The Effects of No Carbs

Carbohydrates have been demonized as a bad diet food in some fitness circles. However, the trend of low-carb diets to achieve weight loss can have a deleterious effect on the performance of your body.

Function

Carbohydrates function as the body's main fuel source. They are a necessary part of the diet because the brain operates best on the energy derived from carbohydrates.

Effects

Not supplying the body with enough carbohydrates forces the body to draw from proteins to meet some of the brain's energy demands. While the brain can run on this fuel, it does not function as well, leading to clouded thinking, and feelings of lethargy and crankiness.

Misconceptions

People believe that eating too many carbohydrates causes weight gain. Actually, it's the quality of the carbs you eat that can lead to this problem because many simple carbs tend to be a source of empty calories.

Types

Simple and complex are the two types of carbohydrates. They are distinguished by their chemical structure and the process it takes to break them down into glucose.

Considerations

Because of the fiber content in complex carbohydrates, they take longer to digest than simple carbs. Eating an excess of simple carbohydrates will spike blood sugar levels because of how rapidly they breakdown; whereas a meal rich in complex carbs will not have this effect.

Conclusion

A diet rich in complex carbohydrates is conducive to weight management while also supplying the body the energy it needs.

References

• Nutrition Basics