There is often confusion about what carbohydrates really are and how they interact with your body. Here is a guide to help you understand use them with your diet.
A Guide to Carbohydrates and Weight Loss
Carbohydrates are nutrients that your body breaks down to create sugar. Like other nutrients, carbohydrates also provide vitamins and minerals. But what does this have to do with losing weight?
Why Does The Body Need Sugar?
The cells in our body use sugar to make energy and your brain runs off of it exclusively for fuel. So, just like gas for your car, carbohydrates keep the motor running.
While it is also true your body can run off fat and protein for a while, you will eventually need to add back in some carbohydrates, otherwise it will start eating its own muscle for fuel – not a good idea when dieting since it lowers your overall rate at which your body burns calories.
Two Kinds of Fuel
There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Let’s break both down.
Simple carbohydrates are easily absorbed and provide quick energy to the body. Have you ever reached for a candy bar when you were feeling tired? That’s you feeding your body simple carbohydrates to get the boost you needed.
More examples of simple carbohydrates are honey, breakfast cereals, breads and biscuits made with white flour, fruit juice, and most crackers.
Complex carbohydrates aren’t as quickly digested as your body since they usually contain fiber and as a result, don’t cause the spikes in blood sugar. They also carry a lot more nutrients than simple sugars.
Some examples of complex carbohydrates include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Carbs and Weightloss
There has been a lot of talk about carbohydrates and how they hinder weight loss. To a certain extent that is true – if you eat too many carbs, then your body will end up storing them as fat.
In addition, when you continue to go overboard on carbs, you become sluggish, overweight and retain water. But here’s the thing: you body needs carbohydrates to fuel your brain, to create red blood cells (a key component of blood) and to repair wounds.
So how much is too much?
Recent scientific studies show that daily carbohydrate intake between 100 grams and 150 grams per day is right where you want to be; enough carbs to run your body in a healthy, efficient manner but not get in the way of weight loss. But make sure they are the complex variety.
Of course, if you are exercising strenuously on a daily basis, are recovering from illness or surgery, or have other health issues like diabetes, your optimum carbohydrate intake level may be different – and in some case, dramatically different. It’s best to check with your doctor to be sure.
Keto and Carbs
While the keto diet is popular, remember that carbohydrates are in veggies and fruits, so while we are restricting some complex and all simple carbs, our body is still getting the carbs we need. Anything under 20 gr a day is not recommended and most doctors do not recommend anything under 50 gr a day.
Always check with your doctor before starting any type of extreme weight loss plan.
Understanding carbs and how they work in your body will help you control how your body reacts to them and releases weight. I hope this helps you!
Let me know in the comments!
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Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…
Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.