When did carbohydrates become the enemy?

Dieting is nothing new. According to Dr Eleanor Barnett, food historian and author of Leftovers: A History of Food Waste and Preservation, the word ‘diet’ or ‘diaita’ can be traced all the way back to the Ancient Greeks, when it referred to a way of life rather than 'going on a diet' as we understand it today.

“Fatness, or thinness, was seen as an imbalance that affected body and mind, so you would take steps to address this by altering what you ate,” Dr Barnett explains. “For example, Hippocrates recommended that overweight people eat one main meal a day but that this be full of fat so that the consumer felt as full as possible.”

Throughout history different cultures and different periods have had different ideas of the ideal body shape. But by the 17th century in early modern Europe, being fat was seen as a medical problem, and certain diets were recommended. “For example, sharp, bitter or sour foods like vinegar, lemon juice, cinnamon and mustard were all thought to heat the blood, therefore stopping it from congealing from the cold and turning into fat,” says Dr Barnett. “Then in 1760 Malcolm Flemyng recommended a diet of soap if you were overweight, based on the idea that it would cleanse you.”

But it wasn’t until the 19th century that fad dieting really became a thing. One of the first diet crazes was the ‘Great Masticator’, invented by Horace Fletcher. It became so popular that the method became known as the ‘chew chew cult,’ in Edwardian Britain.

“The idea was to chew food and drink for a long time so that it could be mixed with saliva and become a liquid,” explains Barnett. “Then in upper class England you’d have meals in which a master of ceremonies would time the chewing of the first mouthful with a stopwatch and signal when to swallow.”

When dieting became commercialised

After World War II, once rationing was over and we shifted towards economic recovery, dieting became a significantly more commercialised industry, alongside a greater fascination with Hollywood glamour and fashion thanks to the likes to Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.

Slimming club Weight Watchers landed in the UK in 1967 and things like dieting books, calorie-counting guides and meal replacement products all began to grow in popularity. The focus shifted from wartime survival to personal health, beauty and self-control, with the dieting industry capitalising on the fear of excess weight. The 80s was when the “thin is in” mantra reached its peak: low-fat, grapefruit and cabbage soup diets were in, Jane Fonda was on the TV doing aerobics, and SlimFast had become a household name.

When carbs became the enemy

The 1990s saw us inundated with a plethora of diet options, and the low-carb revolution slowly gained traction with the reemergence of the Atkins diet, which stayed popular well into the early noughties. Pair this with dieting apps, celebrity-endorsed weight-loss products and TV shows like The Biggest Loser, and dieting culture suddenly felt inescapable.

Fast-forward to the 2010s and the dieting landscape underwent a profound transformation, driven largely by the growing body-positivity movement. While slimming companies were seeing their revenue decline rapidly, the conversation steered towards “holistic health” – namely diets like paleo, intermittent fasting and one of the most popular, keto. And while the conversation has steered towards health as opposed to weight, we still have an obsession with our bodies, with gut-health, protein intake, low-FODMAP, keto and intermittent fasting all taking centre stage.

Throughout all of this, one food group has been seen as the constant enemy: carbohydrates. The modern crusade against carbs began in the 70s, when Dr Robert Atkins published his book claiming that eating fewer carbs could force the body into ketosis (where it burns fat instead of glucose from carbohydrates for fuel). It then resurged in popularity in the 90s, when people became disillusioned with the results of the low-fat movement of the 80s.

And while the interest in the Atkins diet seemed to trail off, the low-carb movement was still in full swing, renamed as keto – where followers have a very low-carb but high-fat diet. We’ve also seen the rise in popularity of the carnivore diet, which excludes all carbs and plant foods completely – focusing purely on animal products such as meat, eggs and some dairy. Plus, we can’t overlook our obsession with protein, which naturally causes people to focus more on that macronutrient but less on the others.

But should we be worried about society’s demonisation of carbs? Well, yes, according to registered nutritionist Zara Hiridjee.

“Cutting out an entire macronutrient like carbs may lead to short-term weight loss or quick results, but it’s rarely a long-term solution. It’s an unsustainable and often unbalanced approach to nutrition,” explains Hiridjee. “In my experience, demonising carbs often leads to fear-based eating, where people feel guilty or anxious about consuming foods that are beneficial when chosen wisely. And food should not be something that causes guilt or fear. When we make it all about rules and restrictions, we’re robbing ourselves of the emotional and sensory pleasure that comes with eating.”

“That’s why extreme, restrictive diets often backfire – they might work in the short term, but they leave you feeling deprived, and eventually that deprivation leads to overeating or giving up entirely. It leads to cycles of restriction and bingeing, where people avoid carbs entirely for a while but then overeat them when the body craves that quick energy. It’s a pattern that can make weight management even harder and create a negative mindset around food.”

Why do we need carbs to function?

When we think of carbs, we often think of pasta, bread and potatoes. But in fact, carbohydrates – fibre, starches and sugars – are found in a wider range of foods that provide essential nutrients for the body. This includes fruits, vegetables, legumes and dairy.

“Knowing the difference between types of carbs is important because it empowers you to make smarter food choices without falling into the trap of unnecessarily restricting a key nutrient your body needs to thrive,” says Hiridjee.

There are three main types of carbohydrates:

1. Sugars are the simplest form of carbs, found naturally (like fructose) in fruits, or added to foods in the form of table sugar or syrups. They provide quick energy because they are rapidly broken down into glucose, but this can lead to short-term energy spikes and crashes.
2. Starches are more complex carbs found in foods like bread, potatoes and grains. These take longer to digest, providing a slower, more sustained release of energy, which is good for keeping you going throughout the day without the highs and lows that come with sugary foods.
3. Fibre is a bit different – it’s technically a carb but doesn’t get broken down into glucose. Instead, fibre helps regulate digestion, supports gut health and slows down the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream, which keeps your blood sugar levels more stable and helps you feel full longer.

“We need carbs to function because they’re the body’s primary source of energy,” explains Hiridjee. “When you consume carbs, your digestive system breaks them down into glucose, which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and used by cells to produce energy.”

This process is particularly important for brain function. The brain alone uses about 20% of our body’s energy, and glucose is its primary fuel. It relies heavily on glucose to stay sharp and focused. Without enough glucose, you might experience mental fog, difficulty concentrating or even mood swings, according to Hiridjee. The body can adapt to burning fats through the ketosis process (the goal of the keto diet), but this isn’t an efficient way to function, especially if you take part in activities that require quicker bursts of energy.

“Carbs are essential for anaerobic activities, like sprinting or lifting weights, because fats can’t be converted into energy fast enough to meet those demands. This is why athletes or active individuals typically benefit from including a good amount of carbs in their diets,” says Hiridjee.

So, if you like to keep active, cutting carbs can lead to reduced performance because your muscles don’t have the stored glucose they need for faster energy. “If you don’t consume enough carbs, your body may start breaking down proteins – essentially, your muscles – to convert them into glucose for energy (through a process called gluconeogenesis, where the body converts non-carbohydrate sources into glucose),” warns Hiridjee.

Carbs don’t just provide energy, they’re also packed with essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, especially in wholegrains, fruits and veggies. These micronutrients are crucial for overall health, supporting everything from immune function to heart health. The fibre in these carbs plays a key role in digestion, gut health and regulating blood sugar levels, helping you feel fuller for longer.

“Carbs that are rich in prebiotic fibre are key in supporting a healthy gut microbiome. Prebiotics found in foods like wholegrains, bananas and legumes feed the good bacteria in your gut, promoting a diverse and balanced microbiome. This diversity is critical because a healthier, more balanced gut can lead to improved mood, reduced anxiety and better stress resilience,” explains Hiridjee. “The gut's role in health extends beyond digestion: it's involved in regulating your immune system, managing stress responses and even influencing cognitive function. So, when we talk about why carbs are important for functioning, it’s not just about fuelling your body physically, but also supporting this intricate gut-brain connection that affects your mental health, immune system, and overall wellbeing.”

What’s the best type of carb to consume?

As with all macronutrients, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to carbs, and which is best depends heavily on a person’s goals and needs. For example, someone training for a marathon will have different requirements to someone managing diabetes.

“If you’re an active person, or looking to improve your exercise performance, endurance or strength, you need carbs for fuel. Wholegrains like brown rice or quinoa, sweet potatoes and oats are great for sustained energy throughout the day. But right before or after a workout, faster-digesting carbs, something simple like white rice or pasta, can help replenish your energy quickly,” recommends Hiridjee.

“On the other hand, someone with diabetes or pre-diabetes needs to be more strategic about keeping their blood sugar stable. In this case, slower-digesting carbs, like those in veggies, wholegrains or beans are key. These are low-glycaemic-index carbs, which means they don’t spike blood sugar levels as quickly, giving a steady energy release.”

However, for most people, focusing on whole foods is the smartest way to fuel your body, choosing minimally processed, fibre-rich carbs like brown rice, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Including them in a varied diet is important too. Portion control and what you pair your carbs with is key according to Hiridjee, and will affect how your body processes them and how you feel after eating.

For example, the combination of starchy carbs with fibre, protein and fat helps to slow down how quickly your body absorbs glucose, helping to avoid rapid blood sugar spikes. Plus, fibre-rich foods like vegetables and wholegrains help with digestion and make the meal more satisfying, reducing the likelihood of overeating later.

So, will the demonisation of carbs be a forever thing? Hopefully not, and we’re certainly starting to see trends steering away from the no-carb movement, especially with the greater interest in the gut-brain connection and the role carbohydrates play in that. And with personalised nutrition, and a greater focus on functional carbohydrates (like resistant starches and dietary fibres), carbs in general may gain popularity due to their ability to support gut health, control blood sugar levels and promote satiety. In the meantime, the best we can do is focus on incorporating them into a rich and varied diet alongside protein, fibre and healthy fats, rather than pinning carbs as the villain.

This balanced approach is what will help in the long term to maintain a healthy relationship with food, making your diet sustainable without feeling restrictive or depriving yourself of important nutrients.

Read more about a balanced diet:

How to eat a balanced diet
All you need to know about carbohydrates
Healthy eating recipe ideas

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