Carbs have gotten a bad rap because of a misconception that they uniformly cause weight gain, but using them properly can help you reach your fitness goals.
The claim that carbs result in weight gain and obesity has been repeated so often it feels like a universal truth. This misconception could be because of the popularity and publicized effectiveness of low-carb diets such as Atkins and keto. However, this popular advice is oversimplified and lacks some crucial nuance.
In reality, high-quality carbohydrates can play an important role in fat-burning and overall metabolic health.
The Hype Behind Low-Carb Diets
The advice to cut carbohydrates for weight loss and fat-burning has become popular because of a combination of physiological mechanisms, societal trends, and misconceptions, according to Grace Derocha, registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Zena le Roux
Author
Zena le Roux is a health journalist with a master’s in investigative health journalism and a certified health and wellness coach specializing in functional nutrition. She is trained in sports nutrition, mindful eating, internal family systems, and applied polyvagal theory. She works in private practice and serves as a nutrition educator for a UK-based health school.
