#Myth: Carbs are Fattening
Answer: No
Ahhh Le classic question. You’re probably thinking…
What’s the deal with carbs? What does it mean to “carb the f*ck up”? Is butter a carb ? Why does the Instagram bio say KETO or HFLC …so many questions…
Here’s a breakdown on what you should know about carbs.
1. What is a carb?
A carbohydrate (a “carb”) is one among the 7 macronutrients that make up our food ─ along with proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, trace elements and water!
There are 3 main kinds of carbohydrates:
Sugars
Starches
Fibre!
When eaten, carbs (with the exception of fibre) are broken down into glucose, which is the main source of fuel for your body and for your brain’s overall functioning.
2. What foods have carbs?
There are a few foods that might come to mind when you think of carbs. You might think of candy, bread, pasta, pizza, cookies… Basically, anything we label as “bad”.
However, carbs can also be found in foods like…
Fruits (which are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals);
Vegetables (which are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals);
Milk & Alternatives (which are good source of calcium & Vitamin D);
Whole grains (which are a good source of fibre, B-vitamins, iron and folic acid);
Beans & Legumes (which are a good source of fibre, protein and phytosterols)
If you started cutting out carbs from your diet, well…good luck eating something because your best bet is most likely a decadent dish of supplements, drizzled in an herb-infused oil, flambéed and served over an ice bath garnished with a pinch of grass (unless you know, you’re into that) ─ how delicious!
3. What would happen if we stopped eating carbs?
When your body lacks glucose, it will eventually turn to the fat stores in your body and the protein stores in your muscles.
Your liver will convert the fat stores into ketones, and the protein stores into glucose to be used as energy.
4. What about the ketogenic diet?
The ketogenic diet, otherwise known as the KETO diet, is the restriction of carbs, thereby putting your body into a metabolic state called “ketosis”. Though it has been shown to promote weight loss within the short term, the long term effects of it have not yet been conclusive.
Ketosis can become dangerous when ketones start to build up, as it can lead to unwanted side effects such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, acetone breath, fatigue, digestive problems and insomnia. (yikes!)
BOTTOM LINE : carbs are not the problem.
Your body needs them! Instead, pay more attention to your eating habits. The quantity & quality of the carbs that you are eating may be the bigger contributing factors.
Ask yourself these questions:
Is what you’re eating a normal-sized portion to YOU?
Does it provide you with fibre, minerals and vitamins?
Finally, think of it like this: if you were asked to choose the healthier option between 15g of carbs in a piece of fruit vs 15g of carbs in a piece of candy, ─ which one would you consider more nutritious?
Pretty sure you know the answer to that.
Don’t fear foods, fear ignorant claims!
Source(s):
[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/nutrients/carbohydrates.html
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