Benefits of Carbs

We’ve touched on macronutrients (macros) before, but as a quick refresher, there are three macros: carbohydrates, protein and fat.  

Today, let’s talk about carbs!  

It’s often thought that carbs cause weight gain, so a lot of people are opting for diets that heavily reduce their carbohydrate intake. These modern diets each have their merits, however, it is important to remember that you need SOME carbs on a healthy diet! Carbs provide energy for our bodies to run on, so if you wiped out all the carbs from your diet, you probably would be feeling tired and foggy. When consumed, carbs are broken down by the body into glucose, the primary fuel that gives us the energy needed for mental and physical tasks and activities.  

So, whilst it’s okay to reduce the amount of carbs in your diet, don’t fully eradicate them! Instead, you can try to be mindful of the types of carbs you’re eating. Try to swap out your simple carbohydrate foods with complex carbohydrate foods.  

 What’s simple and what’s complex?  

Simple carbs are refined foods such as white bread, white rice and chips, as these foods have been stripped of their outside grain (the part which contains fibre, and other important vitamins) which makes glucose levels spike quickly.  

Complex carbs contain that fibre, such as brown bread, brown rice, legumes, and oats, which raise blood glucose slowly, requiring less insulin and keeping you full for longer.  

Even though carbohydrates are an important part of a well-balanced diet, it’s important to maintain moderation and balance with all of your macronutrients.