Carbohydrates, more commonly known as carbs, have been shamed as the food that makes you gain weight. They have been often shunned from the world of weight loss and muscle gain, but should you avoid all carbs? We are here to tell you how important it is to include carbs in your diet if you want to gain lean muscles! Let’s take a look at why it is important to include carbs in your muscle gain journey.

What are carbs?

Carbohydrates are a form of glucose and are the main source of energy in our body. Carbohydrates are present in both healthy and unhealthy foods. We need to pick the right foods. Processed foods like chips, cookies, cakes etc. are high in carbs, but they can make you gain fat. You need to consume healthy carbs like sweet potato, quinoa, oats, jowar, rice, etc.

How do carbs help in gaining muscles?

Miten Kakaiya, fitness coach and founder of Miten Says Fitness, recently shared an Instagram reel where he shared  the reasons why carbs are important for muscle gain. “Carbs are an essential part of your diet if you are looking to gain lean muscle, so don’t avoid them!” wrote Kakaiya.

1. Carbs get stored in our muscles and liver as glycogen, which acts as fuel for your muscles.

2. Complex carbohydrates (quinoa, sweet potato, oats, etc.) take longer to enter the bloodstream, providing a steady stream of energy while exercising.

3. They keep you full for longer, reducing your cravings and making you less prone to overeating.

5 carbs for muscle growth

Include these healthy carbs that are essential for muscle growth:

1. Rice

Rice is lighter on our stomach as compared to wheat rotis. They are low in calories and high in healthy carbs, which makes it a perfect meal to re-energise yourself after a tiring workout routine at the gym.

2. Jowar

Jowar, also known as Sorghum, is better than wheat in many ways. It’s high in fiber, is gluten free, high in protein and is full of iron. All these qualities not only makes it great for our digestive system, but also a perfect food to promote muscle growth.

3. Quinoa

Quinoa is used as a breakfast option. It is high in dietary fibre and provides a boost of energy that can help you get through the day. It also keeps us fuller for longer periods and reduces the amount of meals we have in a day.

4. Oats

Again, a perfect breakfast option filled with vitamins, minerals, fibre, and carbs. You can also have an oats shake as a pre-workout snack as this will keep energised throughout your workout session.

5. Sweet potato

Potatoes again are infamous because of the rumours that they make you gain weight, which is far from the truth. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are high in healthy carbs, hence perfect to help you gain muscles.