Cutting Carbs for โคWeight Loss: What Does the Science โขSay?
LONDON – The long-held belief that eliminating carbohydrates is theโฃ key โto โweight โคloss is more nuanced than commonly understood,according to nutrition specialists.โ While reducing refined carbohydrate โคintake can contribute to weight loss,โ it’s not necessarily about carbs themselves โbeing “fattening,” but rather how they impact overall โcalorie โconsumption โand satiety.
Weight loss fundamentally relies on consuming fewer calories than the body burns. This can be achieved through increased exercise, portion control, or choosing foodsโค with lower caloric density.
“It is indeed a rather gray area,” explains Bethan Crouse, a nutritionist at Loughborough University in the UK. While she doesn’t recommend โcomplete carbohydrateโข elimination – particularly โฃfor athletes who benefit โฃfrom foods like bread, โcereals, potatoes, and โคsweets – she notes, “reducing carbohydrate intake โcan be beneficial for weight loss, if we can moderate โtotal energy โคintake.”
The benefit stems from the fact that other โฃmacronutrients -โฃ fiber, protein, and โfats – generally promote โa feeling of fullness for longer. “If we spend more from the calorie budget on these foods, โwe will feel tired for longer,” Crouse told The Guardian.โ “You will feel much better if you eat a balanced, high protein diet, with healthy vegetablesโฃ and fats. It is indeed a much better caloric investment.”
Refined carbohydrates, such as โwhite bread and sugary treats,โ digest quicklyโ and are less โขideal as a primary carbohydrate source. Crouse suggests opting for fiber-rich โฃalternatives like brown riceโ and whole-wheat โbread, which release energy more gradually.
Carbohydrate intake should also be adjusted based on activityโฃ levels. Crouse recommends increasing โขcarbohydrate consumption on training days “to reduce the risk of illnessโ and injury โand support adaptation to exercise.” On rest days or less active days, reducing carbohydrates can help lower overall energy intake, provided sufficient protein for muscle repair, alongside fruits and vegetables for โคessential vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, are included.
