Not only do lay persons have misconceptions about having carbohydrates in our diet, even some doctors do; imagine, I have personally read a doctor’s prescription that reads: "No source of glucose!" We all know that our brain needs a constant supply of glucose, and thus, it is very necessary that we have a good amount of carbohydrates in our daily diet.

Carbohydrates come in various forms. There are those we call simple carbohydrates (glucose) and the complex ones. For better health, doctors and nutritionists advocate there should be a good amount of complex carbohydrates in our daily diet, but it should not be consumed to excess as our gastrointestinal tracts may not have all the enzymes needed to digest all these complex carbohydrates, and this will eventually bring about some discomfort.

Today, our recommended daily intake of complex carbohydrates is between 20 and 40 grams or an average of 30 grams. The value seems just too small and easily attainable, but in reality, it is often difficult to achieve 30 grams fiber intake from our usual diet. Below is an example of a daily meal plan that will give you an estimated 40 grams of fiber (this example is using foods with high fiber content):

Breakfast

• 2 sliced Walter sugar-free wheat loaf (4 grams fiber)

• 1 tsp fat-free mayonnaise

• 2 slices Heart Saver’s cheese

• 1 medium-size apple (6 grams fiber)

Lunch

•1 cup of rice (0.5 grams fiber)

• Lean pork with tokwa in sweet & sour soy sauce (13 grams fiber)

• 1 small guava (8.2 grams fiber)

Afternoon snack

• 1 small corn on the cob (3.1 grams fiber)

Supper

• 1 cup of rice (0.5 grams fiber)

• ½ cup ginataang langka (3.6 grams fiber)

• 1 small fried fish

• 12 medium-size grapes (3.4 grams fiber)

Choosing foods other than those indicated in this meal plan will simply mean your fiber intake will definitely be lower than 40 grams. For this reason, we have to make adjustments in your daily diet such as incorporating other foods that will supply a good amount of fiber without having to exhaust your mind in trying to think of what to include in your grocery list just to ensure a good intake of complex carbohydrates regularly. An example of this food is Nutren Diabetes from Nestle. With a 250-ml mixture, you are taking in 3.8 grams of fiber without having to tire yourself from chewing just to achieve daily goals for fiber intake. Nutren Diabetes can even replace your creamers you use for your coffee or other beverages that require simple evaporated milk. Moreover, Nutren Diabetes may again be used as replacement for ordinary evaporated milk in recipes for cakes, cookies, and bread that require it. This is what we mean by having Carbs for Wellness.