Do carbs make you gain weight? We live in a society where people blame carbs for their weight gain when most of the time it is due to that person consuming too many bad calories. Carbs are your friend not your enemy. And carbs are your main energy and fuel source for your body.
Do carbs make you gain weight? iStock-photo credit: yulka3ice
Carbs will not make you gain weight but eating a lot of empty calories and eating junk food will make you gain weight. If you are in a serious calorie surplus, then that will make you gain weight as opposed to any specific macronutrient ratio you consume.
Carbs can be split into three groups which is:
Sugar– These are simple short chain compounds that are found in fruits like apples.
Starch– This is a longer chain of sugar compounds that are found in foods like bread, grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.
Dietary Fiber– This is considered a polysaccharide.
When people cut carbs and lose weight initially, they are losing a little bit of water weight. And the reason is because a gram of glycogen carries about 3 grams of water. And after a couple of weeks of doing this your weight will stabilize. So, there is a difference between water weight loss which is what you initially lose as well as fat loss.
Why do you gain weight and fat? It is because you are eating more calories than your body needs which leads to fat storage and weight gain over a period of time. Carbohydrates fuel our brain, muscles, and the rest of our cells in our body. Carbs supply 4 calories per gram per food. Carbohydrates are also stored alternatively as glycogen in our liver and muscles for future usage.
Weight gain is not a result of how many carbs you consume, it is a result of calories consumed vs calories burned.
The Bottom Line is carbs don’t make you gain weight. But eating a lot of bad calories will make you gain weight. You gain weight and fat by having a calorie surplus. It has nothing to do with eating carbs. Carbs making you gain weight is one of the biggest myths out there.
If you have any interest in trying any of our online diet and weight loss programs to help you shed body fat and achieve your best body, then click on the link below.
About Author- Obi Obadike
About Obi Obadike – Welcome to Obi Obadike | World Renowned Fitness Expert
References
- Naude CE, Brand A, Schoonees A, Nguyen KA, Chaplin M, Volmink J. Low-carbohydrate versus balanced-carbohydrate diets for reducing weight and cardiovascular risk. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Jan 28;1(1):CD013334. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013334.pub2. PMID: 35088407; PMCID: PMC8795871.
- Yang Q, Lang X, Li W, Liang Y. The effects of low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets vs. low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets on weight, blood pressure, serum liquids and blood glucose: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2022 Jan;76(1):16-27. doi: 10.1038/s41430-021-00927-0. Epub 2021 Jun 24. PMID: 34168293.
