Are Carbs Bad for You? What to Know

Carbohydrates (carbs) have gained a bad reputation for causing weight gain and increasing the risk of diabetes. There’s a widespread belief that a low-carb diet can help you lose weight, along with other health benefits. But the truth is that the body needs carbohydrate-containing foods for energy. Carbs are essential nutrients. You need to eat carbohydrates for your body to function properly. Therefore, carbs should be part of a balanced diet. But not all carbs are created equal—some contain more healthy nutrients than others. Please keep reading to find out why carbs should be part of a healthy diet, how many carbs you should eat, and which carbs are healthy foods.

What does science say about carbs?

Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients or food groups that the body needs to function well (the other two are proteins and fats). There are three main types of carbohydrates—sugars, starches, and fiber. Common carbohydrate-containing foods include plant foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, pulses, milk products, nuts, and seeds. The body breaks down carbs in food to pure glucose and uses it for energy. Carbohydrates can also be stored as fat for later use.

What are simple carbs and complex carbs?

Simple carbohydrates are called sugars. They are short-chain carbohydrates that contain up to 10 sugar molecules. Examples of simple sugars include glucose, fructose (fruit sugars), sucrose (table sugar), and galactose (milk sugars). Added sugars (refined sugars) are made from cane sugar and are present in cookies, cakes, candies, and sweetened beverages.

Complex carbohydrates contain long, intricate chains of sugar molecules. They include both starches and fiber. Examples of starches include grains, fruits, and vegetables. Dietary fiber is the indigestible part of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It does not directly provide energy but supports good gut health and overall health by lowering the risk of insulin resistance, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

What are whole carbs and refined carbs?

Whole carbohydrates are minimally processed carbs that contain fiber. Examples of whole food sources include whole grains, whole fruits, fresh vegetables, whole wheat bread, and legumes.

Refined carbohydrates are processed so that the natural fiber is removed or altered. Refined carbs include white bread, pasta, pastries, sugar-sweetened beverages, and other foods made with refined flour.

How much is the recommended carbohydrate intake?

The World Health Organization and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend you get 45-65% of your calories from carbohydrates. So, if you eat a 2,000-calorie diet every day, approximately 900-1,300 calories should be from carbs. This translates to 225 to 325 grams of carbs every day.

What’s the link between carbs and blood sugar levels?

Carbohydrates are beneficial nutrients that get broken down into sugar (glucose) by the digestive system. When this glucose enters the bloodstream, it leads to an increase in blood sugar levels after meals. In response, the pancreas releases insulin, the hormone that prompts cells to absorb the glucose and store it for energy, leading to a fall in blood sugar. When blood sugar levels are low, the pancreas release glucagon, a hormone that tells cells to release stored glucose and increase blood sugar levels. The interplay between insulin levels and blood sugar response ensures that cells throughout the body, especially the brain, have enough glucose to function properly.

What are healthy carbs to eat?

Healthy complex carbs are good carbs to eat. They include unprocessed carbs and whole foods such as:

Whole grains (whole wheat flour, quinoa, brown rice)
Non-starchy vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, spinach)
Fruits (apples, bananas, berries)
Legumes and lentils (peas, beans)
Nuts and seeds
Dairy products (low-fat milk, yogurt)

It is worth noting that many of these whole foods contain additional nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that have many health benefits.

What are bad carbs to avoid?

Bad or unhealthy carbs to avoid include processed foods such as:

Refined carbs (refined grains or processed grains), such as white rice, breads, pastas, flours
Processed snacks that contain processed sugars, such as cakes, cookies, candy, pastries
Beverages with added sugar such as juices and sodas

Can low carb diets help you lose weight?

Low-carb diets such as Atkins and South Beach have become popular in recent years as a way of losing weight. There is no doubt that excessive consumption of carbs can lead to weight gain and an increased risk of other health problems. However, a low-carbohydrate diet is not healthy for everyone. Low-carb eaters do not necessarily have weight loss in the long term.

If your aim is weight loss:

Choose nutritious foods (healthy carbohydrates and healthy fats) over unhealthy ones.
Instead of avoiding eating carbs altogether, aim to reduce your intake of calories from carbohydrates to 50-55% of your total daily calorie intake while increasing proteins.
Read food labels for carbohydrate content.
Make sure you don’t substitute eating carbs for a diet rich in unhealthy fats.
Try to eat natural sugar, such as in fruits. Limit added sugars to 10% of your daily calories as they provide no nutritional benefits.
Avoid high glycemic index foods such as white bread, white rice, sugary foods, and sugary drinks, which are broken down quickly by the body and cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels.

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