5 Important Functions of Carbs in Your Diet

Carbs are the body’s primary source of energy and are incredibly important to consider when designing a macro-based meal plan. Carbs have generated a lot of controversy in the health/wellness sphere, with many clamoring for low-carb diets and others claiming high-carb diets are the best.

Carbs have been demonized as the cause of weight accumulation, blood sugar destabilization, and various other health concerns. However, carbs are essential for providing energy to power our physical and mental activities, as well as many other processes in the body.

Here are five critical roles of carbs in your diet:

Source of Energy

Carbs are the body’s preferred source of energy. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which is transported into cells where it is converted into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through cellular respiration. While the cells in the body can use other food sources to produce ATP, most of them prefer to use carbs for their energy needs rather than utilize protein or fat molecules.

Energy Reserve

When your body has a surplus of glucose, it stores it as glycogen in the muscles and liver for fuel. The glycogen stores of the liver, which can be as much as 100 grams, don’t sit idly to become fat; they are released steadily into the bloodstream to stabilize blood sugar levels between meals.

However, the glycogen stored in the muscle cannot be mobilized to balance blood sugar levels; it can only be used by the muscles during prolonged high-intensity workouts, except in times of starvation. Your body stores surplus carbs as fat when its glycogen stores are full and there is no immediate energy demand.

Boosts Digestive Health

Carbs, in the form of dietary fiber, can help promote digestive health. Fiber, whether soluble or insoluble, cannot be digested by the body, although some can undergo fermentation in the colon.

Soluble fiber is known to help improve bowel movements by softening the stool by pulling in more water. Insoluble fiber reduces constipation by bulking up your stools and increasing bowel movement. Insoluble fiber is also thought to help prevent or improve gastrointestinal diseases like leaky gut syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as some types of cancer.

Helps Preserve Muscle Mass

During periods of starvation or prolonged high-intensity exercises, the body can break down the muscle to provide energy if its glycogen stores have been depleted. The body needs sufficient energy to power the brain during periods of starvation and will stop at nothing to get the brain the fuel it needs to continue to function.

One place to get energy during this difficult period is the glycogen in the muscles, which the body will not use under normal conditions. If the muscles lack glycogen stores, the body will break down the protein molecules that make up the muscles and convert them to energy, leading to severe muscle waste. You can prevent this type of muscle breakdown by eating adequate amounts of carbs.

May Promote Heart Health and Protect Against Diabetes

A high-fiber diet may help improve heart health and blood sugar levels. This is because fiber may help reduce levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and increase glycemic control which helps keep blood sugar levels stable.

Soluble fiber particularly helps because it will attach itself to cholesterol particles so that they can travel out of the body without much impact. Even if you already have diabetes (type 1 or type 2), soluble fiber can help keep symptoms under control along with the rest of your treatment plan.

Before completely nixing carbs, check in with your goals and see how you can most effectively utilize your carbohydrate intake, even if it is at a reduced amount!

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