Signs You're Eating Too Many Carbs

Carbohydrates, or carbs, are made up of sugars, starches and fibers. They are commonly found in white bread, pasta, whole grains and processed foods. Some people would separate carbs into "good" or "bad," but all carbs are necessary for the body because they are converted into energy. When you're working out, carbs give you the energy to keep moving. However, overconsuming them may lead to negative effects on the body. We checked in with the American Heart Association, The National Center for Biotechnology Information and Harvard Medical School to explore the symptoms you may experience if you go overboard on carbs.

Do you sometimes feel thirsty even after chugging a whole bottle of water? That isn't always one of the signs you're not drinking enough water. It could be because of your diet. If you ate a high-carb meal, your blood sugar level elevates, making you feel more thirsty and causing more frequent urination. The water helps rehydrate your bloodstream and removes the excess sugar through your urine.

If you've had difficulty using the bathroom or fewer than three bowel movements in a week, carbs may be causing issues for your digestive tract. You may feel bloated after eating due to certain foods having trouble breaking down in your intestines. If you're eating a lot of refined carbohydrates like white rice, they may not contain enough dietary fiber to help prevent digestion issues such as constipation. Instead of carb-heavy foods like bread and potatoes, try sauerkraut, tempeh and other foods that are great for your gut health.

One of the surpising reasons you always crave sugar is that, well, you're eating sugar. Eating cookies, chocolates, doughnuts and cupcakes actually make you crave more than just that one treat. Dopamine, also known as the happy hormone, gets released into your body as you consume sugar. This chemical triggers your brain and body to react to this action as a reward and seeks more. 

Fatty meats like beef or pork are known to raise cholesterol, but carbohydrates don't help either. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has linked having a high-carb diet with lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol, and high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, which may lead to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.

If your doctors tell you that you have high blood sugar, bad carbs may have something to do with it. Processed foods, like white bread, enter into your bloodstream faster than whole grains, which creates an imbalanced glucose and insulin level.

Many factors can cause depression, like insomnia, but your diet can also have a major impact. A study published by The National Center for Biotechnology Information showed that eating too much sugar and other carbohydrates can trigger an imbalance in certain brain chemicals, which can increase a person's chance of experiencing depression and anxiety. When your body is put through a rollercoaster of high blood sugar levels, it will eventually crash — and that includes your mood — potentially leading to long-term effects. Carbs aren't entirely bad for you, and fiber, in particular, is an important part of a healthy diet.

Sugar falls under the category of carbohydrates and scientists have seen the overconsumption of sugar, excluding natural sugars from fresh fruit, not only increase the risk of heart disease but also dental problems. Starchy foods made from white flour can linger in your mouth and break down into simple sugars. Bacteria then feeds on the sugar and produces an acid that causes tooth decay. So not only can you suffer from cavities, you can experience toothaches, sensitivity to hot and cold and pain while chewing.