The Truth About Carbs, Sugar & Weight Loss—No More Myths

Weight Loss & Carbs: The Science-Backed Truth No One Told You

Carbohydrates make you gain weight? Fruit makes you gain weight? Nuts make you gain weight? Fruit is bad because it has a lot of sugar?

Today, I’m revealing the whole truth to you. You’ll find the answers in science, and finally, you’ll be able to empower yourself and take control of your health without being misled by myths or marketing.

From Blaming Fats to Blaming Carbohydrates

In the 1960s, based on the findings of the seven countries study, Ancel Keys developed what became known as the lipid hypothesis, which suggested that fat consumption, especially saturated fats, raised blood cholesterol levels and thus increased the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Because of his findings, fats in general—and not just saturated fats—began to be blamed for weight gain and cardiovascular problems. This did not go unnoticed by the food industry, which quickly launched a wave of low-fat products.

Based on this, in 1992, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) introduced the food pyramid, which promoted a diet where grains and other carbohydrates were to make up more than 60% of daily intake without accounting for individual factors such as physical activity level.

However, despite the reduction in fat consumption and the increase in carbohydrates, overweight rates continued to rise, generating great confusion.

In the 1990s, a book published years earlier by cardiologist Robert Atkins gained massive attention from the public. In his work, he blamed carbohydrates as the main culprits of overweight and many diseases of the 20th century, freeing saturated fats from the bad reputation they had accumulated.

This shift in perspective sparked massive interest in low-carbohydrate diets, marking the beginning of a new era in dietary approaches for millions of people.

In an attempt to update nutritional recommendations, the USDA introduced MyPlate in 2011. This plate-shaped graphic aimed to more clearly represent how we should distribute foods in our daily meals, moving away from the hierarchical structure of the pyramid. This model divides the plate into five food groups:

• Half of the plate: for a variety of fruits and vegetables, prioritizing the latter.

• One-quarter of the plate: for grains, emphasizing that at least half should be whole grains.

• One-quarter of the plate: for proteins.

• Dairy products.

That same year, the Harvard Plate was introduced by nutrition specialists at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, offering a similar version but with some differences. This model divides the plate into four sections:

• Half of the plate: for a variety of fruits and vegetables, prioritizing the latter.

• One-quarter of the plate: for whole grains, highlighting that whole grains should always be preferred over refined grains.

• One-quarter of the plate: for healthy proteins, such as fish, poultry, and legumes, while limiting red and processed meats.

Unlike the MyPlate model, the Harvard Plate does not consider dairy products as essential. Instead, it suggests water or sugar-free beverages as alternatives and recommends limiting milk consumption.

Additionally, the Harvard Plate emphasizes vegetables over fruits and is more specific regarding the quality of grains and healthy protein sources.

Now that you understand the basics, you’re ready to know the truth from science and practical examples.

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