Why We Need to Stop ‘Cutting Carbs’

If you’ve ever heard of or tried diets like keto, low/no carb, high protein, low calorie or ANY other type of crash dieting, it’s very likely that you (along with so many others) have fallen victim to the fad of diet-culture trends. 

You’ve probably heard an influencer swear that the secret to a lean body or a flat stomach was ‘cutting carbs’, but I’m here to tell you that these messages we see online and in the media are not only completely and biologically incorrect, they can also be incredibly harmful to our health and wellbeing. It all comes down to misinformation (total lack of education) and the unfortunate sway of ‘food fashion trends’. Marketing campaigns that promote ‘low carb’ or ‘no carb’ products only further add to the damage as they imply that carbs are inherently bad - when they definitely aren’t. 

Let me make this very clear:

No food is ‘good’ or ‘bad’, it is only ever more or less nutritious.

Why Carbs Are Our Everyday Essential for Health AND Happiness

Carbs (aka carbohydrates) are actually an essential macronutrient that our body needs to SURVIVE. Our bodies need carbs in every meal, every single day, not just to carry out basic functional tasks (like breathing and digesting), but to also thrive and enjoy our life; to have enough energy to exercise, work, learn and grow. 

The problem these days is that diet-culture in the media has skewed our understanding of what carbs actually are so much, to the point where people want to avoid them entirely. Often when people think of carbs, they’re actually thinking of refined/processed/simple carbohydrates (like white flour, white bread etc), and these kinds of carbs have acquired a reputation for being unhealthy or ‘bad’. The reality is that they are merely a less nutritious type of carbohydrate and therefore should be enjoyed in moderation. 

But carbs are so much more than just bread and pasta!

Wonderful, energy-giving, life-sustaining carbs can also be found in wholegrains and in our fruits and vegetables. These types of carbs are what we refer to as ‘complex carbohydrates’, and they are an incredible source of energy for our bodies, as they take longer to reach our blood stream than simple carbohydrates, which means we stay fuller for longer AND our energy remains steady throughout the day (instead of the high energy-spike and subsequent crash that we experience when we each simple carbs/sugars). 

Don’t Deprive!

When we deprive our body of the carbs it needs, it means that we will become incredibly fatigued, as we no longer have enough energy to get through the day. 

The brain requires about 60% of our glucose intake just to function! So it’s important if you’re struggling with brain fog, bad moods or low energy to not skip out on carbs! You need to make sure you’re getting enough carbs in every meal, every day, to ensure you have enough energy not only just to function enough to get out of bed, but to also actually live your happiest and healthiest life, to have mental clarity and abundant energy!

If you’re depriving yourself of carbs (or any other macronutrient in general), your body simply will not have what it needs to get you through the day and you will end up with mood swings,  nutrient deficiencies and even illness.  

Excellent Sources of Complex Carbohydrates

• white potatoes
• sweet potatoes 
• corn
• beans
• peas 
• lentils 
• legumes
• whole grain bread
• whole grain pasta
• quinoa 
• oats

There is SO much misinformation out there, and googling can leave you overwhelmed and confused, so it is important to get proper education about the way our body functions and what it needs to be its healthiest. Nutrition is the key to health, longevity and happiness, and having a great foundational knowledge of nutrition will make life easier as you get older, and ensure you're at your healthiest at any age. 

If you’re looking for more insight the best foods for YOUR body and how to take the BEST possible care of your health and happiness, then check out Balance Your Hormones, where you can learn to identify the exact root cause of your symptoms (nutritional deficiencies, acne, PCOS, painful periods, fatigue, anxiety and more!) and reverse the symptoms for good!