Five Reasons Why Carbohydrates are Important
There are a lot of people out there who are terrified of consuming carbohydrates because they think it leads to weight gain. However, that is not the case if the right carbs are eaten at proper times throughout the day and are paired with proper exercise.
Carbohydrates are found in most foods, so if you claim you’re “giving up carbs,” that means you may be surviving on strictly vegetables, and beware, you may even have to eliminate a few of those, like carrots with higher carbohydrate numbers. But you shouldn’t think that carbohydrates are the devil, because they aren’t and it’s important to eat a balanced diet filled with fruits (which contain carbs), whole grains, dens/complex white carbs— like white rice—veggies and dairy items (which yes, have carbs in them as well). Here’re a few reasons why eating carbs are actually important.
- You can knock your thyroid off balance- The thyroid moderates body temperature, energy, growth, heart rate and more. When it is not functioning properly because you deplete carbohydrates during a workout and fail to replenish them properly, you’ll start to feel tired and lethargic.
- Maintain proper hydration and muscle fullness- Carbohydrate’s component, glucose molecules, stimulate sodium absorption, and sodium, is necessary for glucose absorption. Without eating enough carbs, you won’t absorb water the way carbs like to do and in turn, may become dehydrated and weak.
- Insulin Production- When your consume carbohydrates, your body secretes insulin. When you are low in carbs, your body is low in insulin too. Insulin keeps our muscles in working order by supplying nutrients to the muscles to help them grow.
- Avoid Gluconegenesis- This process creates glucose out of non carbohydrate sources. When carbs are low, you’re forcing your body to produce sugars from amino acids which could result in worse performance and a tired feeling.
- Obtaining all Micronutrients- When you’re cutting carbs out of your diet, you’re not only deriving yourself of so much delicious foo, you’re missing out on key nutrients your body needs to function optimally.
Information sourced by T Nation.
