Why Do We Need to Eat Carbohydrates?

This question comes up in my sessions all the time. Why do we need carbs? Isn’t it better to avoid them whenever possible? Most of us have been taught, at one point or another, that carbohydrates are the enemy—to be minimized and avoided at all costs!

Carbohydrates have been villainized for years, caught in the crosshairs of diet culture’s ever-changing list of “bad” foods. From the popularity of the Atkins diet in the early 2000s to the more recent rise of keto, the message has been clear: carbs are to be feared. But is that actually true? Do we really need carbohydrates?

(Spoiler: Yes, we do. And avoiding them can make things a lot harder than they need to be.)

Where Did the Fear of Carbs Come From?

Carbohydrate restriction has been around for a long time, but one of the most extreme versions—the ketogenic diet—was originally developed in the 1920s as a medical intervention for children with drug-resistant epilepsy (before the introduction of many effective anti-seizure medications). It wasn’t designed for weight loss or general health, nor was it ever meant to be a broad recommendation for the public. But like many restrictive diets, it was eventually repackaged and sold as a solution for weight control. I could go on about the risks and potential harms of a ketogenic diet (not to mention how devastatingly restrictive and difficult it can be to maintain), but I’ll save my ramblings for another post…

Other low-carb diets, like Atkins, paleo, and Whole30, also come with promises of better health, increased energy, and effortless weight loss. These diets often rely on black-and-white thinking—relegating carbs to the camp of “bad” while painting fat and protein as inherently good. This oversimplifies how nutrition works and, more importantly, ignores the reality that bodies are diverse, food is more than just nutrients, and restriction often backfires.

What Do Carbohydrates Actually Do?

Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source. When we eat foods like bread, rice, pasta, and starchy vegetables, our digestive system breaks down the carbohydrates into simple sugars—mainly glucose, along with fructose and galactose. While different carbohydrate-containing foods have varying combinations of these sugars, glucose is the most common and the body’s go-to fuel source. Once these sugars enter the bloodstream, they provide energy for the brain, muscles, and other essential functions.

Our brains really love carbs!!

Not all carbohydrates break down at the same speed, though. Simple carbohydrates (like those found in fruit, honey, and sugar-sweetened foods) digest quickly, providing fast energy. Complex carbohydrates (found in foods like whole grains, beans, and vegetables) take longer to break down because they contain fiber and more complex sugar structures. Both types of carbohydrates have a place in our diet. Quick-digesting carbs can provide fast energy and help raise our blood sugar more quickly, while slower-digesting carbs help with sustained energy and satiety.

Some key roles of carbohydrates include:

•Supporting brain function 🧠: Your brain runs on glucose. While it can use other non-carbohydrate fuel sources in extreme conditions, it prefers carbohydrates because they’re the most efficient energy source. This is why going low-carb can lead to brain fog, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Every cell in our body prefers glucose as its fuel source, but the brain is extra picky about where it gets its energy from.

•Regulating metabolism and energy 🔋: Carbohydrates help maintain stable blood sugar levels and prevent the body from breaking down muscle tissue for energy. We need adequate stores of carbohydrates to support everything from physical activity to basic bodily functions.

•Providing fiber 😋: Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that supports digestion, promotes gut health, and keeps bowel movements regular. It also plays a role in heart health and blood sugar regulation. We actually can’t digest fiber the way we digest other carbohydrates, so it doesn’t provide energy directly—but our gut bacteria love it. Some of them ferment fiber, which contributes to gas (a totally normal and actually beneficial process!).

A New York bagel…

One of my favorite carbs :)

When we don’t eat enough carbohydrates, our body has to compensate by breaking down protein and fat for energy. While this might sound like a good thing if your goal is weight loss, it’s actually inefficient and puts unnecessary stress on the body. Plus, your body will never stop begging for carbs. This is why low-carb diets often lead to intense cravings for carbohydrates and, eventually, binging on them—because your body is just trying to get the fuel it prefers!

If That’s All True, Then Why Do Carbs Get Such a Bad Rap?

Diet culture thrives on fear-mongering, and carbohydrates have been one of its biggest targets. Some of the most common myths include:

•“Carbs make you gain weight.” Carbohydrates don’t inherently lead to weight gain. Weight regulation is much more complex than a single nutrient, and restricting carbs often leads to rebound cravings, binge eating, and an unhealthy relationship with food. If you’ve been severely restricting carbohydrates—whether due to dieting or an eating disorder—you may lose some initial “water weight” because of how glucose is stored in the body. When glycogen (the stored form of glucose) is depleted, the body releases water. But this isn’t actual fat loss, and that weight will return when you resume eating adequate carbohydrates.

•“Low-carb diets are healthier.” Cutting out or severely restricting an entire macronutrient can make eating stressful and unsustainable. Foods rich in carbohydrates also contain essential micronutrients like B-vitamins and fiber, which support overall health. Plus, low-carb diets can negatively impact digestion, mood, and energy levels.

•“Sugar is toxic.” The fear of sugar is largely overblown. While eating a variety of foods is important, demonizing sugar often leads to guilt, shame, and disordered eating patterns—none of which improve health.

The Importance of Carbohydrates in Eating Disorder Recovery

For those recovering from an eating disorder or working to heal their relationship with food, eating enough carbohydrates is crucial. Many people in recovery experience intense fear around carbs due to diet culture messaging, but reintroducing them helps restore both physical and mental well-being.

Carbohydrates play a role in:

•Restoring energy balance: When the body has been in a state of restriction, it needs adequate nutrition—including carbohydrates—to rebuild and function properly.

•Regulating hunger and fullness cues: Undereating carbohydrates can suppress appetite cues in some, making it harder to eat regularly and consistently. On the flip side, if you are struggling with binging, it is likely that carbohydrate restriction is contributing to this cycle. Our brains are really sensitive to carbohydrate restriction, so we need to be sure we’re getting enough in order to stop the restrict-binge cycle.

•Supporting mental health: Carbohydrates help produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that impacts mood, sleep, and overall well-being. Cutting carbs can lead to irritability, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, carbohydrates are not the enemy. They are an essential part of a balanced, satisfying, and nourishing way of eating. Restriction often leads to stress, guilt, and a disordered relationship with food—whereas including a variety of carbohydrates can support energy, mood, and overall well-being.

So, if you’ve been told to fear carbs, it’s okay to challenge that messaging. Your body deserves enough food, and that includes plenty of carbohydrates. There’s a reason they are so delicious, we need them!