Carbs aren’t the enemy

Somewhere between Atkins and the latest keto influencer, “be deliberate about carbohydrates” got flattened into “carbs are bad.” That flattening has done a lot of damage.

Let me try to put it back together.

What’s actually true

The real claims, the ones supported by the evidence:

• Refined carbohydrates eaten in large amounts, frequently, drive blood-sugar swings, hunger, and over time, metabolic problems. This is real.
• Some people respond better to lower-carb eating, especially with insulin resistance, PCOS, or perimenopausal metabolic shifts. Also real.
• Most adults don’t move enough to justify the carbohydrate volume the food environment pushes at them. Also real.

What got lost in translation:

• Whole-food carbs, vegetables, legumes, fruit, whole grains, tubers, are not the same as ultra-processed snack foods. Treating them identically is bad biology.
• Athletes and lifters perform better with more carbs, not less. If you train hard, you’ve earned the rice.
• Restricting carbs aggressively for years can dent thyroid function, sleep, and stress resilience in some people, particularly women. There’s a cost.

A working principle

A practical approach for most adults who aren’t competitive athletes:

1. Anchor every meal around protein and vegetables.
2. Add carbohydrates deliberately, especially around training and earlier in the day.
3. Choose whole-food sources first, basmati rice, oats, potatoes, sourdough, fruit, over ultra-processed alternatives.
4. Adjust the volume to your activity level and goals. A sedentary day and a heavy training day shouldn’t have the same carb load.

This isn’t low-carb or high-carb. It’s deliberate-carb. The label is less important than the practice.

When low-carb is genuinely useful

There are real cases, type 2 diabetes management, some PCOS protocols, certain epilepsy treatments, personal preference. Low-carb is a valid approach for some people in some seasons of life.

It’s not the moral high ground. It’s not better. It’s a tool.

The takeaway

Be suspicious of any nutrition advice that turns a whole macronutrient into a villain. The body uses all three. Your job is to figure out the volumes that fit your life, your training, and the season you’re in, and then stop arguing about it on the internet.