Can You Eat Carbs and Lose Weight, Long Island RDN Discusses Carb Myths and Facts
Can You Eat Carbs and Lose Weight?
Not only can you eat carbs and lose weight—you need them. Carbohydrates fuel your body, support brain function, and play a key role in long-term health and weight management.
What Are Carbs?
Carbohydrates include all foods in the plant kingdom – those that grow in the ground: fruits, vegetables, grains, starchy vegetables, beans and legume. They are your body’s primary energy source, helping you function at your best.
Common carbohydrates include:
- Grains: wheat, oats, rice, barley
- Fruit: apples, bananas, berries, melons, oranges
- Legume: lentils, dried beans, peas
- Starchy vegetables: potatoes, corn, peas
- Snacks and sweets: cakes, cookies, candy, desserts
- Sugary beverage: juices, sodas, fruit drinks, sports and energy drinks
Are There “Good” and “Bad” Carbohydrates?
Foods are not inherently good or bad. Instead, think of them on a spectrum—from minimally processed (most healthful) to ultra-processed (least healthful).
In the past, carbs were labeled “simple” or “Compex”. Today, we understand that the real issue is the degree of processing. Minimally processed carbs like fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains provide fiber and nutrients, while heavily refined foods like candy, white bread, and soda offer little benefit.
When Did Carbs Become the Enemy?
To understand the evolution of diet culture, we need to trace it back to its origins. The term “diet” once referred simply to the total amount of food and drink a person consumed. It was not until the early 1900s that it came to mean a restricted way of eating for weight loss.
Today, the word “diet” in popular culture is almost exclusively tied to restriction. Unfortunately, the lack of science behind many once-trendy fad diets still lingers. Pop culture and social media have only fueled their spread—think juice cleanses, liquid diets, or pre-workout fixes.
When it comes to weight loss, the real key is adopting a healthy, enjoyable, balanced, and diverse way of eating. Don’t waste time or money on the next “miracle” diet. Not only do they rarely succeed in helping people sustain an optimal weight, but they can also be harmful to your health.
Myths and Facts About Carbs and Weight Loss
It is believed that we will be healthier without “carbs, but minimally processed carbs are our only source of fiber as well as most micronutrients.
- Myth: All carbs should be avoided.
Fact: Carbs are found in fruits, vegetables, grains (including bread and pasta), and starchy vegetables—foods your body relies on to produce glucose, its main source of energy. The key is choosing minimally processed carbs and limiting ultra-refined ones (such as sugar, cake, cookies, candy, and refined cereals). - Myth: Eating a low-carb diet help you lose fat quickly.
Fact: Rapid weight loss often means losing more muscle than fat. The goal is to attain and sustain your optimal weight and promote health. - Myth: Cutting carbs is the only way to lose weight.
Fact: You lose weight when you consistently eat fewer calories than you need. Limiting ultra-refined carbohydrates enhances weight loss, improves energy, satisfaction, and overall health.
Should You Eat Carbs to Lose Weight?
Yes—your body needs carbohydrates to thrive. Whether you want to lose, maintain or gain weight, meals should be a balance of healthful nutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fats, in other words a whole food, plant based, flexitarian plan. Consider replacing ultra refined carbohydrate selections (junk food) with nutrient-dense, high fiber carbohydrates. This not only helps you maintain a healthy weight but also reduces the risk of digestive difficulties and chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.
What Do Dietitians Recommend for Weight Loss?
First of all, all foods can fit into a healthy eating plan when enjoyed in moderation. Secondly, nutrition science has moved beyond “diets”—especially one-size-fits-all plans—and now emphasizes sustainable patterns of eating.
I provide my clients with online nutrition therapy to help them lose weight and keep it off. Sustainable weight loss requires meaningful lifestyle and dietary interventions, individualized for each person’s unique medical history and food preferences. Together, we can develop a healthy, enjoyable plan to achieve lasting weight loss—one delicious bite at a time.
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