Carb cutting has become all the rage, with low-carb diets becoming more common and people avoiding bread like it's some contagious disease. While it is true that some carbs can cause elevated blood glucose levels and hinder weight loss, not all carbs are bad. In fact, carbs are just as important in our diet as proteins; even those on the keto diet need some carbs in their daily nutrient intake.
When you're not getting enough carbs- our body's energy source- the effects it has on your body are unavoidable. Your body needs carbs, and it will let you know you lack every way it can. Here are six signs that you need to increase your carb intake fast:
1. Fatigue and Mental Confusion
It should come as no shock that fatigue is number one on our list. Carbs are the fuel for our body and brain, and a shortage of them in our diet will show how exhausted we can become. You notice you become tired much faster than usual. You find it difficult to think or concentrate; your mind is foggy and sluggish.
2. Junk Food Cravings
Your body needs glucose (sugar) that carbs supply when you cut those down or out of your diet, your body starts craving. Junk food (crisps, chocolate, soda, etc.) provides an instant sugar boost that your body is looking for. It starts to become incredibly difficult to avoid hunger pains and consequently junk food.
3. Gastrointestinal Issues
Carbs not only supply our body with much-needed glucose but also with fiber, an important part of gut health. When we cut down on carbs, we also simultaneously reduce fiber in our diet. Fiber ensures a smooth running of the entire GI process; a lack of it usually leads to bloating and constipation.
4. Mood Swings
Hunger makes you grumpy; that's just a fact. When your brain is not getting the glucose it needs from your diet, your hypothalamus produces hormones that remind us we are hungry; when your brain is busy focusing on food, its ability to modulate your mood drops significantly. This means you may find yourself getting upset or angry at things that you previously would have handled in a far calmer fashion.
5. Temperature Regulation
Remember how we said your brain needs the energy to focus? Well, that applies here too. The part of your brain that handles hunger also regulates your body's temperature. So, when you are hungry, the brain is too busy making hormones that cause hunger, and the hormones that control your body temperature get put on the back burner. You will find yourself feeling cold quite often, even at warmer temperatures.
6. Bad Breath
Also known as halitosis is when the body begins breaking down fats in place of carbs for energy, producing ketones. Ketones, when burned off, release by-products that cause bad breath.
Final Word
While it is important not to over consume carbs, it is just as important to avoid under-consumption of them. Your body needs the energy carbs to provide to avoid feeling low or exhausted.
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