Do You Really Need Carbs? Science Shows Your Daily Requirement Is Zero
People often tell me, “You need carbs for energy.” I hear it from friends, athletes, and even doctors. It’s one of those beliefs so ingrained that questioning it feels strange. But here’s the truth. Your daily requirement for carbohydrates is zero grams, period, end of.
For years, we’ve been told to make carbs the foundation of our diet. Remember the old food pyramid stacked with bread, pasta, and cereal? Add in sports drinks and energy gels promoted as performance fuel, and it’s easy to see why people believe carbs are essential. But unlike protein and fat, which your body cannot make on its own, exogenous carbs are not essential.
Your body is very smart, an incredibly intelligent machine. It always finds a way to fuel itself. When carbs are low, your liver makes glucose from protein and fat in a process called gluconeogenesis. This covers the small amount your brain and red blood cells actually need to properly function. The rest of your energy comes from fat, which the body burns cleanly and efficiently. Even a lean person has tens of thousands of calories stored as fat. As fat metabolism increases, your body produces ketones. These are a steady, reliable fuel source for your brain, heart, and muscles to function. Many people find that they feel more focused and energized once they have become fat adapted.
Exogenous carbs don’t just happen to be unnecessary, they are damaging. Eating too many can cause real problems. They spike your blood sugar, and extra glucose ends up stored as fat. Over time, constantly elevated blood sugar leads to inflammation, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Instead of being told to change our diet, most of us are handed prescriptions. One pill becomes two, then three, but the cause is never addressed. Why is that?
I often hear people say carbs are needed for workouts like cycling, running, or lifting. The truth is that once your body adapts, fat and ketones provide steady energy without the highs, lows, and crashes of carbohydrate intake. Your body will always make the glucose it requires, which happens to be a very small amount, only about 30 to 40 grams per day. That equals 7 to 10 teaspoons, and your liver produces it from protein and fat through gluconeogenesis.
Carbs are optional. Protein and fat are essential. Your body is fully capable of thriving without you eating a single gram of carbohydrate. If you choose to include carbs in your diet, let it be your choice and be mindful of the type you consume. Don’t do it because you were told they’re required. When you understand how your body works, you see that it was designed to run better without them.
Disclaimer: The content shared here is for informational and educational purposes only and should never be taken as medical advice.
In writing this blog post, my goal is to distill research findings into a clear, approachable format that encourages critical thinking and empowers you to make informed decisions about your health.
