Let's Talk About Carbohydrates

Before you read on, I want you to forget everything that you have heard about carbs up until now and start with a clean slate. This macronutrient (one of three along with protein and fat) has received a bad reputation after diet fads like Atkins have make the public generally confused about what role carbs play in our diets. I want to talk about some of the biggest myths out there when it comes to carbohydrates.

Myth 1: All carbs are created equal.
There are two types of carbs that we will focus on for the purposes of this post. The first is simple carbohydrates. These are found in soda, candy, and baked goods and can be found listed on the nutrition label as sugar (sucrose or table sugar), corn syrup, or high-fructose corn syrup. High consumption of these foods has been linked to obesity, fatigue, and inflammation. The second kind is complex carbohydrates and are found in more natural foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Simple carbohydrates are made up of one or two sugar molecules, while complex carbs contain three or more molecules and are broken down slower in your body. Complex carbohydrates also contain fiber which is very important for keeping you regular and maintaining a healthy digestive tract.

Myth 2: All carbs are bad.
Complex carbs are vital to fuel your brain's activity as well as provide your body enough energy to get through the day feeling like a normal, healthy person. The sources of complex carbohydrates (apples, sweet potatoes, yogurt, etc) are also great sources of other important vitamins and minerals. Foods like beans and milk can also be great sources of protein and healthy fat as well has carbohydrates. The bulk of your carbohydrate intake should be coming from those natural foods; mostly vegetables and some grains (brown rice, whole wheat).

Myth 3: Carb intake should be limited.
Carbohydrates should actually make up 50-70% of your total calories. For a person on a 2,000 calorie diet, this would equal 250-600 grams of carbohydrates every day. Eating the appropriate amount of healthy carbohydrates can help improve the quality of your workouts, and can help combat low energy. ChooseMyPlate.gov has an awesome resource called the SuperTracker that can give you the nutrient content of any food as well as personalize a calorie and macronutrient breakdown for you. MyFitnessPal is another food tracker that I have recommended to nutrition clients in the past.
**Those living with diabetes, heart disease, or other health conditions are exceptions to these guidelines and should talk to a physician or a Registered Dietitian about the best carbohydrate ratio for them.

Myth 4: Carbs will make you fat.
Over-consumption of anything has the potential to lead to unwanted weight gain, but eating the proper amount of carbs every day will not hinder a health-centered weight loss plan. When you eat more carbohydrates than your body needs at that specific time, some of the excess actually gets stored in your body as glycogen instead of directly as fat. Glycogen is stored in your muscle tissues and in your liver so that it can be quickly released when you do need it for energy.