Carbohydrates (CHO), commonly known as carbs, have been labelled as the body’s enemy since the low-carb fad diets of 1970’s.  In today’s society we’re still cutting down carbohydrates by eating more fat and protein.  These modern low-carb methods come with various nutrient modifications accompanied by marketed names such as gluten-free, wheat-free, paleo and others.  With current trends in food philosophy it is apparent that we have become uncomfortable with this macronutrient.

In this article we’ll discuss carbohydrates and clear up any misunderstandings.

Some scientific data supports the decrease or even avoidance of consuming processed carbs such as breads, baked goods and table sugar.  However, carbohydrate umbrella does not only include sugar found in grains, but in many other foods including fruits and vegetables.  People who avoid all carbohydrates including the ones found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes due to specifics of the Palio, Atkins, or Zone diets are not exercising best judgements.  These reasons are discussed in detail below.

importance of carbohydrates

Carbs, Protein, Fats — Macronutrient manipulation

Restrictive Diet — When we limit CHO which often makes up one third of total macronutrients, the gap is filled with extra protein (PRO) and fats.  Diets of this sort are known as high protein or high fat.  However, if not done correctly these type of diets can leads to further weight-gain and health consequences. 

Lack of FiberCarbs provide much needed fiber in our diet—the science behind this is irrefutable.  A high protein diet often consists of meat and diary products which lack fiber but come with excess calories in form of saturated fats. 

High Calorie — We also have to be careful of high fat diets as these are calorie rich.  As for caloric amount, CHO and PRO provide 4 calories per gram, whereas fat doubles that value to 9 calories per gram .   At the end of the day, eating excess calories even from a plain, broiled chicken breast will be stored as fat.  Due to its evolved design, the body is very efficient in storing consumed foods (carbs, protein and fats) as glycogen and adipose tissue.  And with growing waist lines, thighs and arms, the body continues to designate new energy storage granules, packing them with consumed excess calories.  Not all carbohydrates are created equal, as some are essential towards improving energy, losing weight, and building a stronger, leaner, faster body

Different types of Carbohydrates

Sugars

  • Naturally occurring sugars, fructose and glucose are found in fruits and vegetables.  Milk products also contain natural sugar known as lactose.  Human body is able to convert both fructose and lactose into glucose—energy used by the body and the brain.  Glucose is synonymous with the word sugar, as well as carbohydrate (CHO).
  • Table sugar that we add to our foods is called sucrose; a combination of glucose and fructose bound together. 

Above mentioned sugars are practically the same—providing same amount of calories and convertible to glucose.  Glucose can be utilized for energy, stored in muscle as glycogen, and/or restructured into fatty acids and stockpiled in adipose tissue.

The important feature of sugars in natural food products like fruits, vegetables and milk is that these carbs come as part of a whole food package.  Along with sugar, these whole foods contain vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber and essential fats, which all take part in various internal digestive processes.

Sugar as a standalone product is also added during food preparation, processing and table side.  These “added sugars” improve flavour and palatability of foods, from sweeting a cup of coffee to baking various treats.  This form of sugar provides calories but insignificant amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.

Starches

Found in vegetables, legumes and grains are glucose sugar units linked together.  Some starches are resistant to digestion—this is also known as fiber.  Fiber is part of starches and is often removed to speed up the cooking process, increase palatability, improve shelf life and so on.  Starches void of fiber are commonly found in white pasta, white flour and breakfast cereals. 

Fiber

Like starches, fiber is glucose units bound together, however these intermolecular bonds cannot be broken by digestive enzymes in the stomach and pass down to the large intestine.  There the fiber may be broken down by bacteria (colonic microflora) or, pass through the large intestine intact and bind with water, improving bowel movements.

There are two type of fiber:

  • Dietary Fiber — naturally occurring in foods as in whole grains such as whole wheat flour, legumes (lentil and beans), fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and seeds.
  • Functional Fiber — isolated, non-digestible forms of carbohydrates that have been extracted from starchy foods or, manufactured from starches or sugars.  This type of fiber may contain some of the natural fiber benefits including decreased constipation and lower blood sugar levels post meals.  However, it lacks the nutrients and phytochemicals that come with the fiber found in whole foods.

On food labels, functional fibers are currently included in the grams of dietary fiber.  Therefore, it is not possible to note if the food product has natural or added fiber.  This is often the case with baked goods and packaged cereal boxes.

There are also different types of dietary fiber:

  • viscous fiber help to lower blood glucose and blood cholesterol levels,
  • fermentable fiber is beneficial for colon health, and
  • insoluble fiber helps to alleviate constipation.

FASTER – Carbs for Energy

Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for body activity.  Regardless of lifestyle, the body continuously uses carbs for energy – including fuelling the brain.  As a neurological hub, the brain is always on, working, acting, responding and burning calories.  Hence, people on low carb diets often feel tired and lethargic.

The word carbohydrate is also synonymous with energy.  Highly coveted glucose molecule produces two Adenosine triphosphates (ATPs).  ATP is a universal energy molecule and is essential to run all body functions.  Science has clearly shown a direct relationship between carbs and improved physical performance regardless of discipline or environment.

In addition to carbs, the body can also use fats and protein for energy.  However, these endeavours take more time (especially protein) and energy to produce ATP.  At the first instant, the body converts carbs to energy before switching to fat reserves as the major fuel contributor.  Also, body’s efficiency to switch between sugar and fat storages is known as metabolic flexibly which is an important factor within overall body health and can be improved with diet and exercise.

Low Carbs = Low Energy

The human species have evolved in using and storing carbohydrates.  This macronutrient plays an important factor for all daily activities from breathing, thinking to sprinting and weightlifting.  Avoiding sugar through diets is not an efficient strategy for weight management, as it often has substantial drawbacks including:

  • lack of energy to engage in daily tasks.
  • resisting accumulation of fatigue, both physical and psychological in nature.
  • dealing with everyday stress.

During all the mentioned drawbacks, the body craves carbs to improve performance and overcome faced obstacles.  However, low-carb diets minimize the overall intake of this important macronutrient.

Adopting low-carb diets limits much needed CHOs that the body is designed to use as energy for all functions.  Because carbs are so important to the body, it responds through different physical symptoms like feeling agitated, upset and even headaches, in order to locate and consume this macronutrient.  This internal desire for CHO has been incorrectly labelled as an addiction.  But, it is simply an evolutionary internal design to seek out a preferred source of energy.

However, the CHO form found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, that the body designed to eat, has been steadily replaced with energy bars, soda, and white flour pastas and baked goods.  Strong marketing behind some of these large profitable food products have convinced many to be an acceptable compromise, whether as source of energy, convenience, taste or cost.  These very same trade-offs produce misconception of carbs directly contributing to the nationwide weight gain along with broad-spectrum of health problems and disorders.

In this modern, busy life when everyone is struggling with getting a good night’s sleep, eat while typing reports and communicating via text messages with partners, colleagues and friends during dinner prep; the right carbs are vital for us all to improve energy levels and overall health and wellbeing. 

carbohydrates - weight loss, muscle building

LEANER – Carbs are ideal for Weight Loss

The Science

A scientific review (Naude et al.) looked at data from numerous studies done on weight loss and low-carb diets. The overall focus was to compare three main variants in diets:

  1. Low CHO diet, high fat variant:  example Atkins diet. 
      • Here there is no calorie restriction but all carbs are extremely restricted. 
      • The diet promotes increase in “natural fats” including saturated (animal) fats. 
      • In addition to weight loss, this style of diet also states, increase of risk factors for heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and inflammation.
  1. Low CHO diet, high protein variant: example Zone Diet. 
      • Like the Atkins style diet above there is no restriction of calories, moderate restriction of CHO while promoting consumption of lean protein. 
      • Extreme restrictions of grains and starches; fruits and vegetables recommended. 
      • The Zone promotes an increase in lean animal proteins, protein bars and shakes. 
      • Along with weight loss the Zone claims to reverse cellular inflammation for overall well being.
  1. Balanced weight loss diet is what most government nutrition agencies promote. 
      • It lists daily amounts needed for certain value of macro- and micronutrients.
      • Here the calories are restricted.  Often CHO make up 45-65%, fat 25-35% and protein 10-20% of total daily energy. 
      • The balanced approach promotes high fiber, unprocessed foods, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.  Emphasis on plant protein and lean animal protein. 
      • Fat consumption of both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated variety. 
      • Health claims are weight loss when energy is restricted.  This style of diet states reduced risk of obesity-related illness along with nutritional adequacy. 

The above mentioned research study, looked at overweight or obese individuals with a variety of health complications inducing diabetes, insulin resistance and other metabolic syndrome disorders.  The test compared was low carb diets to control diets of balanced weight loss using same or similar caloric intakes.

Naude et al. looked at 19 randomized controlled trials, with over 3200 participants. The authors concluded there is likely little or no difference in weight changes, cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors with low CHO weight loss diets compared to iso-energetic balanced weight loss diets (eat sensibly and not too much).  Furthermore, the authors concluded that weight loss is the result of reduction in total dietary energy intake rather than manipulation of macronutrient contribution. 

Simplify the issue of Calorie Counting

We can further elaborate on Naude et al conclusion by saying that it is often hard to cut calories especially when felling hungry.  Hence, the gravitation towards diets allowing you to eat as much as you want but limit or avoid certain types of foods. 

However, there is an easier option that we at Science and Strength household personally implement.  The best way to utilize carbs for feeling full while limiting calories is to eat fiber rich carbs.  Fiber helps two folds:

  1. It binds to water and fills up your stomach providing greater bulk to eaten food.  This sends signals to the brain that you are full and to stop eating.  You also feel full.
  2. Digestible fiber has many health benefits in the way of producing short chain amino acids used by the brain.  Furthermore, the body spends extra calories trying to process the indigestible fiber, which it can’t as it eventually eliminated as waste.  So extra calories burned but none gained as the result of this process.

The best way to utilize carbs for weight loss is to eat fiber rich foods—fruits, vegetables, lentils and beans. Steadily begin to introduce such products to your diet, one meal per day.  Majority of calories found in these foods are indigestible fiber which produces a slew of digestive health and weight loss benefits discussed above.

High Fiber Indian Dhal Recipe – Lentils and Beans, Carbs done right.

importance of carbs

STRONGER – Carbs are ideal for Muscle Building

There are numerous articles that state great benefits of carbohydrate drink consumption, before, during and after a workout.  Major benefits for having easily accessible and absorptive sugar in the blood are:

  • CHO available for quick and easy energy production—ATP.
  • Reduction in protein catabolism (breakdown) after resistance training, due to presence of CHO for energy.
  • Increased insulin levels that lead to topping up muscle glycogen lost during training.
  • Increased insulin improves growth hormone (GH) levels.  Benefits of GH include: improved muscle hypertrophy (greater lean body mass) and usage of body fat as energy (beta-oxidation)—Leaner Body.
  • Decreased levels of cortisol hormone.  Cortisol is released to increase blood glucose levels.  However, cortisol is a stress hormone, leading to muscle protein breakdown and inhibiting protein synthesis.  Readily available glucose via CHO improves blood glucose levels without increasing cortisol.
  • High intensity exercise leads to increase in cortisol levels, which results in a suppressed immune system. CHO in the blood leads to a lower cortisol response, better immune system and recovery.

When doing any type of high volume or high intensity training for over 45 mins, CHO supplementation is recommended to limit negative effects listed above.  However, one thing to note is the above data derived from research done on athletes and performance base only. 

Real-Life application of known Science

For an overall lean body and healthy lifestyle—Stronger Leaner Faster Body—CHOs are important but the type can vary. Athlete training is predominantly performance based, often includes two a day physical practices, exercises sessions and games/competitions.  These individuals consistently burn substantial amount of calories and can easily get away with simple CHO supplements such as Gatorade drinks or Cliff bars.

The goals of non-professional athletes are often a stronger, leaner, faster body.  But, we don’t have the time nor the purpose to train all day long.  For this reason, the recreational athletes need to be cautious about the type of consumed carbohydrates.  If we are not burning calories like Micheal Phelps or Usain Bolt, we simply shouldn’t eat like them. 

Our recommendations, based on the scientific data driven from elite athletes, and applied to a health lifestyle goals are:

  • Eat carbs often with every meal.
  • Stay away from processed carbs like white bread, pasta, candy and sugar-sweet beverages.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables
  • Fiber rich whole wheat and whole grain breads
  • Fiber rich legumes—lentils and beans

The importance of carbs cannot be overstated.  Our body is designed to consume this macronutrient, hence why the body has evolved to crave it, process it, use it and store it.

Insulin is a hormone specifically designed to maintain adequate levels of sugar within our blood circulation.  Other hormones like cortisol acts as insulin’s counterbalance engaging numerous internal processes to breakdown stored glycogen when blood sugar (CHO) levels drop.

Final Thoughts

Carbohydrates high in fiber, steadily raise blood sugar levels (energy) while keeping us fuller and longer, are found in whole foods like beans and lentils, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  Beyond just fiber these foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals.  It’s the combination of such nutrient attributes that improve energy levels and leading to stronger leaner faster HER and stronger leaner faster HIM.

Media, celebrities, and even doctors are trying to make money, sell news and products.  Eating more whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables is not new information and will not sell their “improved” books and methods. 

The truth is simple, important but not easy.  There is no magic pill for health and wellbeing.  We have to eat as nature intended and any steps taken to trick the body only provides temporary results during initial food-stressor introduction.  Once the body identifies and adapts to new feeding environment, the results often consist negative health consequences.  If you like our philosophy you will surely be interested in our The No-Diet Book.  If you think this message is important feel free to share this article.

References:

Haff et al. Carbohydrate Supplementation and Resistance Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2003, 17(1), 187–196 .

Naude et al.  Low Carbohydrate versus Isoenergetic Balanced Diets for Reducing Weight and Cardiovascular Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.  PLoS ONE 9(7): e100652.

Slavin et.al. American Society for Nutrition. Adv. Nutr. 2014. 5: 760–761, 2014; doi:10.3945/an.114.006163.