Why Carbs Aren’t The Enemy You Think They Are

Banned all carbs from your diet? Can’t remember the last time you had bread in the house? Do you feel like you would give anything just to have a small bowl of pasta?
If so, you aren’t alone. Millions of people everywhere are shunning carbs from their diet as they truly think that doing so is the ticket to fat loss results.
Carbs = evil. That’s what most people have come to believe.
But, have you ever stopped to question this connection? Have you stopped to ask yourself why carbs have earned this ‘diet devil’ title?
Maybe you should.
Let’s give you something to think about.
What Causes Weight Gain?
First things first, you need to think about what actually causes weight gain. There’s nothing special about carbs that automatically make them get turned into fat – they’re a simple form of calories just like protein or dietary fat.
What causes you to gain weight is when you take in too many calories over the course of the day. Simply put, take in more than you burn and you’ll be gaining body fat.
What Happens When You Eat Carbs?
So, now we need to look at how this is connected to carbohydrates.
One thing that is true is that carbohydrates will cause your insulin levels to increase. This is due to the fact that carbs break down into glucose in the blood and your body wants to try and maintain a certain range of blood glucose at all times.
But, what you must think about is how much insulin will be released is directly related to how many carbs you consume and how fast they break down.
If you eat a small dose of carbs that break down slowly, hardly any insulin will be released at all.
If you eat a large dose of carbs that break down rapidly and cause blood sugar levels to spike, you can be certain that insulin is going to come flooding in.
It is this insulin that takes those calories and stores them as body fat.
So from this, what you need to consider is the fact that it’s not carbs in general that cause you to gain weight, it’s how many carbs you’re eating and the type.
In today’s world, our diets consist primarily of large doses of refined carbs, which are the types that cause blood sugars to rise.
If you instead switch your focus to carbs that break down slowly such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and moderate amounts of fruit, you wouldn’t have this problem.
Why Carbs Are Important
What you also must consider is the fact that carbohydrates are the preferred source of energy for the body. Cut them out and you can kiss your energy level good bye.
So rather than shun carbs, rethink the carbs you’re eating. Carbohydrates themselves aren’t bad, it’s how many most people consume and the type. Make a few adjustments to your intake and you’ll easily see weight loss success without having to give carbs the boot from your diet.