Carbs: The misunderstood macronutrient

If you've been online or followed media trends in recent years, you've probably heard claims that carbs are the main cause of obesity.

However, scientists have tested this theory in studies where participants were placed on two types of diets: one high in fat and the other high in carbs, with both diets containing the same number of calories.

The result? Both groups lost the same amount of fat. A carb-heavy diet didn't cause participants to lose less fat or gain more. Its effect was the same as the high-fat diet.

Carbs + Fat = Tasty

Most high-carb foods are not just high in carbs but also high in fat, making them calorie-dense and very tasty—so they’re easy to overeat.

Examples: In a glazed donut, 43% of the calories come from fat, and 51% from carbs (the rest is protein). Milk chocolate gets 49% of its calories from fat and "only" 44% from carbs (the rest is protein)

In other words, it’s not the carbs alone, but the overall calorie content that matters. Even if you ate sweets all day but stayed in a calorie deficit, you'd still lose weight. (Though, don’t try this—you’d feel hungry all the time!)

Does this mean I can eat as many carbs as I want?

Not quite. Just like fats or proteins, if you eat too many carbs, you'll eventually be in a caloric surplus (consuming more calories than you burn), and you’ll gain weight. The key is staying in a calorie deficit, and you will lose weight. And remember, if you indulge in something sweet once in a while, it’s not the end of the world!