Most of the time, carbs get a bad rap. Some people claim carbs are fattening and others claim carbs trigger cravings. But lumping all carbs together — like doughnuts and oatmeal — simply isn't right.

The carbs in bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes, sweets and soda are considered "bad" while carbs in legumes, fruits, vegetables and dairy products are "good." The truth is rather than avoiding carbs, which can mean missing out on vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients that are important in preventing chronic diseases, we need to make smarter carb choices.

All carbs contain 4 calories per gram, but research shows the quality of carbohydrate can make a difference when you step on the scale. In a June 2015 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, scientists examined 16 to 24 years of data from more than 120,000 adults from three large, long-term studies. Sugar-sweetened foods and refined grains, such as white bread and white rice, were equally associated with increased weight gain. However, other research shows consuming high-quality carbs, including whole grains, dairy, fruits and non-starchy vegetables is linked to weight loss. In the September 2015 issue of PLOS Medicine, a study of more than 133,000 adults followed for 24 years showed that increased intake of starchy vegetables, including corn, peas and potatoes was associated with weight gain.

In addition, carbohydrate quality impacts the risk of type 2 diabetes. In a December 2015 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists looked at data from more than 70,000 women in the Nurses' Health Study over 24 years. The more total fiber, cereal (grain) fiber and fruit fiber people ate, the lower their risk of type 2 diabetes. The study also found eating a lot of starchy carbs, such as white bread, refined crackers, white potatoes and corn, was associated with a 23 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The message isn't to avoid starchy carbs, but to choose them in moderation, according to a summary in Environmental Nutrition, September 2016.

Here's the bottom line: Don't avoid carbs. Eat whole foods — whole grains, whole fruits and whole vegetables - which are digested more slowly and contain more water and fiber to fill you up.

Q and A

Q: Are dairy foods the best source of calcium to fight osteoporosis, or are supplements better?

A: Prevailing evidence is that food is the preferred source of calcium, says Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes, director of Tufts University's HNRCA Bone Metabolism Laboratory. Dairy foods are the major calcium source in American diets. Dairy foods also have other valuable components, like protein and potassium. It can be difficult to meet the calcium requirement without dairy foods, but it can be done for those who do not tolerate dairy. Non-dairy sources of calcium include fortified almond, soy and cashew "milk," fortified breakfast cereals, canned fish, spinach and other dark leafy greens, soybeans and other beans, and okra.

RECIPE

School has started and that means regular dinner times. Here's a recipe for Turkey & Vegetable Meatloaf from Cooking Light magazine. The recipe makes 2 — one for that evening and one for the next day's lunch.

Turkey & Vegetable Meatloaf

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup finely diced sweet potato

1/3 cup minced shallots

1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup finely diced zucchini

3/4 cup corn, fresh or frozen

3/4 cup peas, fresh or frozen

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2 large eggs

1/2 cup low-fat milk

3/4 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 pounds 85 percent-lean ground turkey

1/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and zucchini; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add corn, peas and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Stir in salt and pepper. Turn the mixture onto a plate and cool for 10 minutes. Whisk eggs in a large bowl; whisk in milk, breadcrumbs, parsley, Worcestershire, thyme and cayenne. Stir in the cooled vegetables. Add turkey and gently but thoroughly mix to combine. Shape the mixture into two loaves on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top of each loaf with half the ketchup. Bake until a thermometer reads 160 degrees, about 40 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Serves 8:4 (1 1/2 inch-thick) slices per meatloaf.

Per slice: 342 calories, 24 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat, 136 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 455 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill., and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @Nutrition Rd. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.