Our bodies require a delicate balance of nutrients to keep running in optimal condition. That includes consuming carbohydrates, or carbs, as they are more commonly known. Carbs are macronutrients, such as sugar, starch, and fiber, all of which we require to function. Our bodies take these carbs and convert them to glucose, which serves as the body’s fuel.

That is why carbs are an essential nutrient in everyone’s diet, regardless of whether you are an Olympic athlete, a student, or a 9-5 office worker. That being said, carbs, like any nutrient, has its benefits and drawbacks. To help you understand what the pros and cons of carbs are and how they may affect you, we wrote this article.

Pros of Carbs

The human body needs glucose to power every vital function, which makes consuming carbs non-negotiable. Although diet culture has created a lot of negativity around carbs, they still carry a lot of benefits. That is why we start our research on the pros and cons of carbs with the pros!

• Energy

Like we already mentioned, the main purpose of carbohydrates is to supply your body with energy. Without carbs, you can’t study, work, exercise, or even socialize. So, while eating healthily is important, that doesn’t mean you can stop eating carbs altogether.

• Protection

Recent discoveries show that consuming carbs, especially whole grains and fiber, can protect you from heart disease and stroke. More than that, eating fiber can help protect you from type 2 diabetes, obesity, and colon and rectal cancer.

• Mood stability

Carbs can help your brain increase the levels of serotonin production, which in turn can affect your mood. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that stabilizes your mood. By eating carbs, you may find yourself having fewer mood swings and dealing with stress better.

• Weight control

Eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables consistently can help lower the chances of gaining weight. These foods have a much lower count of calories, simultaneously containing a lot of fiber. That means that you’ll feel fuller with less food, and it will help your body digest the food more easily.

Cons of Carbs

Although they offer tons of benefits, we have to recognize that carbs also carry certain drawbacks. Over-consumption of refined carbs is the main issue, but even so, you should be aware of the potential pitfalls of eating carbs.

• Lower collagen production

Collagen is one of the most important proteins in your body, making up between 25% and 35% of the protein structure. Eating carbs, especially simple carbs, can lower the natural synthesis of collagen in your body. That can affect your skin, eyes, hair, nails, and soft tissue negatively.

• Obesity

Obesity is the main concern when it comes to eating carbs. Most people associate eating carbs with gaining weight, which can be an issue. But, in our experience, this issue stems from the over-consumption of simple carbs like refined sugar and added sugar.

• Insulin resistance

People who are dealing with obesity are more susceptible to developing insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body stops responding to insulin, which leads the pancreas to produce extra insulin. That in turn can lead to even more weight gain.

Summary of the Pros and Cons of Carbs

Analyzing the pros and cons of carbs leads us to one conclusion: carbs aren’t good or bad. The body absolutely needs carbs for its most essential functions, but over-consumption can damage your health. That is why you should focus more on complex carbs, which are healthier. More importantly, though, you should enjoy carbs in moderation, as is the case with everything else.