Will quitting carbs after lunch help you lose weight?
Read on to know more!
Cutting down carbohydrate intake is one of the first things that most people do when trying to lose weight. Carbs have always been termed as bad for health and a primary reason for weight gain. However, it would be incorrect to completely avoid carbs, as they help maintain our digestive health and provide energy, without which weight loss becomes a distant dream.
Most people have a fear related to carbs intake and it has ignited several rumours. One of the most common ones is that avoiding carbs after lunch can help to lose weight quickly. This article will help you find out the truth behind this claim.
Carbs are not bad for health
Carbs are an important macronutrient that our body requires to produce energy. When we think of carbs, we mostly focus on pasta, rice and chapati. But there are healthier sources of carbs like fruits, veggies and nuts. The healthier versions of carbs do not lead to weight gain. In turn, they promote gut health and help in easy bowel movement.
Is it good to avoid carbs after lunch for weight loss?
The
concept of restricting carbs after 3 pm is not new. This has been
around for quite some time now. As per some theories, eating carbs close
to bedtime doesn't give our body much time to digest the food. So all
the remaining carbs are converted into fat when you sleep.
But this is completely incorrect, carbs are converted into glucose, which is used for energy to carry out the body functions when you are sleeping.
The real problem is not carbs. It is how much carbs you consume at a time. If you eat anything in large quantities, it will have some side-effects, no matter how healthy it is. You need carbs to refuel ourselves in the evening.
The reality
There is no solid proof which supports the evidence that avoiding carbs after 3 pm can help you achieve your weight loss goal faster. It all comes down to how many calories you consume in a day and what type of foods your diet includes. If you are eating unhealthy sources of carbs, then weight loss is inevitable.