Carbohydrates

All bread is good but some bread is better - right?

According to some nutrition advice, the white bread on which you might spread your peanut butter is worse than the peanut butter itself. This is strongly disputed by other nutritionists.

Refined carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels quickly, which over time increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. One view is that this applies to white bread, pasta and white rice, as well as baked goods like cakes and biscuits.

But white bread is not a similar type of food to cakes and biscuits. Bread - all bread - is a good source of carbohydrate, protein, fibre and the B vitamins niacin, riboflavin, thiamin and folate.

What's more, white bread does not contain the high levels of sugar and trans fats (or butter) common to baked goods.

However, there's no denying that wholegrain bread is a better choice. It has more fibre and higher levels of vitamins and minerals, and is more filling. If your kids (or you) won't eat wholegrain bread, try fibre-enriched white.

So I have to eat brown rice now?

Brown rice has more nutrients than white rice because the bran layer and the germ of the rice grain are removed from white rice during milling.

But the same argument applies. Although brown rice is better for you, white rice is still a good source of fibre and vitamins. It's the same for pasta.

With rice and pasta, the more important issue may be what you put on top. Creamy and/or soft cheesy sauces are not a healthy choice.

But we need our potatoes!

That's fine. Potatoes are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, especially if you eat the skins. They're also low in fat - provided you don't add lots of saturated fat in the form of butter or cheese.

Potatoes have a high GI so quickly raise blood-sugar levels. They are mainly starch, which is easily broken down to glucose. However, it's the total amount of carbohydrate in the meal, rather than the type, that determines the blood-sugar response. That potato is better for you than the sugary dessert to follow.

Eating potatoes with protein, vegetables and fibre will also help, because it slows the rise in blood-sugar levels.