Are carbs bad?
Often the most demonized macronutrient, but are they really bad? (NO.)
NUTRITION
Elias Vargas
7/6/20232 min read
Stop running from carbs.
Carbohydrates are one of the three essential macronutrients our body needs in order to function properly. Considering there are only three of these, the other two being fat and protein, it's pretty silly to demonize an entire macronutrient.
What makes carbs unique? Carbs are broken down and processed very easily. This means they typically take little time to digest and are very bio-available. This makes them unrivaled as the most efficient macronutrient for sport performance (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5794245/), diets rich in carbohydrates make for great athletes.
The misconception:
The word "Carbs" often instills mental images of the most tasty decadent foods: Cakes, ice cream, doughnuts, cookies, etc. However, these tasty foods are an almost devilishly delicious concoction of fats and carbs designed to be highly palatable and high in calories. I.e.: easy to eat and have a ton of calories.. Do you see how this could be the problem, and not the carbs themselves? Junk food is not the only way to eat carbs!
The good news is that carbs, and yes even junky carbs, are not going to cause fat gain outside of a calorie surplus. They simply won't. Nothing will, actually. It's simply a matter of which foods make it either easier or harder to hit your calorie goals. Really, can you honestly say it's the whole grain pasta, rice, and whole fruits that are making it hard for you to hit your calorie goals? If anything, these foods will keep you satiated and energized.
The only way to accrue fat is by eating in a calorie surplus.
Really at the end of the day, no food or nutrient is specifically going to make you get fat all on its own. It's all about calories, and every food has its place! Example: People tend to demonize fast digesting carbs because they are easy to over consume, however, quick carbs can be an excellent pre, post, and intra workout snack.
So to recap this blurb, three main points:
Carbohydrates are excellent for sport performance and recovery.
You can't accumulate body fat without being in a caloric surplus.
No food is uniquely that bad. It's all about caloric intake and moderation.