Understanding Carbohydrates and Weight Loss

Carbs and Weight Loss

When it comes to carbohydrates, there are many health and diet claims out there. Some people claim that a diet that is low in carbohydrates will automatically lead to weight loss, while others claim that loading up on carbs will help to build muscle. The truth is carbohydrates, as they exist in food, are not bad, in and of themselves. The problems that carbohydrates cause come from your diet.

Bad carbs, on the other hand, are typically referred to as simple carbs, and these include foods like fruit and fruit juices, alcoholic beverages and milk. These food products contain simple sugars that are quickly digested and processed, ultimately leading to an increase in blood glucose and an increase in body fat. Over-consumption of bad carbs, in addition to an unbalanced diet, can lead to obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, as well as diabetes.

Therefore, the key to losing weight while still enjoying carbs is in what carbs you consume. While there are a number of claims that refer to eating a diet low in carbs as a pathway to weight loss, these claims only work to a certain degree. If you eat nothing but foods that are rich in protein, such as meats, you will lose weight, but at some point the weight loss will stop because you are no longer allowing for normal digestion. Cutting out carbs altogether will allow the body to devour protein in the beginning, but then the process slows as the body stops expecting carbs. Furthermore, these diets may ultimately lead to the very things they intended to fight; obesity, heart disease and depression. Eating a diet that is high in carbohydrates causes weight loss through a number of mechanisms, including feeling less full and processing carbs slower.

If you find yourself struggling with weight loss and carbohydrates in your diet, you may want to consider natural carb blockers. These natural solutions help to block the harmful effects of simple carbs while increasing the positive weight loss benefits of complex carbs.