In the nutrition world, there’s a hell of a lot of myths flying around. But there’s one in particular that’s become particularly pervasive above all others that threatens you all.
The Most Dangerous Nutrition Myth…
The reason this myth is particularly damaging is because it can significantly affect a hard-training bodybuilders progress in innumerable ways, but most specifically performance.
This is crucial to note as performance is the platform upon which progress is built as a bodybuilder, and without adequate performance, there is no stimulus for the body to build and adapt.
So, what is this dangerous nutrition myth that’s causing us to pen this article?
If you hadn’t guessed it already, it’s the theory that all carbohydrates are evil and unnecessary to progress, no matter their source.
Origin of the Myth
The origin of the myth stems as far back as the Atkins Diet, where carbs were completely discarded and tarnished from the outset.
While fat bear the brunt of ill-will in the 80’s & early 90’s, it’s carbohydrates that are being bashed relentlessly since the turn of the millenium.
The underlying theory, is that carbohydrates are a non-essential food group to survival (true), and that they have nothing but adverse side-effects such as disease-promotion, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, skyrocketing insulin levels, and all kinds of evil complications.
Grossly Taken out of Context
Carbohydrates are purposely being taken out of context when analysed through this lens, however.
While it’s true that you won’t die if you take carbohydrates out of your diet, that’s hardly a positive reason to do so based on that logic alone.
Stripping carbohydrates from your diet also means these foods – rich in antioxidants and an abundance of vitamins and minerals – will also go out of your diet:
- Fruits
- Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Oatmeal
You’ll also notice that many carbohydrate-rich foods are naturally high in fibre, which is rich in prebiotics and essential for maintaining the overall health of the digestive tract, allowing food to pass through and assimilate efficiently.
Here’s What to do Instead
Instead of freaking out like some crazed 12-year old having a breakdown, it’s time to look at carbohydrates through a different angle to mitigate their adverse health effects while reaping the positives from this macronutrient.
- Avoid refined sources of carbohydrates: the usual assortment of donuts, sugar, and mass-produced cereals aren’t going to nourish your health or physique to any great degree.
- Choose sources high in fibre & vitamins: sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and some forms of rice not only fuel your performance, they also provide an array of much-needed vitamins alongside fibre to ensure a healthy digestive tract.
- Use a Glucose Disposal Agent: keeping the GDA Matador on hand from Project AD ensures you don’t needlessly spike insulin and that you’re partitioning nutrients to the right places (glycogen and muscle) rather than unnecessarily spilling over on your carbohydrate intake.
Conclusion
Carbohydrates are an essential tool that should be used intelligently and strategically to build muscle and enhance your athletic performance. Stripping them out of your diet completely is a surefire way to hyperbole and a huge loss of physique & performance benefits, which is why we’re naming it our most dangerous nutrition myth.
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