Why Everyone Says That Carbohydrates Are Sooooo Bad?

4 MINUTE READ

Whenever I hear this I’m pumped! I grab some beef jerky or protein bites (GOD FORBID ANY POPCORN, THAT WOULD BE CARBS) and listen.

‘Ahh yes, this is going to be a good one!’

You’ll see experts in every comment section, every corner of the street, every discussion about food, basically EVERYWHERE saying that carbs are evil. Carbs will make you fat. Eating bread is basically a suicide mate, might as well jump in front of a bus.

Why?

I keep asking myself the same question but the answer seems to be very simple- lack of knowledge.

It’s the case in a massive number of instances- people talk shit about something without having a clue what they are actually talking about. They feel the need to give their opinion even though they have no background or education in the field. That’s mental!

This causes the internet to be a source of great amounts of information available for free and the biggest trash can even known to man. Both at the same time. It’s extremely hard to sieve through the vast ocean of information only to find bits and pieces you can benefit from.

Luckily, there are people who are professionals on the subject so you don’t have to do the guesswork. I myself got certified in personal training and nutrition a few years back because there was too much information out there that confused me. I was sick of reading dozens of articles and watching hours of videos saying completely different things where the person claimed to be ‘the expert.’

Most of it was bullshit. I tried a lot of different things and barely anything worked. That’s how I lost a few good years of my life on trying stuff that doesn’t work. My problem was- I lacked knowledge.

So, back to the root of all evil (carbs)- they are not bad if you eat them in moderation (given you have no health conditions like coeliac disease, then it’s a completely different story.)

It’s like everything- if you eat too much of anything, it will make you gain weight. Doesn’t matter what it is! If you go into caloric surplus, you will get fat. FACTS!

Too many carbs = caloric surplus = weight gain.

Too much fat = caloric surplus = weight gain.

Too much protein = caloric surplus = weight gain.

You get it?

In fact, opposite to what a lot of people preach (that carbs are bad) they are crucial to proper functioning of your body.

The body breaks down most carbohydrates into the sugar glucose. Glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream, and with the help of insulin it travels into the cells where it can be used for energy.

That’s how you fuel your workouts. The body breaks down most carbohydrates from the foods we eat and converts them to glucose which is the main source of fuel for our cells. When the body doesn’t need to use the glucose for energy, it stores it in the liver and muscles. This stored form of glucose is made up of many connected glucose molecules called glycogen. When the body needs a quick boost of energy or when it isn’t getting glucose from food, glycogen is broken down to release glucose into the bloodstream to be used as fuel.

It’s also how you replenish glycogen levels. After intense physical exercise your glycogen levels will be depleted and the first step in the regeneration process is to replenish these stores. Once this takes place your body can start the repair process.

What does your brain have to do with this? Well, let me explain. It’s estimated that when fuelled by carbohydrates, the brain needs roughly 110-145 grams of glucose (from the breakdown of carbs you eat) per day in order to function optimally. If you think you don’t need carbs, think again.

In 3 seconds experts will pop from around the corner (again *sigh*) losing their shit that carbs are not the only source of glucose for your body.

I agree!

Don’t get me wrong, your body is extremely smart and can convert both protein and fats into glucose, however it’s slower and not really efficient. If you’re into sports or any sort of training, you know that efficiency is the key.

One more thing to bear in mind is that we are all different and our bodies prefer different types of foods. As much as I’m not a fan of the keto diet, if someone feels well and feels that it works for them, let them do it. At the end of the day both diet and training should be suited to the individual, not based on someone’s opinions.

To sum up- eat carbs, eat them in moderation just like everything else.

You don’t have to cut pasta, bread, or pizza from your life in order to lose weight. You also don’t have to stuff yourself with rice and broccoli to gain muscle. These are two extremes that create this perception that a healthy, good looking body is just for the chosen ones and it certainly means you should not come closer than 2 feet to carbs in any shape or form. Otherwise you might start storing fat because blah blah blah (some diet BS) is the only thing to go.

Make conscious decisions of what you eat and how much you eat and you’ll be perfectly fine.

Feel free to visit damopt.com for more information and support in achieving your goals.

Have a great one wherever in the world you might be tuning in from right now!