lima bean, or a sweet potato, are considered refined carbohydrates. If you are looking at a sweet or starchy whole food that you could discover exactly as is in nature, you are looking at an UNrefined carbohydrate.
Refined carbohydrates are forms of sugars and starches that don't exist in nature. They do come from natural whole foods but they have been altered (processed) in some way to "refine" them. Processing methods include industrial extraction, concentration, purification, and enzymatic transformation. It's easy for most of us to identify sugars, because they taste sweet and usually come in the form of crystals, syrups, or powders. Refined starches such as refined grains, on the other hand, are a lot more confusing.
What are refined grains?
Truly whole grains are intact kernels (seeds) complete with their outer bran coating just as it is found in nature. Once the grain is broken into pieces by any kind of processing, it has been refined to some extent. The more finely a grain is ground, the tinier the particles. The tinier the particles, the more refined a grain is. The confusion about what constitutes a "refined" grain comes about because processing methods vary. Some (such as stone-grinding) produce large, coarse particles, whereas industrial refining produces ultra-fine powders with all of the fiber and most other nutrients stripped away. Coarse stone-ground grain meals and cracked kernel grains are among the least refined and soft, powdered grains (flours of all kinds and starches such as corn starch) are the most refined.
Particle size matters because the smaller the particles, the easier they are to digest. The easier they are to digest, the faster your blood sugar will rise after you eat them.
To make matters more confusing, there are some forms of grain processing that don't involve grinding at all. Examples include polishing, high-heat treatment, and extrusion puffing. All of these processes damage or remove the bran coating of grains, making the grains faster to cook and the starches inside easier to digest.
How do refined carbohydrates impact your health?
On my carbohydrates page I mention "the carbohydrate hypothesis of disease.” This is the idea that most diseases of civilization are caused by our so-called “Western” diet, and that the ingredient in the Western diet that is most dangerous is refined carbohydrate. I have written extensively on this site and on my Psychology Today blog about the role of refined carbohydrate on specific medical conditions, including:
To learn more about the health risks associated with eating refined carbohydrates and added sugars, along with a helpful infographic listing simple ways to reduce your risk, please see my post "How to Diagnose, Prevent and Treat Insulin Resistance."
Okay, enough already, on with the lists!
Refined carbohydrate list
Refined and Simple Sugars (often called "added sugars")
All fruit juices
except lemon and lime juice. Juicing fruits eliminates the fiber (that fills you up) and leaves only the sugars and water. And most fruit juices require special equipment to produce in significant quantities.
All types of flour
including wheat, oat, legume (pea and bean), rice, and corn flours.100% stoneground, whole meal flours are less refined and not as unhealthy as other types of flours because they are not as finely ground and take longer to digest.
Instant/refined grains
including instant hot cereals like instant oatmeal, white rice, polished rice, and instant rice
Refined starches
such as corn starch, potato starch, modified food starch—essentially any powdered ingredient with the word “starch” in it
Foods high in refined carbohydrate and added sugars
(not meant to be a complete list)
Foods low in refined carbs/added sugar
(not meant to be a complete list)
How much carbohydrate should you eat?
It depends on who you are. All of us should avoid refined carbohydrates and added sugars as much as we possibly can. But what about sugars and starches from whole foods, such as fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grains? About half of all Americans have insulin resistance, which means that we are very sensitive to carbohydrate and should limit all sources of sugars and starches, not just the "bad" carbs. To learn more about which category you fall into, start by taking my quiz "How Carbohydrate-Sensitive Are You?"
What are refined carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates provide the body with energy, but not all carbohydrates are the same. Refined carbs do not provide lasting energy, and eating too many may cause health problems.
Carbs are an important part of a balanced diet. Unprocessed carbs contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
However, processing them removes nutrients and results in refined carbs, which people sometimes refer to as empty carbs or empty calories.
Refined carbs provide very few vitamins and minerals. The body processes refined carbs quickly, so they do not provide lasting energy, and they can cause a person’s blood sugar to spike.
In this article, we look at the differences between refined and complex carbs. We also list alternative foods that people can choose.
Share on PinterestBread made from white flour is high in refined carbs.Carbs consist of:
The body digests refined carbohydrates quickly, and they provide a source of energy. However, they can cause a quick rise in blood sugar and trigger the pancreas to release insulin.
There are different methods of processing foods to refine them:
| Method | Examples |
| Breaking down foods | Removing the bran from around a grain and grinding up the grain to make flour. |
| Extraction | Taking sucrose from sugar beet or sugarcane to make table sugar. |
| Concentration | Crushing and blending oranges, then removing the water to make concentrated fruit juice. |
Big companies can also ultra process food. The term ultra processed describes foods that undergo production on an industrial scale, such as soda and cookies.
Ultra processed foods contain substances that people do not use in everyday cooking, such as additives.
They can contain five times more added sugar than other foods.
The body uses refined carbs much more quickly than it uses unrefined carbs.
As a result, refined carbs create a short burst of energy, whereas unrefined carbs release energy more slowly throughout the day.
Once the short burst of energy is over, a person may need to eat more food to gain more energy.
As a result, they can consume a high number of calories, contributing to weight gain.
Having overweight or obesity can increase the risk of health problems, such as:
Refined carbs also do not have as much nutritional value as unrefined carbs. They lack fiber, which is important for both digestive health and keeping blood sugar stable.
Ideally, a person should consume between 200g and 300gTrusted Source of carbohydrates per day.
Carbohydrates can be simple or complex.
Both comprise small particles called molecules, which join together in a chain.
Complex carbohydrates consist of long chains of molecules, while short chains make up simple carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates affect a person’s blood sugar. A person can track their carbohydrate intake using a glycemic index tool.
Complex carbohydrates that score lower on the glycemic index tool include oatmeal, sweet potatoes, peas, fruits, and vegetables.
These types of carbohydrates contain more nutritional benefits and take longer for the body to digest. As a result, they have a healthier effect on a person’s blood sugar level.
Refined carbohydrates score highly on the glycemic index and include white bread, potatoes, popcorn, and rice cakes. It is these types of carbohydrates that can increase the risk of certain health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Refined carbs are present in two main foodstuffs: refined grains and refined sugars.
Milling the grain removes the bran and germ. Doing this improves the shelf life of the grain and gives it a finer texture. However, it removes the B vitamins, iron, and dietary fiber.
Some examples include:
People will find refined sugars in a wide range of sweet and savory foods.
Some examples include:
Unprocessed foods are generally low in refined carbs.
Some examples include:
According to the Department of Agriculture, current dietary guidelines for people in the United States recommend that half of every plate should be fruits and vegetables. In addition, at least half of the grains that a person eats should be whole grains.
There are some easy ways to avoid refined carbs.
A person can make healthful decisions, such as eating fruit if they want something sweet and opting to eat brown rice or whole grain bread rather than white rice or bread.
It is also best to avoid adding sugar to food. Adding sugar to food does not boost its nutritional value.
When shopping, a person can check the labels to help them make healthful decisions.
Manufacturers use many different names for refined sugars, so people should check labels for the following ingredients:
Here are some alternatives to refined carbs:
| Refined carbohydrate | Alternative |
| white bread | whole grain bread |
| flavored yogurt | natural yogurt |
| ready-made pasta sauce | chopped tomatoes with herbs |
| breakfast cereal | oatmeal |
| white rice | brown rice |
Refined carbs do not provide lasting energy, and they are missing important nutrients.
Eating too many refined carbs can lead to weight gain and health problems.
Gradually reducing the number of refined carbs in the diet and choosing healthful alternatives can benefit overall well-being.
People can avoid refined carbs by checking food labels carefully. A healthful diet should include whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and unprocessed foods.
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Last medically reviewed on February 7, 2020
11 sources
Good-for-you Carbohydrates
April 6, 2017
Carbohydrates, or “carbs,” have gotten a bad reputation for those watching their waistlines. But not all carbs are bad. In fact, the right carbs are an important part of a healthy diet.
There are two types of carbs: simple and complex. “Simple” carbs are more easily digested by the body and can be found in fruits (get 2½ cups of fruits and vegetables each day) and dairy. Simple carbs are also found in processed, refined foods like sugar, pasta, and white bread. “Complex” carbs take longer for the body to break down and are found in vegetables, whole-grain pasta and bread, brown rice, and legumes.
You don’t have to give up carbs to have a healthy diet; the key is choosing wisely. American Cancer Society nutrition guidelines recommend avoiding processed and refined carbs in favor of complex ones, as much as possible. American Cancer Society Director of Nutrition and Physical Activity Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, has some easy tips to fit in more complex carbs and better-for-you simple carbs:
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol are all sources of calories in the diet. These macronutrients can all be part of a healthy diet. Balancing the calories that we take in with those that we burn every day can help us maintain, gain, or lose weight. Learn some tips for fitting carbs in your diet.
Not All Carbs Are Created Equal
Food contains three types of carbohydrates: sugar, starches and fiber. Carbohydrates are either called simple or complex, depending on the food’s chemical structure and how quickly the sugar is digested and absorbed. The type of carbohydrates that you eat makes a difference – Foods that contain high amounts of simple sugars, especially fructose raise triglyceride levels. Triglycerides (or blood fats) are an important barometer of metabolic health; high levels may be associated with coronary heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver.
Why do I need carbohydrates?
When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into simple sugars, which are absorbed into the bloodstream. As the sugar level rises in your body, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin is needed to move sugar from the blood into the cells, where the sugar can be used as a source of energy.
When this process goes fast — as with simple sugars like sugar-sweetened beverages and high-calorie desserts — you're more likely to feel hungry again soon.
When it occurs more slowly, as with a whole-grain food, you'll feel satisfied longer because it takes longer for your body to break down the complex carbohydrates in whole-grains into simple sugars. These types of complex carbohydrates give you energy over a longer period of time.
The carbs in some foods (mostly those that contain a lot of simple sugars) cause the blood sugar level to rise more quickly than others. How fast or slow carbohydrates are turned into blood glucose are measured on the glycemic index. If you’re healthy, carbohydrates turn into glucose (blood sugar), which your body uses for energy. But if your blood glucose levels become too high or too low, it could be a sign that your body can have trouble producing the insulin that it needs to stay healthy which can eventually result in diabetes.
Simple carbohydrates found in processed, refined or added sugars that do not contain any nutritional value include:
Complex carbohydrates, often referred to as “starchy” foods, include:
Try and get carbohydrates, vitamins and other nutrients in as natural a form as possible. For example, enjoy fruit instead of a soft drink and aim for whole grains instead of processed flours
So when it comes to carbohydrates follow these recommendations:
Why Refined Carbs Are Bad For You
Not all carbs are the same.
Many whole foods that are high in carbs are incredibly healthy and nutritious.
On the other hand, refined or simple carbs have had most of the nutrients and fiber removed.
Eating refined carbs is linked to drastically increased risk of many diseases, including obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Almost every nutrition expert agrees that refined carbs should be limited.
However, they are still the main source of dietary carbs in many countries.
This article explains what refined carbs are, and why they are bad for your health.
Refined carbs are also known as simple carbs or processed carbs.
There are two main types:
Refined carbs have been stripped of almost all fiber, vitamins and minerals. For this reason, they can be considered as “empty” calories.
They are also digested quickly, and have a high glycemic index. This means that they lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels after meals.
Eating foods high on the glycemic index has been linked to overeating and increased risk of many diseases (1Trusted Source , 2Trusted Source ).
Sadly, sugars and refined grains are a very large part of the total carbohydrate intake in many countries (3Trusted Source , 4Trusted Source , 5Trusted Source ).
The main dietary sources of refined carbs are white flour, white bread, white rice, pastries, sodas, snacks, pasta, sweets, breakfast cereals and added sugars.
They are also added to all sorts of processed foods.
BOTTOM LINE:Refined carbs include mostly sugars and processed grains. They are empty calories and lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.
Whole grains are very high in dietary fiber (6Trusted Source ).
They consist of three main parts (7Trusted Source , 8Trusted Source ):
(Image from SkinnyChef).
The bran and germ are the most nutritious parts of whole grains.
They contain high amounts of many nutrients, such as fiber, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and selenium.
During the refining process, the bran and germ are removed, along with all the nutrients they contain (9Trusted Source ).
This leaves almost no fiber, vitamins or minerals in the refined grains. The only thing left is rapidly digested starch with small amounts of protein.
That being said, some producers enrich their products with synthetic vitamins to make up for some of the loss in nutrients.
Whether or not synthetic vitamins are as good as natural vitamins has long been debated. However, most people will agree that getting your nutrients from whole foods is always the best choice (10Trusted Source ).
Diets high in refined carbs also tend to be low in fiber. Low-fiber diets have been linked with an increased risk of diseases like heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and various digestive problems (11Trusted Source , 12Trusted Source , 13Trusted Source ).
BOTTOM LINE:When grains are refined, almost all the fiber, vitamins and minerals are removed from them. Some producers enrich their products with synthetic vitamins after processing.
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A large portion of the population is overweight or obese. Eating too many refined carbs may be one of the main culprits (14Trusted Source , 15Trusted Source ).
Because they are low in fiber and digested quickly, eating refined carbs can cause major swings in blood sugar levels. This can contribute to overeating (16Trusted Source ).
This is because foods high on the glycemic index promote short-term fullness, lasting about one hour. On the other hand, foods that are low on the glycemic index promote a sustained feeling of fullness, which lasts about two to three hours (2Trusted Source , 17Trusted Source ).
Blood sugar levels drop about an hour or two after eating a meal high in refined carbs. This promotes hunger and stimulates parts of the brain associated with reward and craving (18Trusted Source ).
These signals make you crave more food, and are known to cause overeating (16Trusted Source ).
Long-term studies have also shown that eating refined carbs is linked with increased belly fat over the course of five years (19Trusted Source , 20Trusted Source ).
Furthermore, refined carbs may cause inflammation in the body. Several experts have speculated that this may be one of the primary dietary causes of leptin resistance and obesity (21Trusted Source , 22Trusted Source ).
BOTTOM LINE:Refined carbs cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, and only make you feel full for a short time. This is followed by a drop in blood sugar, hunger and cravings.
Heart disease is incredibly common, and currently the world’s biggest killer.
Type 2 diabetes is another very common disease, affecting about 300 million people worldwide.
People with type 2 diabetes have a high risk of developing heart disease (23Trusted Source , 24Trusted Source , 25Trusted Source ).
Studies show that a high consumption of refined carbs is linked with insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels. These are some of the main symptoms of type 2 diabetes (14Trusted Source , 26Trusted Source , 27Trusted Source ).
Refined carbs also increase blood triglyceride levels. This is a risk factor for both heart disease and type 2 diabetes (28Trusted Source , 29Trusted Source , 30Trusted Source , 31Trusted Source ).
One study in Chinese adults showed that over 85% of the total carbohydrate intake came from refined carbs, mainly white rice and refined wheat products (32Trusted Source ).
The study also showed that people who ate the most refined carbs were two to three times more likely to get heart disease, compared to those who ate the least.
BOTTOM LINE:Refined carbs may increase blood triglycerides, blood sugar levels and cause insulin resistance. All of these are major risk factors for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Eating a lot of refined carbs can have many negative health effects. However, not all carbs are bad.
Some carbohydrate-rich, whole foods are extremely healthy. These are great sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals and various beneficial plant compounds.
Healthy carb-rich foods include vegetables, fruit, legumes, root vegetables and whole grains, such as oats and barley.
Unless you are following a carb-restricted diet, there is absolutely NO reason to avoid these foods just because they contain carbs.
Here is a list of 12 high-carb foods that are incredibly healthy.
BOTTOM LINE:Whole foods that contain carbs tend to be incredibly healthy. These include vegetables, fruits, legumes, root vegetables and whole grains.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/refined-carbs#summary
https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/good-for-you-carbohydrates.html
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/carbohydrates
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-refined-carbs-are-bad