The first enemy of the public diet were fats, when studies in the 90s linked it to cardiovascular disease. Some time later, we all decided that carbohydrates (specifically sugars) are bad for us, and people restricted their diets even further. If you are confused about carbs, then you’re not alone. Here’s a brief overview of how carbs affect your body. 

Some People Use A Low Carb Diet For Weight Loss

There have been several reports of people that have reduced their carbohydrate intake as a method for aiding weight loss. One famous example is the Gucci Mane diet that includes other factors such as reducing consumption of lean meat. One thing that is worth noting, however, is that completely eliminating carbohydrates from your diet is generally considered not a good idea. Carbohydrates play an important role in your metabolism, and thus there is an argument that you still need some form or carbohydrates in your diet. 

Some Of The Roles That Carbohydrates Play

Even though consuming an excess of carbohydrates is linked with a number of diseases, it’s not wise to completely eliminate all forms of carbohydrates from your diet. Here are a few functions of carbohydrates in our bodies:

Energy Source 

All your bodily functions run on carbohydrates, even if you don’t consume any. Your brain needs blood glucose for proper functioning, so if you aren’t consuming any carbohydrates (at all), your body will need to make it out of existing proteins and fats in your diet or from fat stores in your body. Most importantly, if you aren’t eating any carbohydrates, you won’t be able to make full use of proteins in your diet because they are being used as an alternative energy source. 

Gut Health

Carbohydrates have an important role in maintaining a healthy gut. Firstly, those that can’t be digested are known as dietary fibre, and they prevent constipation and/or diarrhea by keeping the digestive system moving. Secondly, some carbs that aren’t digested will stay in the gut to be fermented, providing healthy gut microflora. 

Different Types Of Carbohydrate

It’s worth noting that carbs come in different forms. There are simple sugars (like glucose, and table sugar) that are swiftly digested, and used as fuel for the various functions of our bodies. Other types of carbohydrates are more complex, and our digestive system takes longer to process them. Simple carbohydrates are known as monosaccharides or disaccharides, and are usually sugars. Complex carbohydrates are known as polysaccharides, because they have more than one or two sugar “units” that must be broken down in order for your body to make use of them. These are found in foods like oats, beans, whole grains (like eye), and vegetables. You’ll notice that these carbs tend to keep you full for longer because they need time to be digested. 

Conclusion

Most nutritionists and dietary experts will tell you that you should reduce intake of simple carbohydrates, and consume some complex carbohydrates to give a low carbohydrate diet. Do not completely eliminate carbs, because they remain an essential macronutrient.