Carbs Are Not the Enemy

Dieters are always looking to wage war on the elusive cause for their weight gain. We live in a time of gluten free, dairy free, low carb, low fat, no sugar, low sodium, non GMO warriors of nutrition. Everyone seems to have a different "demon" on which to blame their excess pounds. "If you just take XYZ our of your diet, you'll lose all of the weight!" is a statement I've heard ad nauseam. Food companies are adapting--coming out with new products catered to the health craze of the minute.

You've probably heard friends and fitness professionals blab about how carbohydrates are evil and should be avoided or you will surely be slovenly and obese. I am here to tell you that carbohydrates are not, in fact, a vicious macronutrient out to kill you.

A while ago, I did a small survey, in which I asked my readers to define what they deemed to be "healthy" food, as it is often a blanket term used to market products to consumers. Many people wrote that they believed a diet lower in carbohydrates to be healthier.

Now, there are three main macronutrients, which are in every food you eat to a varying degree: protein, carbohydrates and fats. Each of these macronutrients are absolutely necessary (to an extent) in a healthy diet. For active individuals, the roles of these three are increasingly important.

I love me some carbohydrates.

Put simply, carbohydrates will give you energy for your workout, and they will also help you recover once you're done. If you find that you're dragging through your training sessions or you're not fully recovering from them, perhaps you need to increase your carbohydrate intake.

According to the Poliquin Group, "a large review found the greatest benefit of a 6.5 percent increase in athletic performance from taking between 0.9 g/kg/hour of exercise of carbs with 0.2 g/kg/hour of protein. Both longer duration, high-intensity (such as team games) and endurance exercise lasting more than 2 hours can benefit from carb supplementation."

Other studies have surmised that lower carbohydrate diets may impair cognitive function, which is crucial for optimal performance in sport or in the gym. [1] In particular, Batatinha et. al. found that gymnasts consuming post workout carbohydrates fell off of the balance beams fewer times than their placebo counterparts.

Carbohydrates, in conjunction with protein supplementation is presumed to have an additional anabolic effect. One study in particular found that "the addition of protein to a carbohydrate supplement may [...] increase the rate of glycogen storage due to the ability of protein and carbohydrate to act synergistically on insulin secretion," and another study "[concludes] that postexercise [carbohydrate] and [carbohydrate-fat-protein] nutritional supplements can increase glycogen resynthesis to a greater extent than Pl for both men and women." It can be deduced that these macronutrients, when consumed immediately after exercise, have a tremendous benefit for recovery and muscular hypertrophy (growth).

Put simply, carbohydrates are digested quickly by the body, and are an excellent choice for fuel for your workout that won't give you a cramp or leave you feeling groggy. Research suggests that carbohydrates facilitate protein absorption by the muscles, and can help improve focus and performance.

Personally, I try to have a substantial amount of carbs both before and after my workouts, and then eat higher protein and fat throughout the rest of my day. This is what I have found, through trial and error, to be most effective for me.

Does this mean you should go drown yourself in a bag of candy? Hell no. Any macronutrient (or all of them together) can cause weight gain when consumed in excess. I am a firm believer that no one macronutrient is to blame for fat gain. If you cut out carbohydrates altogether but still consume a tremendous amount of protein and fat throughout the day, your body composition likely won't change too much.

While some diet books give carbs a bad name, you may actually use them to your advantage, in moderation. The key is to find the optimal amount of carbohydrates for your needs. Obviously, more active people will need more carbohydrates. Experiment with the timing and amount of your carbohydrate consumption and see what works for you!

Don't hate, carbohydrate.
(Ha...ha?)

Works Cited:

1. Batatinha, Helena, Carlos Da Costa, Elias De França, Igor Dias, Ana Ladeira, Bruno Rodrigues, Fabio De Lira, Sonia Correia, and Érico Caperuto. "Carbohydrate Use and Reduction in Number of Balance Beam Falls: Implications for Mental and Physical Fatigue." J Int Soc Sports Nutr Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 10.1 (2013): 32. Web.
2. Berardi, John M., Thomas B. Price, Eric E. Noreen, and Peter W. R. Lemon. "Postexercise Muscle Glycogen Recovery Enhanced with a Carbohydrate-Protein Supplement." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 38.6 (2006): 1106-113. Web.
3. D’Anci, Kristen E., Kara L. Watts, Robin B. Kanarek, and Holly A. Taylor. "Low-carbohydrate Weight-loss Diets. Effects on Cognition and Mood." Appetite 52.1 (2009): 96-103. Web.
4. Haff, G. Gregory, Michael H. Stone, Beverly J. Warren, Robert Keith, Robert L. Johnson, David C. Nieman, Jr. Franklin Williams, and K. Brett Kirksey. "The Effect of Carbohydrate Supplementation on Multiple Sessions and Bouts of Resistance Exercise." J Strength Cond Res The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 13.2 (1999): 111. Web.
5. Ivy, J. "Glycogen Resynthesis After Exercise: Effect of Carbohydrate Intake." International Journal of Sports Medicine Int J Sports Med 19.S 2 (1998): n. pag. Web.
6. Langfort, J., R. Zarzeczny, W. Pilis, K. Nazar, and H. Kaciuba-Uscitko. "The Effect of a Low-carbohydrate Diet on Performance, Hormonal and Metabolic Responses to a 30-s Bout of Supramaximal Exercise." European Journal of Applied Physiology 76.2 (1997): 128-33. Web.
7. "Poliquin - Healthy. Lean. Strong." Seven Reasons To Eat Carbohydrates. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2015.