Are Carbs Essential Or Not?

Are Carbs Essential Or Not?

Are Carbs Essential Or Not?

If you ask an Italian, they might tell you that there is no life without pasta. Some people live for dipping bread in olive oil, others can't imagine life without rice and beans. Whether it's a bowl of cereal in the morning or mashed potatoes at dinner, carbs seem to be a part of our life, a crucial element of our diet. But can we live without carbs? How necessary are they? Is there a way to feed ourselves without carbohydrates at all, or are they really as essential as we tend to think?

Well, let's take a look at what our bodies use carbohydrates for. Any carbs that we consume are immediately converted into glucose. This glucose is our primary form of energy, the rocket fuel that powers our daily activity and feeds our cells. What glucose isn't used is converted into glycogen in our muscles and liver, and what remains after that is turned into fat. Now, certain key tissues in our bodies can only derive sustenance from glucose, while our brains need at least a quarter of its energy from glucose. So does that mean we truly need carbs?

Now, when we discuss whether carbs or essential' we're not discussing whether our bodies are happy without carbs or healthier with them; we're asking if we can survive without them. And the answer is that yes, technically, we can survive without carbs. Why? Because our body can produce enough glucose to cover those tissues and our brain requirements.

Now, does that mean we can live without carbs and expect to go sprinting and lifting weights? No. We're talking scraping the bottom of the barrel here. Through a process called gluconeogenesis our bodies can create glucose in the liver in small amounts to cover these critical functions, but not much more.

Now, if you are trying to diet, the less carbs you eat the more fat you will burn, but however you will also burn more protein as a source of fuel, resulting in muscle breakdown. Which is why if you are cutting carbs from your diet in order to oxidize fat, you need to really up your protein intake to compensate for this turning to protein on the part of your body. Otherwise you will burn in equal amounts fat and muscle, resulting in a sickly, skinny look which is probably not what you're gunning for.

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