Do Carbs make you fat?

Revealing the reality…

With millions and billions of people all around the globe seeking to lose weight and consume the ideal, low calorie diets, there have been also lot of myths associated with fitness and health and unfortunately many people still adhere to them. In reality, believing these rumors can actually do the opposite as several people often end up gaining weight instead of losing, causing more harm than good.

The best way to prevent yourself from these myths is to keep yourself informed and, for that, you need to only believe data from credible and reliable sources. Read on to rediscover a common myth associated with eating carbohydrates and weight loss i.e. to lose weight, you should definitely avoid carbs. This article will not only serve as your concise guide to reveal the reality but will also help you differentiate between fact and fiction.

Do carbs make you fat?
According to many people, foods high in carbohydrates like bread, rice, pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some vegetables (like potatoes and yams) should necessarily be avoided to lose weight.


Differentiating between the truth and fiction
In reality, however, calories (not carbohydrates) make you fat. Carbohydrates, being an essential source of energy, are necessary for a balanced diet and they only become high in fat and calories when eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high-fat pings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise. In fact, if consumed in moderation, carbs can even help you shed pounds.

Carbs tips for You

• All you have to do is keep your calorie intake in check and eat carbohydrates in moderate quantities.

• Start by reducing them by 85% the first week then 75% the next week and so on until you have modified your carbohydrate portion size to support weight loss.

• Choose foods like beans, cereals, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

• All carbohydrates are not equal e.g. sugar and white flour are very high in carbohydrates. Avoid white pasta, white bread and white rice as these are just "empty carbs" with no nutritional value.

• Avoid all processed carbohydrates e.g. high-fat, high-salt and highly sugared processed carbohydrates.

• Artificial juices and sweetened soft drinks contain additional amounts of sugar (carbohydrates) and are best avoided.

• If there is a high carbohydrate food that you simply must have, make it something you only have once a week, and keep it to a single portion.

• It is recommended to eat carbs earlier in the day as it gives your body time to burn them off before the end of the day.

In short, carbohydrates are one of the main ways your body produces energy. Without energy, you can not have the desire or stamina to exercise and everyone knows that exercise is essential for weight loss. Therefore, you do not need to avoid carbs completely. All you need to do is consume recommended types of carbohydrates and in moderate quantities.