What’s Up With Carbs?
“I’m doing keto” is a phrase I hear at least once a week, and I often wonder if people who say it are actually following a true ketogenic diet, or if they simply mean they eat lower-carb. I'll touch on the subject of "keto" and its popularization briefly.
It seems as though the keto wave has touched a lot of people at some point for no reason other than they wanted to lose weight quickly. Some of the hype with the ketogenic diet is that it aims to enhance athletic performance, aid in weight-loss, and you can enjoy a higher fat diet. The downside to this is that many people are severely restricting carbohydrates, a necessary nutrient for our body to function. The ketogenic diet was originally created to help people who suffered from epilepsy, in fact, it is effective at managing this disease as well as has been shown to be helpful for people with metabolic disease and/or Type II Diabetes. A ketogenic diet puts your body into ketosis, so your body uses ketones instead of glycogen for fuel. In layman's terms, ketosis is your body’s way of fueling itself when it feels like it is being starved. The macronutrient breakdown to be considered a true ketogenic diet is getting 0-5% of calories from carbs, about 75% from fat, and the remaining from protein.
Most people that I personally know who say they eat keto, actually just mean that they are eating a lower carb diet (usually buying packaged products labeled "keto-friendly"). When they stop eating ketoegnic, they will often gain the weight back quickly. What they may not have realized is that glycogen (carbs broken down) love to hold water. When you restrict carbohydrates, your body will lose water weight quickly, not simply fat, then you'll feel as if you've plateaued when you can’t lose any more weight.
In my opinion, it is true that some people thrive off of a lower carb diet depending on their bodies; however, generally healthy populations have no reason to eat a ketogenic diet. I do believe that you can enjoy carbs, just as you can any other macronutrient in a balanced way.
As carbohydrates are broken down, they turn into various types of sugars, starches, and fiber. Simple starches and sugars break down easily and quickly. Varying your sources of carbs is a good way to balance nutrients as well as a way to make sure you are consuming slower-digesting carbs that will act as fiber. Fruits and vegetables, grains, and beans or legumes are all great sources. Carbs that are cellulose and are more fibrous will bind to hormones and fats in our GI so we can excrete them, plain white sugar will be easily broken down and transported through our bloodstream, while complex carbs can help us feel satiated. Carbohydrates that convert to glucose as they're broken down fuel our red blood cells and brain.
Carb intake varies depending on several factors like: health of the person, size, if someone is generally sedentary or active, genetics, how much lean body mass or fat a person has, etc. So how many carbs do you need to consume per day? Most people can get an adequate amount by measuring about 1 cupped hands worth per meal. Adjust as needed, like if you are more active. Because not all carbs act the same, some things like different fruits can affect you differently so experiment with how certain carbs make you feel.
Some of my favorite carbs include:
whole grains like wild rice or quinoa
old fashion oats
potatoes and sweet potatoes
fruit like pineapple, greener bananas, dates (some may digest quickly, so experiment)
rainbow chard
asparagus
squashes
fermented purple cabbage (I DIY this)
I think that carbs have become unnecessarily demonized, when in reality, they are an essential nutrient. While a high-carb diet might not be for you, you CAN enjoy that slice of pizza or bowl of pasta. What it comes down to is the total amount consumed and how they make you feel. If you find that you tend to overload on carbs, try making smaller portions and eating slowly. This will give your brain and stomach time to communicate and signal fullness.
What are your favorite carbs?