04 Jun Top 5 Signs You’re Not Consuming Enough Carbohydrates
We are people after all and have certain tendencies and weaknesses: for instance, the natural tendency to handpick certain foods that are chock full of carbohydrates, all in a bid to feel good and celebrate life.
However, in an attempt to lose excess bodyweight, some folks actively avoid this wonderful macronutrient altogether – either because their personal trainer or dietician told them to, or they read up on how the latest fad diet with almost zero carbs is the key to losing that stubborn body fat.
On the contrary, keeping your carbohydrate intake dangerously low can introduce many ill health effects, as outlined in this piece.
1. You’re Struggling to Lose Weight
The common notion that the more carbohydrates you ditch, the faster you’ll lose weight is not necessarily true.
You may benefit from fluctuating your carb intake every now and then, but keeping them consistently low will inevitably do more harm than good.
Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of fuel and are quite essential in maintaining an efficient metabolism.
If you’re consistently consuming unusually low carbs, your body will revert to using body fat for fuel – which is actually great for shedding unwanted weight – but leave it in that mode long enough and your metabolism will slow down, causing you to gain that weight again and probably faster.
2. You’re Constantly Fighting Fatigue
Feeling tired and fatigued is a sure sign that your carb intake is too low.
Furthermore, intermittent headaches due to fluctuating glucose levels will leave you feeling lethargic and hamper your ability to focus and stay mentally alert.
While eating too many carbs will certainly introduce feelings of lethargy as well, a severely low intake or avoiding carbohydrates completely will have the same effect.
3. You’re Experiencing Digestive Issues
Natural, wholesome foods high in carbohydrates are typically rich in dietary fibre as well – helping you digest food properly.
Restricting your carb intake or eliminating them almost completely form your diet will make you feel constipated and even bloated – after all, you need carbohydrates to absorb all the protein and fat you’re consuming.
Your stomach is used to receiving a steady supply of wheat-rich carbs and when you cut off this supply, it’s going to react by increasing the time it takes to move waste out of your body.
A digestive mishap waiting to happen, really.
4. You Have Bad Breath
This is something many people are probably not aware of – but a low carb intake can introduce bad breath.
With carbohydrate consumption dropping below a certain level, you will start to produce ketones – an alternate source of energy for the liver which is made from stored fat.
Ketones have a very distinct smell which is secreted through the saliva.
5. You’re Having Sugar Cravings
If you’re constantly craving something sweet, then that’s a sure sign that you’re not consuming enough fibre-rich, slow-digesting carbohydrates.
And constantly spiking your insulin by resorting to simple carbs and sugary delights as an alternative will only leave you hungrier at the end of the day.
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