Do Carbs Cause Weight Gain?

The truth about carbs, how does eating carbs turn into excess pounds…

You’ve heard people saying less carbs means less weight but how exactly does it work? THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT, explained simply…

Carbohydrates provide the body with energy. They are an important macro-nutrient needed for daily functioning. The majority of carbohydrates in foods are digested and broken down into glucose before they enter the bloodstream.

If the body has excess glucose after fulfilling its needs, the remaining glucose is stored in the liver and muscle in the form of glycogen for later use. Once the glycogen stores are full, the excess carbohydrates which are not burned off by exercise or activity are converted into triglycerides molecules and become stored as fat.

Portion Control. When it comes to carbohydrates, I tell my patients they can include 1–2 servings of carbs(per meal) at a time and 1 serving of carbs per snack. Here are the official serving sizes for common carbohydrates (also called Starches):

Serving Sizes of Common Carbohydrates.

• 1 slice bread (1 ounce)
• 1 tortilla (6-inch size)
• ¼ large bagel (1 ounce)
• 2 taco shells (5-inch size)
• ½ hamburger or hot dog bun (¾ ounce)
• ¾ cup ready-to-eat unsweetened cereal
• ½ cup cooked cereal
• 1 cup broth-based soup
• 4 to 6 small crackers
• 1/3 cup pasta or rice (cooked)
• ½ cup beans, peas, corn, sweet potatoes, winter squash, or mashed or boiled potatoes (cooked)
• ¼ large baked potato (3 ounces)
• ¾ ounce pretzels, potato chips, or tortilla chips
• 3 cups popcorn (popped)

Feel free to ask me any additional questions on the topic. Hope this was helpful!