All Hail The Super Carbs

In your average line-up of nutritional heavyweights, the humble beige carb is nowhere to be seen. But, while we know the macronutrient is essential for energy, science is now pointing to carbohydrates as the key to achieving a healthy body composition too. Thinking of dodging carbs to shed some extra weight? Perhaps think again

- Kate Wills

Oh, carbohydrates, it’s been such a rollercoaster. We had a good thing going until Atkins arrived, then Dukan and Paleo followed, and once again things went a little cold. We’d just about repaired the damage caused by “carbs make you fat” when courgetti happened and, as if to add insult to injury, cauli rice. But hang in there, carbs, because things are looking up – for good.

A growing body of research is pointing to the ability of carbohydrates to help you lose weight. So ingrained is the “bread and pasta make you gain” message that the idea of the opposite being true seems nothing short of tomfoolery. Of course, the tables have been turning, albeit in slo-mo, for a while now. We’ve always encouraged you not to be too hard on carbs – any nutrition expert will promote eating across all food groups – but it was around the time when HIIT really, well, hit, that everyone embraced carbs as vital for fuelling intense workouts (the fact that the tastiest way to eat nut butter is clearly slathered on toast did no harm). Should you need convincing that you should be choosing, rather than avoiding, carbs for weight loss, take a look at the science.

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