Habit 1: Complex Carbohydrate Diet

Habit 1: Complex Carbohydrate Diet

What is it?

Carbohydrates, or carbs, are one of the main nutrients found in food and drinks. Our body breaks down carbohydrate into glucose which is the main source of energy for our body’s cells, tissues, and organs¹. A carbohydrates diet includes:

• Whole-grain foods: Brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain bread, quinoa, oats, and buckwheat noodles are good choices.

• Fresh fruits and vegetables: These are especially fiber-rich when eaten unpeeled.

• Beans and legumes: These include kidney beans, peas, and lentils.

How does it work?

Complex carbohydrates contain longer chains of sugar molecules which break down to produce glucose to provide energy to the body. Because of longer chain sugar molecules, carbohydrates take longer to break down, and thus provide energy to the body for a longer period of time.

Presence of fiber slows down digestion and makes the increase of blood glucose gradual, thus preventing cravings and sugar crashes.

Intense food cravings and bad mood are frequently related to changes in insulin levels. Complex carbohydrates’ slow process of breaking down helps in suppressing hunger and calming down your mind. The slow breakdown process also results in release of tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin which helps with mood, sleep, and digestion².

What is the efficacy?

Methods: One study from 1995 tested women with PMS by giving them either a special carbohydrate-rich drink or a placebo during the days before their period, then checking their mood, appetite, and thinking skills shortly after. The other, from 2018, followed thousands of women for years, tracking how much carbohydrate and fiber they ate through regular diet surveys, and compared those who later developed PMS with those who didn’t.^3,4

Results: The experimental carbohydrate intervention significantly decreased self-reported depression, anger, confusion, and carbohydrate craving 90–180 minutes after intake. In the 2018 study, eating more overall carbohydrates or fiber didn’t lower the chances of getting PMS, but women who ate more maltose (a type of sugar) were more likely to develop it.

Conclusion: Acute intake of a carbohydrate-rich beverage may offer short-term relief of PMS symptoms, particularly psychological and mood-related ones. Long-term dietary patterns involving general carbohydrate or fiber intake do not appear to prevent PMS.

References

1. MedlinePlus. Carbohydrates [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [cited 2025 Apr 23].MedlinePlus. Carbohydrates [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [cited 2025 Apr 23]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/carbohydrates.html**​:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

2. Slavin JL. Carbohydrate quality and health: distilling simple truths from complex data. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022;116(6):1510–1518.

3. Benton D, Donohoe RT, Nabb S. The effect of a carbohydrate-rich beverage on mood, appetite, and cognitive performance in healthy young women. Physiol Behav. 2003 May;79(4–5):655–63.

4. Houghton SC, Manson JE, Whitcomb BW, Hankinson SE, Troy LM, Bigelow C, Bertone-Johnson ER. Carbohydrate and fiber intake and the risk of premenstrual syndrome. European journal of clinical nutrition. 2018 Jun;72(6):861-70.