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Does Eating Carbs In Excess Make You Fat?

Ms. Smitakshi Guha

2 Min Read

Fast Check Fact Checked

No, carbs exclusively don’t make you fat and all these “fad-diets” that come and go do not propagate a healthy notion. There is no sound basis for this demonization of carbohydrates, they are among the three essential macronutrients required by the body along with protein and fat.

What are carbohydrates?

There are various categories of carbohydrates and the type and quality of carbs included in the diet matters. No one food contains only one type of macronutrient and chances are that they contain a combination of all three. There are three types of carbohydrates that are found in food- sugars, starch and fibre. Let’s take a look at these and understand what role they play in the body.

Sugar- These are short-chain carbs found in foods like fruits, honey, chocolate, biscuits etc. They taste sweet and are easily converted to energy in the body.
Starch- Starch is a long-chain carbohydrate found in foods like rice, potatoes, bread, pasta, and grains among others.
Fibre– This plant-based long-chain carbohydrate cannot be digested by the gut and is found in foods like fruits, vegetables, wholegrain pasta, pulses, and others

There is nothing called “good” or “bad” when it comes to carbs. All while certain types of carbs like fibres provide a greater overall benefit, each type of carbohydrate is important and has its place.

The incorrect relation to obesity

Various theories keep popping up in modern science. Some get disproven, some require further work and others are acted upon to create viable solutions. Sometimes rejected theories get a lot of media attention and they stick around. One such theory is of carbs and the hormone that is responsible for blood sugar control.

When we consume carbohydrates, they get broken down in the blood to form glucose and the cells in the body absorb the glucose with the help of the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar and release energy. This hormone also informs the liver to store excess carbs as glycogen and fats. Now storage of carbs as fats is normal. The body maintains reserves of fat and it also burns them. It is in a state of the constant cycle. Repeated scientific experimentation has proven that as long as protein and calorie intake were controlled a high carb diet had no significant advantages for weight loss over a low carb diet.

Carbohydrates are an important nutrient that provides energy and keeps the gut healthy. There are much healthier ways of losing weight than going for pop-diet routines. If you are looking for a healthy way to manage your weight then you should consult a clinical dietitian who can suggest the right diet changes and lifestyle choices as per your needs. Download the MFine app and speak to the best dietitians in your city.