In the war between carbs and fat as the most important part of a healthy diet, it may surprise you to learn that carbohydrates are winning. That’s right, a growing number of experts believe that people should be eating more carbs, not less.
Restricting your carbohydrate intake has been shown to cause rapid weight loss (at least in the short term), but there is mounting evidence that this approach isn’t a healthy long-term solution. Studies have shown that restricting carbohydrates can lead to headaches, fatigue, and other symptoms of nutrient deficiency. For many people, it also makes it difficult to stick to the diet over the long haul. In some cases, particularly with children, it can even be life-threatening if not done under medical supervision.
If you’re trying to eat fewer carbs for weight loss or health reasons, here are four signs that your diet may need more carbohydrates:
- Headaches
A headache is one of the most common symptoms of carbohydrate deficiency. If you’re eating fewer than 100 grams per day, you could start getting headaches – especially if you’re exercising regularly.
- Fatigue and weakness
Another symptom of carbohydrate deficiency is fatigue and weakness because your body needs energy from carbohydrates to function properly. Without enough of them, you’ll feel weak and lethargic.
- You’re hungry all the time.
If your tummy growls hours after breakfast or dinner has passed, you may be suffering from blood sugar imbalances that make even healthy snacks like fruits and veggies seem unappealing. Before digging into the ice cream again, try increasing your intake of complex carbohydrates at meals to help stabilize blood sugar levels.
- You’re not losing weight
If you’ve been trying to lose weight by restricting carbohydrates in favor of protein, this could be a sign that something’s not right in your diet plan. Calorie intake and expenditure should be closely balanced for any diet to succeed.
