The Carb Question...
Over the years I have sat down to plenty of meals with friends, family or clients. In front of me is normally a large plate of vegetables and some kind of meat to the side.
The first thing I get is a comment “Not eating carbs huh?”
A comment like this used to get to me. I would go on a rant about nutrition but now realise I am just dealing with someone who doesn’t fully understand.
Here’s the thing…
There are 3 macronutrients: Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats. We classify foods as the macronutrient which it is mostly made up of.
For example a medium sized apple is considered a carbohydrate as it contains 25g of Carbohydrates and tiny trace amounts of Protein and Fat. While 100g of fillet steak contains around 21g of Protein and 7g of Fat, it is considered protein.
So back to my plate full of vegetables (Carbohydrates) and meat (Protein). How is is that I am eating a low carb meal?
The reason these comments don’t frustrate me anymore is it is understandable with the education we are given these days around “Carbohydrates” being things like rice, pasta and bread.
These things are definitely more dense in Carbohydrates but they are still Carbohydrates the same as fruits and vegetables.
So if we all agree to this…
Why is it most people would refer to my plate as low carb?
If these things are all Carbohydrates how should you choose which ones to eat? What would be the reason to eat one Carbohydrate source over another?
Here are my top 2 reasons:
1. Nutrients...
Nutrient rich Carbohydrates are packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These are your fruits and vegetables. They can also be referred to as complex Carbs. Bread, pasta and rice are often referred to as simple Carbohydrates as they contain far less of these nutrients.
2. Weight Loss and Body Composition…
If you take a look at the Carbohydrate density per 100g for rice (28g) as compared to broccoli (6g). To get 28g of Carbs from broccoli I would need to eat 450g of the stuff. You can see it would be hard to consume as many “Carbohydrates” by eating similar quantities of broccoli and rice.
This is a great self limiting tool for Carbohydrate intake.
Hopefully this clears up a little of the confusion around Carbohydrates…
What carbohydrates actually do for your training
Carbohydrate is the body's preferred fuel for hard, fast efforts, which is most of what we do in CrossFit, intervals and heavy lifting. Your muscles and liver store a limited amount of it as glycogen. When those stores run low, hard sessions tend to feel harder and the quality of your work can drop.
A small clarification on "simple" and "complex"
The post above groups fruit and vegetables as complex carbohydrates and bread, pasta and rice as simple ones. That is a handy shorthand, but strictly speaking, rice, pasta and bread are mostly starch, which is a complex carbohydrate too. The real difference is usually how much fibre, vitamins and minerals come with the carbohydrate, and how processed the food is. Whole and minimally processed options such as vegetables, fruit, potatoes, oats, legumes and wholegrains tend to bring more of those along.
How much do active people usually eat?
Sports nutrition guidelines often express carbohydrate as grams per kilogram of body weight per day, and the range depends on how much you train:
Light training or skill-based sessions: roughly 3 to 5 g per kg per day
Moderate to hard training, about an hour a day: roughly 5 to 7 g per kg per day
Heavy training, one to three hours a day: roughly 6 to 10 g per kg per day
These are guidelines for athletes and are a starting point, not a prescription. Most people who train a few times a week sit toward the lower end.
Is low carb the answer?
Eating fewer carbohydrates can work for some people and some goals, and a plate of vegetables and meat is not a "no carb" meal, as the post explains. But if you do a lot of high-intensity training, cutting carbohydrate very low can make sessions feel harder and can hurt performance. If you train hard, think about getting enough carbohydrate around your sessions, and keeping the rest of your plate nutrient-dense.
Common questions
Do carbs make you gain fat?
No single nutrient does. Fat gain comes down to your overall energy intake over time, along with things like sleep, stress and activity. Carbohydrate-dense foods are easy to overeat, which is why the "self-limiting" point in the post is useful.
Should I cut carbs to lose weight?
Reducing carbohydrate is one way to lower your overall energy intake, but it is not the only way and it is not required. Many people do well by keeping protein high, eating plenty of vegetables and trimming portions across the whole plate.
What should I eat before training?
See our post on what to eat before you train.
This is general information, not personal advice. If you have a health condition, or want a plan tailored to your goals, speak to an Accredited Practising Dietitian.