Why a low-carb diet is nonsense

Eating carbohydrates gives you energy and often helps you perform better thanks to these nutrients. Yet, there are still people who believe that you have to skip carbohydrates to lose weight, completely eat sugar-free, or that you gain weight from bread and potatoes.

In this article, we're going to give a healthier perspective on carbohydrates and 4 reasons why a low-carb diet is nonsense.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates (or sugars) are nutrients that are an important fuel for our bodies. Our brains prefer a certain form of sugar, namely glucose. Carbohydrates are converted into glucose in our bodies and provide energy to our muscles and brains.

You can find carbohydrates mainly in vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grain products, and potatoes, but also in white bread, pasta, soft drinks, fruit juices, cookies, candy, and other processed products.

Although it's better to avoid processed products, it's unfair to blame them for the extra weight gained from a carbohydrate-rich diet.

Do carbohydrates make you fat?

You don't gain weight from carbohydrates if you otherwise eat normally. Weight gain occurs when you consume more energy (calories) than you actually need. But carbohydrates themselves aren't what make you gain weight.

Carbohydrates are incredibly important for our energy supply. If you don't consume enough carbohydrates, your body uses other energy sources like fat or muscle protein. Carbohydrates are crucial for our energy supply. And you wouldn't want to miss out on that.

Why a low-carb diet is nonsense

Carbohydrates aren't the cause of increased fat storage, so it's not necessary to avoid all carbohydrates to lose weight. Here are 4 reasons why a low-carb diet (in most cases) is nonsense:

1. Energy balance

To lose weight, you need to consume less fuel than your body uses. This is known as a negative energy balance (calorie deficit). If your body receives more fuel daily, it's called a positive energy balance (calorie surplus).

Ultimately, the energy balance is the reason why someone loses or gains weight.

What many people still don't realize is that you don't get fat from certain products or macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats). Your body can derive energy from anywhere without distinguishing between a bowl of oatmeal, a banana, or a bag of filled cookies. Energy is energy.

The reason people lose weight when they eat fewer carbohydrates is that they often start eating more vegetables and fruits and consume fewer processed (= calorie-dense) products. This, in turn, results in consuming fewer calories.

2. Weight loss isn't necessarily fat loss

Going low-carb often accompanies weight loss. However, weight loss is different from fat loss. Additionally, less weight on the scale doesn't necessarily mean you're actually burning more fat. Carbohydrates are stored in your body with a considerable amount of water. If you eat fewer carbohydrates, you also lose water weight, which reflects on your scale.

3. Increased hunger

Fiber-rich carbohydrate sources like vegetables, fruits, legumes, potatoes, and whole grain products reduce your feeling of hunger and provide good satiety after a meal (similarly to proteins). This significantly reduces the urge to overeat (binge).

4. Insufficient energy

Carbohydrates provide energy to the body and ensure you can continue doing your thing optimally. For fat loss, it doesn't matter whether you eat low-carb or not. In fact, following a low-carb diet can even be detrimental to your mood and performance.