The carb-to-fat process

Low-carb, low-carb, low-carb. Aren't you tired of hearing that by now? I know that I am. But what is it about carbs that make them such bad news? Nothing, really. Carbohydrates are a vital part of a balanced diet. Clearly, it's the simple, fast-digesting carbs found in sugary soft drinks, candy, and juices that are best to avoid. Whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, on the other hand, should make their way onto your plate daily. Just the same, we still hear all about no- and low-carb foods at every turn, only there's little explanation as to why we would want to cut back on this macronutrient.

To understand how carbs end up being stored as fat, we have to take a look at glycogen -- the carb fuel stored in muscles. Whereas fat stores keep growing, your glycogen tank can only hold a certain amount of carbs. Once you've eaten more than your fill of carbs, they spill over into your bloodstream and are then converted into fat by your liver. What's more, many forms of carbs can raise insulin levels. A recent Japanese study, published in the Kobe Journal Medical Sciences, revealed that insulin may prevent the breakdown of fat. So, there we have it -- too many carbs causes a storage of fat due to glycogen overflow, in addition to causing less fat to break down from increased insulin levels.

Does this all support the no- and low-carb craze, then? Not really. As stated earlier, all it does is further reinforce the notion that you must keep your carb intake under control (which, quite frankly, isn't any groundbreaking information), including making smart choices when it comes to carb sources. But, what it does at least provide is an explanation as to why and how overindulging in carbs can lead to weight gain.