Thanks to diet trends, carbs have been demonized and glorified in the last decade. In the end, like most nutrition advice, most people are confused.
So where do carbs fit in someone’s health journey?
- First and foremost, everyone has a different tipping point of what amount of carbs best works for their biochemistry and health. This tipping point is based on age, activity, gender, genetics, and goals, to name a few.
- You know you are consuming the right amount of carbs in your diet when you have balanced energy, optimal hormone function (including insulin and blood sugars), and consistent satiety that automatically supports fat-loss and health.
- Simply shifting the ratio of carbs (compared to protein and fat), without proactively managing calories, can have profound impacts on health and specifically fat-loss.
- Research from the International Journal of Obesity compared a high carb breakfast (bagel) to a high protein breakfast (eggs) with calorie counts equal. At the end of the 8-week study, researchers found the low carb’ers (at breakfast specifically) had a 61% reduction in BMI, a 65% greater weight loss, a 34% greater reduction in waist circumference, and a 16% greater reduction in body fat percentage!
Takeaway: While we all have a different allotment of carbs that we thrive on, overall, breaking our overnight fast with a meal based on protein is a beneficial start to balancing our hormones, preventing cravings, and fueling a healthy weight.
