Carbs Are Not the Enemy- A Case for Good Carbs

By Justin "Bunk" DeVane

As a trainer and a gym owner, I hear this statement all the time...

"Well I keep my carb intake super low, so I don't gain weight."

This statement makes me smile on the inside every time I hear it because I know just how wrong it is. Carbs have become public enemy number one when it comes to dieting. The basic reason would be that sugar is classified as a carb, but what people are missing is that sugar sources are not all the same.

For example, if you take a regular snickers' carbs you're looking at 28 grams of carbs. To have the same amount of carbs you would have to eat two cups of strawberries and you still wouldn't reach 28 grams. Or an even better example you would have to eat 4 cups of broccoli to reach only 24 grams of carbs.

So why are we taught carbs are bad? Well it has to do with early thoughts about the way carbs breakdown. Every carbohydrate has a breakdown time. Not to get too nerdy, but the time it takes to raise your blood sugar is different in the example above. Due to the lack of fiber, the snickers bar causes a huge spike in blood sugar. This huge spike then causes huge amounts of insulin production which in turn leads to the building of body fat. However, fruits and vegetables have fiber which causes the blood sugar to slowly rise. This causes less insulin response which in turn causes less fat production.

So carbs aren't the enemy as a whole. Instead, your number one enemy is sugar. Eating good quality fruits and vegetables will help you maintain your health goals without cutting out a major source of energy for you body. Remember moderation is the key to your overall health.

If you're interested in getting help with your nutrition, click here and ask about Artisan's nutrition coaching.