The Misconceptions of Carbs
There’s a common misconception — carbohydrates make you fat. We’ve all heard it.
I’m guilty of attempting to follow it. I used to try very hard to eliminate my carbs as much as I could.
Why? Simply because like many I was convinced the number of articles that kept quoting, Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution or the South Beach diet about how effective a low-carb diet is to long-lasting weight management.
I remember watching a friend from school who became half her size as she happily pick at fried chicken.
Her secret ―low-carb diet. She shared, because more than often we don’t burn the carbs we eat.
These carbs then turns into fat, which is stored in our body. By cutting carbs and instead increasing her protein intake prevented that process. Simply put:
Cut Carbs = Shred the Weight + Normalize Your Blood Sugar + FEEL GREAT!
Sounds easy enough, right? Not quite.
If you have been reading my other blog posts you know by now, I believe in the Ayurveda principle — everyone is different; thus, there is no one-size fits all.
So, while many champion the success of low-carb diets, there are also people, like me where the diet just isn’t sufficient.
I noticed I did lose weight, kept it off even.
My issue — I wasn’t as energetic as I would have liked, neither was I getting lean (I’d workout up to 2 hours per session, 5 times a week!!!).
Clearly, something was amiss. Digging deep, I finally discovered my core issue was my low-carb diet.
"Carbs are fuel for your body because they contain glucose, which is your body's number one source of energy. Protein and fat work, too, but carbs are definitely number one.” Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet, as cited by Annie Daly
The Fundamentals of Carbs
Like many, I was confused. Seeing my friend’s results, I was convinced.
Your body stores what you don’t burn and converts it into fat; thus, you gain weight. More so, carbs contain glucose which is sugar; therefore, not good for you.
Sound familiar?
Well let’s get the basics out of the way: carbohydrates are one the 3 macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat). These nutrients are core to fueling your body, but each varies in effectiveness according to National Health Service (NHS):
carbohydrate: about 4kcal (17kJ) per gram
protein: 4kcal (17kJ) per gram
fat: 9kcal (37kJ) per gram
There are 2 major types of carbs, simple and complex. The critical difference lays in how quickly each is digested and absorbed.
Simple carbohydrates are the easy-to-digest simple sugars.
I know you’re probably cringing at the word “sugar,” but this is a vital source of energy!
These carbs are found in refined sugar. This can come from nutritious food like milk, vegetables, and fruit or added sugar from candy, soda, etc. It is important to distinguish natural and processed sugar. The nutrient value between the 2 vastly vary.
Natural sugar sources contains fiber, which slows the absorption of sugar so your blood sugar will not spike.
Processed sugar, on the other hand, is rapidly absorbed from the digestive tract raising blood sugar abruptly.
In most cases, the blood sugar is not needed for energy and is sent to the liver as fat triglycerides for storage.
When talking about reducing carbs, most people argue it’s good to control consumption of these types of carbs as the sugars provide no nutrition aside from energy (empty calories).
However, your body breaks down carbs into glucose (sugar in your blood) which flows throughout your body, so you have the energy to do everything from walk, run, jump, sit and sleep!
Complex carbohydrates are starches include grain products like bread, pasta, oatmeal, rice and legumes.
Also referred to polysaccharides are starches, which provide you with a slow and steady release of energy throughout the day.
Complex carbs are packed with more nutrients as in most cases it contains higher fiber, so you stay full longer and manage your post-meal blood spikes.
So, which type of carbs should you eat? Both types are equally healthy. It’s about making the right choices. For instance, instead of grabbing that cookie as your simple carb, go with a banana.
The case of good carb gone bad happens more often than you realize when it comes to complex carbs. A good example is white bread where the grain is refined that the nutrients and fiber is removed making it less nutritious. For that reason, we usually asked to go with the whole wheat option instead.
“My favorite image for carbohydrate digestion is to think of a campfire. Complex carbs are like good logs. They catch easily and burn steadily for a long time. The bad, simple carbs are like dry tender. When we put them into our digestive fire, they flare up quickly and then burn out leaving us with little to run on.” – Marguerite Ogle
Now that’s out of the way, let’s debunk 2 top misconceptions surrounding carbs.
1# Carbs Make You Fat
A lot of us have been caught in this web. Note above!
“People like [carbohydrates] so much, they tend to overeat them. So people gain weight—not because the carbs are bad—but because they’re having too much. ,” Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet, as cited by Amy Eisinger
As mentioned we need carbs for energy, and some food choices are better than others.
It all boils down to managing your macros, understanding the healthier choices versus the unhealthy choices in your daily diet.
Joseph Cohen does an excellent job researching the topic to show us how most of us have been eating the same amount of carbs as our ancestors have in the 1900s. So why has our obesity rate spiked then?
Think about it― in the 1900s people worked more labor-intensive jobs. In contrast, today we are more sedentary in our office-desk. Subsequently, we’re just not burning as much energy, yet we maintain the same intake.
Experts recommend a minimum 130 grams daily. However, if you’re active and you’re staying within that range, you’re probably under eating, which is an issue in itself. I'll work on another blog post on the topic soon.
What’s more, low-carb diets typically restrict you to 20-60 grams of carbs, which is about 80-240 calories!
To put things into perspective, in 2000 calories a day-diet, that’s between 900-13000 calories alone from carbs.
When you choose to lower your carb intake, you should adjust your activity level, to indeed ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.
2# Proteins Can Replace Carbs
As the story with my friend who introduced me to the idea of a low-carb diet, she sourced her energy from protein.
The reality ― carbs, protein, and fat are all integral to being healthy. It’s not one over the other, rather than understanding the right ratio for you.
In fact, carbs fuel you faster than the other 2 macros as it passes through your digestive tract quicker. That makes carbs your body’s preferred fuel as it breaks down into glucose.
When you rely on proteins for energy, you take away from it focusing on rebuilding muscles, producing enzymes or antibodies. That also means you lose lean muscle tissue which can make you feel weak.
The other thing note is in overdoing your protein, you could potentially strain your kidney, which has to work overtime to excrete the waste products from the protein breakdown in your urine.
Most forget, when you overeat or under eat your health takes a beating. It is crucial to understand the importance of balance. Good carbs vs bad carb as well as portion control.
I went off the low-carb diet and began tracking my macros to consume at least 45-60 percent of carbs in my daily diet for about a year now. Here’s what I found since:
Improved muscle definition and recovery
More energy
Consistent weight
I’ve learned, when it comes to diet, look at it as a lifestyle. It’s about moderation and reducing access, not complete elimination!
Your turn: I know everyone is different, so I’d love to hear your low-carb diet tale? Did it work for you?
Hashtag #SaltPepperandEverythingBetween when you share on your social networks!
This article is not a substitute for medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat your health condition. Always check with your doctor before altering your diet or taking supplements.
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