In Defense of Carbs
The media loves to tell us we should avoid carbohydrates, but what if I were to tell you that carbohydrates are the preferred energy source for our brains? What if I were to tell you that we need carbohydrates, not only every day, but ideally multiple times throughout the day?
Carbohydrates are one of the 3 macronutrients, the other two being protein and fat. Maybe you’ve heard these in the context of tracking “macros”, but really what you need to know is that these 3 groups are what make up everything we eat. Sometimes foods contain only one macronutrient, while others contain a combination. Unfortunately for carbs, they are diet culture’s villain de jour. In the 90’s and early 2000’s, it was fats, and the next thing we knew it was carbs. Hello, diet culture whiplash.
For example:
Cereal= carbohydrate
Chicken = protein
Chickpeas = protein + carbohydrate
Nuts = protein + fat
Macronutrients are essential for life, energy production, and maintenance within the body
and no...they do NOT need to be tracked or micromanaged.
Less is not better! Often, we find with our clients that the key is to add more foods in, not cut out or reduce.
Carbohydrates
In the simplest terms: carbohydrates are energy! We consume them and our brilliant body breaks those starches down into glucose, our body’s preferred source of fuel. When the body decides it has received enough energy, the remaining glucose is stored in compartments called glycogen for later use in muscles and the liver. This comes in handy throughout the day for general energy needs, blood sugar regulation, and for use during prolonged periods of physical activity. Our brains, however, have no capacity to store glucose, and thus require a steady, consistent source of glucose.
When we don’t eat enough carbohydrates, our bodies opt to burn fat as fuel. Think: the Ketogenic Diet (low carb, high fat). While the media makes fat seem like the enemy and thus burning fat sounds appealing, this is not the way the body is made to use nutrients. We are meant to consume an array of nutrients, with enough carbohydrates to act as our main source of fuel. So yes, some fat (and protein) is used for energy, but it is not an ideal primary energy source.
Adequate carbohydrate intake protects the body from using protein as an energy source. In this way, carbs are “protein sparing”. When we aren’t adequately fueled with carbohydrates, the body will turn to the amino acids in protein for energy. In these cases, our dietary protein won’t go towards the things we want protein being utilized for- like tissue repair, producing essential enzymes and hormones for countless chemical reactions, creating structural cells, etc. Under times of under-eating and/or overexercising, the body can also break down skeletal muscle for amino acids, also not great!
Carbohydrates also facilitate serotonin production. Serotonin is known as one of the “happy” hormones that promote positive feelings like happiness and pleasure. This isn’t something to be avoided, rather embraced.
Without adequate carbohydrates we may experience the following symptoms:
Feeling sluggish
Trouble focusing
Constipation (due to inadequate fiber intake)
Impaired function of nervous system and red blood cells
Nutrient deficiencies
Our theory as to why diet culture targets carbs and places many rules and restrictions around carbs is because they often taste good! So many foods that are carbs are satisfying, and for this reason, we are taught that we can’t trust ourselves around these foods. The thing is- the more we try to control food, the more out of control we may likely end up feeling. What we resist, persists. Carbs, especially when paired with other food groups, can offer so much to a meal or snack. Plus, they encompass a large, wide variety of foods! And the more variety we have, the more access to micronutrients our bodies get.
We can’t tell you how much carbs to have, or what types, because eating is incredibly individualized. What we can tell you however, is that in our experience, restricting carbs is not the key to wellness or a positive, confident relationship with food for most people.
Fiber
Fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate that is found in plants— think: fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Most people know about fiber for its bathroom-related benefits, but it goes beyond that. Fiber helps to provide a feeling of fullness with meals and snacks. It helps to slow down digestion, aids in managing cholesterol levels, and preventing spikes in blood sugar.
You know that feeling of still being “munchy” after you eat? That could be a side effect of not having had enough carbohydrates!
For example, think of the following two salads:
Salad #1: romaine, tomatoes, shredded carrots, cucumbers, grilled chicken, and full fat dressing
Salad #2: the same as salad #1 + pita on the side
OR
Think of the following two snacks:
Snack #1: spoonful of peanut butter
Snack #2: english muffin with peanut butter
Which would leave you feeling more full and satisfied?
Chances are, the salad which is full of vegetables and micronutrients, wouldn’t keep you full for very long. It may have a decent amount of volume, but it's lacking in macronutrients, energy and the satisfaction factor.
(To vastly overstate its contents: salad #1 is crunchy water)
Jokes aside, salad #1 is full of vegetables and nutrients, but it may be better suited as a snack or appetizer. By adding an adequate source of carbohydrate to accompany the salad, you are adding energy and starch which will help to keep you fuller for longer. Not to mention, carbs are the foods that add enjoyment, which is the “hub” of intuitive eating.
Similarly, adding an english muffin (starch) to peanut butter (protein) will provide a more satisfying snack that provides lasting energy.
What if I’m gluten free?
Even if you are following a gluten free diet, you still need carbs. And you are probably still eating them. Not all carbohydrates contain gluten. Fruits, vegetables, dairy, & grains all contain carbohydrates. And fortunately, there are many GF alternatives out there to keep things tasty and interesting!
This list is not exhaustive by any means, but here are some examples:
Rice
Quinoa
Lentils
Potatoes (sweet & regular)
Yogurt
Milk
Apples
Grapes
Carrots
Peas
Corn
Beans
Candy (full of fiber? No. Delicious? yes)
Why do I always crave sweets and bread? What’s the deal on sugar addiction?
There are a couple reasons why this could be happening, but the one I see most commonly is that you aren’t eating enough of them. Our bodies are incredibly smart. When we don’t eat enough carbohydrates or when we don’t eat enough, in general, our bodies indicate to us that we need to eat more. This can show up in hunger cues or also in cravings. These cravings may feel urgent, chaotic or even primal when we have been restricting carbohydrates or placing conditions around them. When we restrict, it is only natural that our bodies respond with rebellion; if you can’t have it, you want it more. This is what we refer to as the forbidden fruit effect. This has nothing to do with your lack of “willpower” or “self-control”. We can’t white-knuckle our way around food for very long before it backfires. This is on purpose- our bodies are intelligently designed and hard-wired to seek out food, including carbs. The feeling of being addicted to food can feel very visceral and real, and the truth of the matter is we biologically cannot be addicted to something that is required for survival. If you are often berating yourself, feeling guilt, shame or remorse after eating carbohydrates, this is just as impactful as physically restricting carbs and can create a feeling of obsessing over them. Placing limits or conditions on eating fosters preoccupation. Permission is the key.
In sugar addiction studies, the subjects (in this case, rats) only exhibit “addiction” signs/ symptoms when they are given a sugary liquid intermittently, rather than continuously like the control group. So basically, when the rats are restricted of sugar, they are more likely to demonstrate urgency around it when it is available. Sound familiar?
The best way to fix this is to...eat some carbs. Enough of them, and regularly.
Carbohydrates are our friends! We need them every day, multiple times throughout the day! So eat your carbs, enjoy them, keep in mind what they can do for you, how they feel, and how you can relate to them in a positive way. What has diet culture taught you to believe about carbs? If you feel “addicted” to sugar, or out of control around carbs, or simply want to repair your relationship with them and feel empowered, we are here for you!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4960974/
