Carbohydrates have gotten a bad reputation since the high-protein diet craze, and many are convinced that swearing off carbs is the only sure path to a healthy body. Actually, the opposite is true: For optimum health, at least 55 percent of your calories should come from carbs. It's simply a question of choosing the right carbs, and staying within your calorie allowance.
Energy Now
The first thing carbs do to your body is give you energy. Carbohydrates are basically molecules made up of a bunch of sugar molecules stuck together. When they're digested, the carb molecule breaks apart into its constituent sugars, which are then broken down until they are small enough for the body to absorb. This small molecule is called glucose, one of the most basic sugars. It's also the sugar your body uses as its main fuel source; every system in your body runs on glucose, which is why low-carb diets can leave you feeling so tired. Of course, your body doesn't use all the glucose from each meal immediately, so it must store some for later.
Energy Later
After you eat a meal, any extra glucose that won't be used immediately gets converted to glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles. Without glycogen, you would have to feed constantly all day to keep your body running. For example, if you hit the gym on the way home from work, glycogen is what gives you the energy to run on the treadmill -- lunch was hours ago, so your blood glucose levels are probably low, yet you still have fuel to move -- that's glycogen. Glycogen is why marathoners carb-load before a race -- because filling up those energy stores may just give them the extra boost they need to make it through the last five miles.
Regularity
Carbohydrates also contain fiber, which keeps your digestive system functioning properly. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are good fiber sources, and you should eat 14 g of fiber for every 1,000 calories in your diet. That's why many people become constipated on low-carb diets; protein and fat don't contain fiber, and most of these diets don't allow you to eat enough carbs to consume adequate fiber.
Weight Control
A diet that includes an adequate carb intake may also help you keep your weight down. Carbs contain four calories per gram as opposed to the nine calories per gram in fat, so you can eat more carbs without going over your calorie limit. The fiber content also helps you feel full longer because fiber takes longer to digest than other foods. Although the body can easily burn carbs for energy, it takes a lot of energy to convert carbs into fat for storage, so any carbs you eat are more likely to be stored as a future energy supply than as fat, unless you eat way beyond your calorie needs. In that case, all that food provides plenty of energy for conversion, and anything above your body's needs will be stored as fat whether it is carbs, protein or fat.
Hydration
Carbohydrates also help your body stay hydrated. For every glycogen molecule your body stores, it stores four molecules of water. That's why many sports drinks contain carbs -- to help your body hold onto the fluid rather than sweat it right back out. If water weight concerns you, increase your water consumption and your body won't store as much because it will have a constant fresh supply. But this hydration factor is another advantage of carb-loading for athletes. Dehydration can cause muscle cramps and negatively affect performance, so distance runners and cyclists must be careful to be properly hydrated even when water is unavailable -- and carbohydrates help.
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