There is so much confusion about carbohydrates. One of the questions that people frequently ask are whether they are unhealthy or bad. However, the biggest question that most people want to know is “Do carbs make you fat?”
Most people believe that if they eat carbs, they will get fat. This is not true. To help bring more clarity to the issue, we got in touch with many nutritionists who have been practicing for more than 10 years.
They are going to answer this question for us below.
Do Carbs Make You Gain Weight?
Most people who are conscious about their diet and weight believe that rice is not good and that it should be avoided at all costs. In contrast, there are some communities where rice has been used as a staple food for years. In these communities, people don’t experience diet-related health problems nor are there serious obesity issues.
In our opinion, foods like sugar, trans fats, high Omega 6 vegetable oils and fructose syrup are some of the culprits that are more likely to lead to obesity as compared to eating rice. Eating this stuff can also lead to high insulin resistance and diabetes.
However, since most people are usually not willing to give up eating processed foods, they find something else to blame for their problems. That’s why white rice has been targeted in this case.
Here are some steps you can take to establish whether you should be eating rice or other carbs.
Do You Need Starchy Carbs?
It’s not possible for everyone in the world to be on the same diet. This is because different people have different dietary needs, based on their lifestyle. For instance, people who lead an active lifestyle have different needs when compared to people who live sedentary lifestyles.
Therefore, the first thing you need to do is to establish how many calories you need in a day and why do you need them. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, you might opt to go on a low carb diet. Nevertheless, you should be aware of the consequences of doing so. You might end up with low testosterone levels, brain fog, insomnia, and depression.
How Many Carbs Should You Eat?
If you live a sedentary lifestyle, then you need just about 100-125g of calories in a day. You can derive these calories from different sources including fruits and vegetables or starchy foods like rice. That will be entirely up to you.
If you are physically active and you exercise, you will have to increase your intake of carbs in order to meet your daily calories needs. How much calories you need will depend on how active you are.
Why Should You Eat Starchy Carbs?
The three reasons below are why you should eat carbs. If you are taking them for any other reason than these, then you are not doing the right thing. You don’t need to eat carbs to provide you with proteins, fiber or low glycemic index.
- Carbs give you energy for your physical activities
- Stock up on hydrogen that has been depleted from storage as a result of an intense physical exercise
- Provide an environment on your muscles that surpasses the catabolic stress caused by intense exercises
Find the Right Starchy Carb Source
Most Americans consume carbs in the form of high fructose sugar and corn syrup. Most Japanese eat rice and sweet potatoes in large quantities. If carbs were bad, then the Japanese wouldn’t have an obesity rate of just 3%. Therefore, all carbs are not bad.
Carbs that you should limit in your diet include:
- High fructose corn syrup and processed sugar
- Starches that have gluten, such as wheat, rye, and barley
- Legumes and beans
- Cereal grains
The Japanese village diet is an ideal example of a good diet. This diet typically consists of non-starchy vegetables, fruit, proteins from animals and starchy carbohydrates, such as potatoes, yams, and rice.
The White Rice Myth
Brown rice is not better than white rice. When bran is removed from the brown rice, it leaves white rice that’s so much easier to digest.
Conclusion
Carbs are not bad. You just have to eat the right quantities and the right type.
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