- A study published in JAMA Network Open found that consuming high-quality carbohydrates in midlife, such as those from fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, is associated with up to a 37% greater likelihood of aging without chronic diseases or cognitive decline.
- Participants who consumed more low-quality carbohydrates, such as refined grains and starchy vegetables, had a 13% lower chance of aging healthily, highlighting the importance of carb quality over quantity.
- Higher dietary fiber intake is strongly linked to better cardiovascular health and lower all-cause mortality, possibly due to its anti-inflammatory effects and the production of beneficial gut compounds.
You can go ahead and enjoy that pasta tonight and feel great about it, because according to new research, those carbs might help you enjoy longer, healthier years.
In May, researchers published a new study in the JAMA Network Open that examines how dietary carbohydrate intake in midlife affects healthy aging, defined as the “absence of major chronic diseases, lack of cognitive and physical function impairments, and having good mental health.”
To investigate the impact of carbs, the researchers utilized data from the Nurses’ Health Study, which tracked participants from 1984 until the end of 2016. (Participants had to be younger than 60 years old at the start of the study to participate.)
Participants in the study completed questionnaires every four years to monitor their nutritional habits, which researchers used to track their intake of “total carbohydrates, refined carbohydrates, high-quality carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes,” as well as dietary fiber, the dietary glycemic index, and the dietary glycemic load.
“We’ve all heard that different carbohydrates can affect health differently, whether for weight, energy, or blood sugar levels. But rather than just look at the immediate effects of these macronutrients, we wanted to understand what they might mean for good health 30 years later,” Andres Ardisson Korat, the lead author of the study, shared in a statement. “Our findings suggest that carbohydrate quality may be an important factor in healthy aging.”
Of the 47,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, 3,706 participants met the researchers’ definition of healthy aging. For those who qualified, the researchers discovered that consuming high-quality carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains—along with the increased dietary fiber they provide—led to a 6 to 37% greater chance of healthy aging. Additionally, they found that these quality carbohydrates were linked to both positive mental and physical health.
“Our results are consistent with other evidence linking consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes with lower risks of chronic diseases, and now we see the association with physical and cognitive function outcomes,” Qi Sun, senior author of the study, added.
And, perhaps predictably, those lower-quality starchy vegetables and refined carbs were linked to a 13% lower odds of healthy aging. They also emphasized that dietary fiber plays a crucial role, as it has been shown to enhance cardiovascular health and reduce all-cause mortality. Additionally, they pointed out that consuming more fiber likely promotes the production of beneficial compounds in the gut, which also seems to decrease inflammation in the body.
The authors importantly noted in their analysis that their study has significant limitations, as the Nurses’ Health Study population primarily consisted of white women who worked as healthcare professionals. Nevertheless, they emphasized that this is a good starting point for understanding the role of carbs in our diets.
What are “quality” carbs anyway?
Quality carbohydrates: As the researchers of this new study define, “quality” carbs include “fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.” They do not include fruit juices or potatoes. The researchers used the Healthy Eating Index to establish their quality carb metric. Harvard’s Nutrition Source noted that steel-cut or old-fashioned oats are a good place to begin the day, adding, “A good rule of thumb: Choose a cereal that has at least 4 grams of fiber and less than 8 grams of sugar per serving.”
Refined carbohydrates: These, the researchers noted, include carbohydrates from refined grains, potatoes, and any items with added sugars, which score lower on the Healthy Eating Index. Instead of potatoes, Harvard noted you could try beans “for an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates.” It added, “Beans and other legumes such as chickpeas also provide a healthy dose of protein.”
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