Why Carbs are Important on an Animal-Based Diet

Learn Why Carbs are Important on an Animal-Based Diet & which ones are the best when going low-toxin Carnivore.

Carbs are essential! No, carbs are bad! That’s hooey, carbs are required! Nope, carbs robbed a bank near my house!

With so much misinformation out there surrounding the role of carbohydrates in the human diet, it is no wonder people are confused about what to eat. This can be especially so when trying a new way of eating like an Animal-Based Diet.

We all know that certain someone who can eat ice cream every night and not gain an ounce. This leads people to believe that there are no bad carbs and moderation is key. Others, however, find that if they so much as look at ice cream, their pants get a little bit tighter.

What’s up with that? And why are these two people always married to each other?

why carbs are important on an animal-based diet

The Truth About Carbs

Carbs are the body’s primary fuel. It is important here to make the distinction between primary meaning “of chief importance” or “earliest in time or order”. When we say that carbs are the body’s primary fuel, we don’t mean favorite fuel or even the best fuel. It means that when present with fat, the other source of fuel, the body will choose to metabolize carbs first.

Someone had to say it in writing, and it may as well be me: There are bad carbs. (GASP!) Table sugar, also known as sucrose, is made up of both glucose and fructose. The human body does not need table sugar to function properly. In fact, we eat way too much of it. What happens when we are overloaded with sugar? Our bodies will use some of it as fuel, store some as glycogen, then convert the rest to fat via our livers. Over time, it can result in insulin resistance and fatty liver disease.

The Grain Indoctrination

Grains are touted as a heart-healthy option, but they require substantial processing before our bodies can metabolize them. Though complex carbs are often labeled as superior, all of them…ALL OF THEM…break down into glucose. And what happens when we eat too much glucose? The same thing that happens when we eat too much table sugar: we store what we can, and our poor livers convert the rest to visceral fat.

We are all but indoctrinated to eat fistfuls of whole grains every day. We hear that it is loaded with fiber and nutrients. While that is debatable, they are also loaded with fast-burning carbs (and don’t even get me started on the lectins and plant toxins!). This whole grain movement is not saving your liver from letting the extra carbs do what extra carbs do.

This does not mean that all carbs are trash and a zero-carb diet is the only way to go. The body can get all the carbs it needs to function at a high level from many different types of low-sugar fruits. Spaghetti squash, raspberries, and our friend the avocado are all great options when it comes to eating carbs.

Want to dig further into the toxic capabilities of plants and the science behind this “wild accusation?” Order a copy of THE CARNIVORE CODE and get Primally nerdy!

Why We Need Carbs

Liver health is vital. When you eat table sugar, your liver has to do some heavy lifting to deal with the overload. Choosing carbs from fruits and honey means you are much less likely to overdo it, and your liver can get some rest. When the liver has to work overtime, the result may be a slow metabolism coupled with hormonal issues.

As it works to process all that extra glucose and fructose, it can’t do the very important job of regulating hormones. The liver regulates thyroid hormone, sex hormones, and those created by the adrenal glands such as cortisol and adrenaline. When these are out of whack, the result can be weight gain and even sexual disfunction. Do you need more reasons than that to give it a rest? Ok then.

The liver also acts *sort of* like the body’s filter. It is responsible for processing blood and breaking it down into usable nutrients while removing toxins. It is quite the little workhorse. Thanks, liver!

Can an Animal-Based Diet Help?

Since an animal-based, low toxin carnivore diet avoids refined sugar and boatloads of fruit in favor of low-toxin plants, your body is getting an adequate amount of carbs which allows for your metabolism to fire on all cylinders. When we take in the right amount of unprocessed, unrefined carbohydrates, this helps the liver to do its job.

In fact, when paired with protein, an animal-based diet can help to keep blood sugar low. Those struggling with allergies, inflammation, hormone imbalance, and fatigue may want to consider an animal-based diet to show their livers some love.

Carbs Can Be your Friend

Now that we know that all carbs are not created equal, it is far easier to make choices that will support your metabolic health. There is no need to add carbs from sports drinks or sweets to make sure you are getting enough of them to support your health. Fruits, low-toxin roots, and white rice are standing by to do just that.

Ready for some tasty animal-based eats? Grab my best recipes from the blog archives!