Should I Eat Carbs?

The simple answer is yes!

You might have noticed diet trends encouraging you to drastically reduce (or completely eliminate) carbs from your diet. Carbs play a vital role in your gut health, alongside providing you with essential vitamins, minerals and fibre to help you feel your best. Plus, the veggies, fruits and whole grain dishes they provide are a treat for the tastebuds.

Carbohydrates are an important fuel source for physical activity, especially high intensity training. After a long workout, the carb supply that builds up in your liver or musculature can disappear completely and will need to be replenished to aid recovery.

Beside helping your body recovery from workouts, the brain is extremely dependent on glucose as fuel from carbs. Without carbs, you can develop hypoglycaemia and uncomfortable symptoms like dizziness, nausea, cold sweats, concentration difficulties, increased pulse, extreme hunger and confusion.

What's more, if you don't eat carbs your body won't be able to reap the benefits of healthy whole grain foods such as oats, brown rice and wholegrain bread. These foods provide vitamins, antioxidants and fibre which helps keep your gut happy and healthy.

Remember: restricting any food group out of your diet will be difficult to sustain in the long run. To reap the most nutritional benefits from your food, you’ll want a good balance of fat, protein and carbohydrates for every meal.

Discover more gut-friendly foods in our complete grocery store guide

General Carb Guidelines

• When it comes to carbs, the type you eat is important. Avoid processed carbohydrates like white bread and sugary cereal. Instead, opt for whole grains like whole-wheat bread, quinoa and brown rice.
• There's no one-size-fits all when it comes to carbs, and the amount you need depends on your lifestyle, activity level and goals. As general rule, 45%-65% of your diet of fruit, vegetables and whole grain carbs can be a good amount to stick to.
• The research on when in the day to eat carbs is inconsistent, but indicates that consuming carbohydrates after a workout can help you replenish your energy and aid muscle growth.

Related: How to create a healthy diet that you can actually stick you

What Are Healthy Carbs?

Healthy carbs are rich in fiber, keeping you full and your stomach happy. Here's a short list of healthy sources of carbs to choose from:

• Oatmeal
• Beans
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Fruit
• Berries
• Spinach
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Whole grain bread, pasta etc.

Remember: there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to healthy eating. Finding a satisfying and sustainable diet is the best way to feel good - and that's what's most important.

Looking for more healthy eating guides? Here's how to know if you're eating enough protein.