Carbohydrates and fats get a bad rap in some diet plans because they tend to be high in calories, and eating calories in excess of your body’s needs results in weight gain. It’s true that going overboard on either carbs or fats can make it easier to put on unwanted weight, but the two nutrients actually offer plenty of nutritional and health advantages.
Carb Benefits
Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel for your body. Simple carbs provide a quick burst of energy, while complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber, such as whole grains, provide longer-lasting energy. Glucose, the sugar in carbohydrates, is the only type of fuel the brain cells typically use to perform their daily functions. Carb-rich foods also have a variety of specific health benefits. Fruits and vegetables, for example, can help reduce risks of heart attack, stroke, obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, kidney stones and bone loss, according to MyPyramid.gov.
Carb Downsides
Some types of carbohydrates are not as filling as other types and may be more likely to contribute to weight gain. For example, the sugar-rich simple carbs in baked goods and refined flour products can’t fill you up as effectively as complex carbohydrates and are also higher in fat and calories. According to MayoClinic.com, refined sugars such as those in simple carbs can raise your risk of tooth decay, obesity, elevated triglyceride levels and poor overall nutrition.
Fat Benefits
The body is not able to produce essential fatty acids by itself, and a way to get them naturally is through food sources. The National Institutes of Health notes that fats aid brain development, control inflammation, promote healthy blood clotting, maintain healthy skin and hair and ensure the body is able to absorb essential vitamins and minerals. Unsaturated fats, including both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated forms, can also help lower blood cholesterol levels.
Fat Downsides
If you're watching your weight, it's helpful to be aware that fat provides more than double the calories you’d get from the same amount of protein or carbohydrate. Thus, high-fat foods are more likely to promote weight gain. Eating too much fat, especially saturated fat or trans fat, can also increase your risk of high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity or diabetes, according to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois. In fact, as the National Institutes of Health reports, saturated fat is "the biggest dietary cause" of high blood cholesterol levels.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 22, 2011
- Franklin Institute; Nourish - Carbohydrates Fuel Your Brain; 2004
- ChooseMyPlate.gov; Why Is It Important to Eat Fruit?; June 21, 2011
- McKinley.Illinois.edu; Facts About Fat; 2010
- MedlinePlus; Fat; August 2, 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Added Sugar: Don't Get Sabotaged by Sweeteners; April 5, 2011
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