To many, the word “carbs” is a scary and conflicting term. They might want to eat all of the carbs in the world, but fear of the consequences, such as weight gain. Due to past diet fads such as the Atkins Diet which instruct you to consume minimal carbs, carbohydrates have been given a bad name. Yes, there can be downfalls to carbs. But these downfalls are usually due to eating poor types of carbohydrates and over-eating them. For example, oatmeal is a carb and it’s good for your body. Then there are donuts, which are also carbs, but these are the kind of carbs that harm the body. The truth is that your body needs carbs to function properly.

Before looking at the fallacies of carbs, it’s important to have a solid grasp of what they really are.

Common sources of naturally occurring carbs include fruits, vegetables, milk, nuts, grains, seeds, and pea plants. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are three main types of carbohydrates.

  1. Sugar: This is the simplest form of carb. It occurs naturally in some foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and milk products. There are then three different types of sugars. They include fruit sugar (fructose), table sugar (sucrose), and milk sugar (lactose).
  2. Starch: Starch is made of many sugar units bonded together, making it a complex carbohydrate. This type of sugar occurs naturally occurs in vegetables, grains,  and dry beans and peas.
  3. Fiber: This is also a complex carbohydrate. It is naturally in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dry beans and peas.

Now that we know more about carbohydrates, let’s take a glance at what we may not know.

Fallacy 1: Carbs will make you feel bloated and weighed down.

Knowing the difference between good carbs and bad carbs is key. When eating proper carbs, your body can actually feel more energized and you’ll have the chance to lose weight faster.

Fallacy 2: A high-carb diet will slow down your metabolism.

Actually, if eaten at the right time, carbohydrates can elevate one’s metabolic rate. A diet that is low in carbs has the potential to slow down your metabolism, and if you’re trying to lose weight, this will slow down the process.

Fallacy 3: You should avoid eating fruit due to high sugar content.

The confusion here is that people commonly mistake natural sugars for added sugars. Gabriele Riccardi, MD, FAHA, and professor of endocrinology and metabolic diseases, says that higher intake of fruit and berries is associated with lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Fallacy 4: Low-carb diets are the only way to lose weight.

A low-carb, high protein diet is good in a pinch if you’re trying to shed a few pounds quickly. However, this kind of diet isn’t good for long-term effects. Our bodies and brains rely on carbohydrates to provide the necessary glucose levels to function properly.

Like most of nutrition, there is a key concept to keep in my mind when thinking about dieting and how much you should consume one particular thing; not too much, and not too little. By eating “good” carbohydrates and in healthy amounts, you’ll be able to lose weight, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and enjoy some of your favorite activities without feeling weighed down.