Carbs are often perceived as substances that cause weight gain and are harmful to health. In fact, good carbs offer many essential nutrients and benefits, and low-carb diets can lead to more health problems. So, immediately check the following 9 signs of carb deficiency to quickly replenish the body.
Carbs are one of the three main nutrients most essential for the body. They have the ability to create energy, replenish nutrients and are beneficial in improving health, especially cardiovascular and neurological health.
Many diets often cut carbs to lose weight, but that doesn’t mean eating carbs will make you gain weight. Not eating carbs easily makes you deficient in fiber, which in turn causes many other health problems such as weakness or digestive disorders.
Of course, not all carbs are created equal. Refined carbs like refined sugar and white flour can spike blood sugar levels, reduce weight loss, and cause many other health problems. Complex carbs like whole grains and vegetables are healthy carbs that help you lose weight and stay in shape.
Therefore, adding an adequate amount of good carbs every day is the golden key to help you maintain a healthy and efficient body. You can check for the following signs of carb deficiency to adjust your intake accordingly.
Signs of lack of carbs you need to watch out for
1. You have a severe headache
Not enough carbs will give you more frequent headaches
Carbs do not require any additional processing to produce glucose. Therefore, they help maintain blood sugar levels in the body. When you don’t get enough carbs, your blood sugar can drop and cause headaches.
Although headaches are a common occurrence in everyday life, if you get headaches more often after adopting a low-carb diet, it becomes a sign of a lack of carbs at a body level. can adapt.
2. Do you often feel cold?
Even though the thermostat says it’s 21°C, you can still feel chills. Unless you have a fever, feeling unusually cold could be the reason your body isn’t getting enough carbs.
People who follow a low-carb diet have a lower risk of developing thyroid function. Therefore, they make it difficult to stabilize the body’s internal temperature.
3. You have bad breath
After following a low-carb diet, the body will go into a state of storing fat for energy. While this can help reduce belly fat and make your abs more visible, it can also cause bad breath.
When you don’t eat enough carbs, your body burns fat and protein for fuel, and also creates bad breath.
4. You have digestive problems
When you eliminate carbs, or cut back on whole grain foods, that means you’re missing out on a good source of fiber.
In case you don’t get enough fiber from other fruits and vegetables in your diet, they can lead to digestive problems, such as bloating and constipation.
5. You can’t lose weight
Carb deficiency can promote fat storage in the body
While a lack of fat may initially help the body burn fat for energy, in the long run they will have no effect on weight loss.
When you suddenly cut back on carbs, your liver ramps up sugar production to compensate. At this time, blood sugar levels are higher, causing the pancreas to secrete insulin, a fat storage hormone. As a result, the body will begin to store more fat than to excrete it.
6. You are not strong enough to exercise
Carbs are one of the best sources of energy for the body. Feeling low on energy even though you haven’t been active much is one of the most obvious signs of a lack of carbs.
When muscles don’t store enough carbs, they won’t have enough energy to work, leaving you feeling sluggish, tired and unable to complete intense workouts.
7. You always feel hungry
Most healthy carbs are rich in fiber, which fills the stomach and makes you feel fuller for longer. So if you don’t get enough carbs or other nutrients to fill you up, you’ll always feel hungry.
Many people often just cut out carbs and forget to replace them with healthy fats and many other essential nutrients, not only causing a lack of energy but also starting to want to eat more unhealthy foods.
8. You have brain fog syndrome
Similar to the body, the brain also uses carbs for energy. When the brain doesn’t get enough fuel, nerve functions don’t work properly.
Brain fog syndrome can reduce the ability to think as well as memory, easily affecting tasks that require brain use such as playing games or studying.
9. Do you have mood swings?
Hunger and irritability are very recognizable signs of carb deficiency. When you cut carbs, they make you crave more due to the lack of calories and low blood sugar.
At this time, starchy foods that are often used like cookies, hamburgers, etc. will help you satisfy your hunger, but continuing to cut back creates feelings of irritability and irritability, affecting your mood more.
Carbohydrates are also needed in the production of serotonin, a feel-good chemical produced in the brain. So low carb can make you uncomfortable.
>>> See more: Signs of a lack of nutrients and suitable sources of supplementary food
Suggest ways to add carbs to improve health
Choosing non-starchy vegetables will help you supplement the amount of fiber you need
The signs of a carb deficiency are all health problems you can experience when following a low-carb diet. However, these diets still have certain benefits and they will work better if you consider using carbs sensibly.
- Incorporating some carb-rich foods like apples, pears, and carrots can help with weight loss and relieve headaches
- Drinking more water or adding carbs will reduce bad breath during ketosis
- Add more fiber (meets 28g/day) from non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach, asparagus… if you don’t want to consume too many carbs
- Increase the number of carbs you consume before exercise to ensure energy, and supplement with good carb snacks after exercise to compensate for the necessary energy.
- Apply a carb-enhanced diet 1 day/week with healthy dishes such as smoothies or good carbs from whole grains to get the full amount needed for your body.
- Choosing more mood-boosting foods or adding a small amount of carbs to your menu will give you a boost without compromising on a low-carb diet.
Each nutrient plays a certain role in health. Instead of cutting carbs completely, try to monitor for signs of carb deficiency and supplement in time, helping to balance nutrition and improve overall health.
Reference source
9 Signs Warning You Really Need to Eat More Carbs https://www.eatthis.com/signs-you-should-be-eating-more-carbs/. Access date: September 21, 2020
John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.
