Carbohydrates: How They Work in the Body

Carbohydrates: How They Work in the Body

Author: Blaise Majewski

First, let me start off by saying if you are “BORING” and want to have the small key points without understanding how it all works, feel free to skip down to the conclusion where I will sum everything up. Now for those that are interested to learn the process of carbohydrate breakdown and how it positively and negatively affects our body, let's get to it.

What Are Carbohydrates?

A carbohydrate is a macronutrient (like protein and fat) that provides our body with energy, improves protein synthesis, speeds up recovery, and aids in weight loss. I know what you’re thinking: “Blaise, I saw on social media that carbs are bad for me; I should do a no-carb diet.” Let’s take a moment and dive deeper into this.

Nutrition vs. Dieting

It is important to note the difference between proper nutrition and a diet. A diet is not lifelong and will only work for so long. This is why so many people bounce back to their old habits and go back to where they started, sometimes worse. See, your body and mind are funny in the way that when they are deprived of a nutrient, they crave that nutrient until they receive it. The better way to approach this issue is not with a diet (like keto) but instead to change the way we eat our macronutrients (carbs, fats, proteins) through proper nutrition. PLEASE don’t misunderstand me; I am not saying that these diets are bad. They do have a place and are a great jump-start into one's fitness journey, but they are not the lifelong answer. Let’s be honest, who wants to put in all the work of losing weight and building muscle just to have it show back up?

Breaking Down Carbohydrates

We can break carbohydrates, or carbs, into two categories: simple carbs and complex carbs. Both have a function in the body, but for fat loss purposes, we are going to clearly identify the good and bad between the two.

Simple Carbs

Let's start with the simple carb, as this is the carbohydrate everyone loves. A simple carb is a short molecule chain, which is a fancy way of saying it breaks down quickly in the body. You might think, “Quick breakdown is good, right?” Although that is true in the case of needing energy quickly, e.g., before a workout, this is not true in the case of everyday life. A simple carb is broken down into glucose in the blood. This glucose or “sugar” is fast-acting and will boost our energy supply quickly; however, excess is stored as body fat. See the problem? Simple carbs like candy, bread, pasta, brown rice, soda, energy drinks, Gatorade, cereal, chips, crackers, sugar, honey, syrup, desserts, and alcohol become fat if not used. Unless you are doing high-intensity movements as a career, these simple carbs have very little place in your life and should be used as a treat very rarely. Remember, these foods should be eaten in small quantities on occasion and used for high-intensity activity to provide your body with quick energy.

Complex Carbs

There are always two sides to a coin. Let’s talk about the good side of carbohydrates: complex carbs. These carbs are our friend; they help aid in weight loss, appetite suppression, protein synthesis, muscle building, and so much more. This is why we do NOT stop eating carbs. A complex carb is a long molecule chain, which is a fancy way to say it breaks down slowly. Now, this version of carbs is our friend. As complex carbs get broken down, they become glycogen, a different form of sugar than glucose. Remember, glucose is stored as body fat, whereas our buddy glycogen is an energy source that is stored in the liver and skeletal muscle. How awesome is that? Complex carbs such as vegetables, starchy vegetables (potatoes), berries, peas, beans, quinoa, and oats not only provide us with long-lasting energy but also help us lose body fat.

How Carbs Help Us Lose Fat

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Before we get to the conclusion, I do want to explain the anatomy behind how carbs help us lose fat. Understand I am NOT telling you to eat complex carbs, and you will be skinny and fit. Our body uses muscle to burn body fat. For every 1 lb of muscle you add to your body, you will burn an extra 50 calories every day by doing absolutely nothing. To do this, we must be active. Resistance training is king when it comes to building muscle. And for the ladies reading this, that does not mean you are going to get bulky. Lifting weights breaks down our muscle; then, it’s our job to repair it with complex carbs and protein.

Conclusion

For all you BORING people who just skipped down to this part, just remember it probably took me longer to write this article than it would for you to read the amazing information you could learn from reading it, but to each their own. Let’s review.

Carbohydrates: Simple vs. Complex

• Simple carbs are broken down into glucose, which gets stored as fat in the body.

• Complex carbs break down into glycogen, which gets stored in the liver and muscles.

• Simple carbs are good for a quick boost of energy, but a large majority gets stored and not used.

• Complex carbs are great for long-term energy, building muscle, and aiding in fat loss.