True or False: Carbohydrates are fattening. If you want to lose weight or achieve a healthy weight, you should limit your intake of bagels, bread, pasta and potatoes. 

This is a question I often ask dancers in my nutrition presentation. Many dancers and coaches believe this statement is true because they have "heard" that eliminating carbohydrates (carbs) from their diet will help them lose weight, be 'healthier", feel better and/or improve performance.

Despite popular belief, the answer is FALSE. Nutrition research continually demonstrates this fact, yet it remains a popular trend among many dancers and other athletes to "cut carbs" and consume a low-carbohydrate diet. So, why does this idea persist? The interest in low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss and improving performance is based on the idea that the body's adaptation to a low-carbohydrate diet will increase the body's capacity to use fat as a fuel source. Some propose that this will even "spare" carbohydrate stores and improve exercise capacity. Unfortunately, there is little proof that this leads to a performance advantage and researchers have demonstrated that this approach impairs the body's capacity for high intensity exercise, like dance. 

Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for a dancer's muscles and brain. They are indispensable for performing intense activities, such as when a dancer performs a 1 ½ to 3-minute routine or is working on skills and technique, such as turns, jumps or leaps. Recommendations for dancers are to consume carbohydrates before and during long training sessions to sustain activity, improve focus, and optimize performance. Some carbohydrates are easily digested and provide a quick source of energy (i.e. bread, crackers, sports drinks, applesauce), while other slow-digesting carbohydrates are generally higher in fiber (oatmeal, whole grains, vegetables, most fruits), and will fill muscle fuel stores for later use.  

Like anything that sounds too good to be true, there are several reasons why you may want to reconsider jumping on the low-carb bandwagon for improving performance, weight, or health.

Poor energy. Chronically low carbohydrate intake will reduce carbohydrate availability for the muscle and may affect energy, strength, mental functioning; and consequently, increase the risk of injury. Fatigue is a common complaint from dancers trying to implement a low carbohydrate diet. However, only a couple of studies have measured the impact of dietary changes on training and daily life. In one of these trials, researchers reported that when well-trained athletes participated in bouts of intense interval training while either consuming a low-carbohydrate or high-carbohydrate diet, subjective rates of perceived exertion were significantly greater after just 4 days of the low-carbohydrate diet (Stepto, 2002). 

Fiber deficit. A diet low in carbohydrate-containing foods is, for many, well below the recommended daily range of 25 to 38 grams for adults, and has been linked to several diseases including colon cancer and constipation. Consuming dietary fiber from a variety of plant foods has numerous benefits, with the current spotlight on the relationship of fiber intake to healthy gut "microbiota" (the community of healthy bacteria in the gut), while fiber-deprived microbiota may promote inflammation and contribute to diseases, such as obesity, stress, and depression. 

Inadequate energy intake and high protein, high fat diets may compromise health. Reducing one's intake by omitting an entire food group, such as carbohydrates, usually results in a very low calorie intake. Of course, if calorie intake is below recommended minimums, then that alone will likely result in weight loss; but, also places the dancer at risk of starving lean muscle tissue and compromising other body functions, including the immune system. In the case of consuming adequate calories, then most low-carbohydrate diets have two to three times the recommended dietary allowance for protein and/or fat. Excessive protein intake can put the body at an increased risk of metabolic acidosis, kidney problems, and compromise hydration status. Despite all the confusion in the media about fat intake, chronically excessive intake is clearly demonstrated in the literature to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other metabolic diseases. 

Dance and training intensity is limited. Although adaptation to low-carbohydrate diets may increase the muscle's capacity to use fat as a fuel source, there is evidence that these diets do not improve training capacity. Rather, performance is impaired by down-regulating a key enzyme in carbohydrate metabolism, thus reducing the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrate fuel when performing exercise at high intensity. Thus, for a dancer who attempts to perform a routine or intense skill after a period of training, he or she may suffer from fatigue and poor performance. Combined with the effect depleted carbohydrate stores has on focus and mental functioning, irritability, depressed mood and injury rates may also increase. 

Increased cravings. Deprivation often increases desire. Eating a very low carbohydrate diet will often increase cravings for sweets and simple sugars. When the individual gives in to this desire and eats the "forbidden" food, feelings of guilt or shame can result which often leads to overeating or compensatory behaviors, such as increased restriction or excessive exercise, and the cycle of restriction and cravings continues.  

In conclusion, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to health or dance performance. Diets often lure people in with the promise of fast results while providing structure to an unstructured eating pattern. To enjoy all the benefits of dance or other activities, dancers need to follow an individualized approach for meeting their overall energy needs while providing a balance of nutrients that also supports good health! 

About the Author:  Val Schonberg is a Registered, Licensed Dietitian with a Master's degree in nutrition science and is Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics. She is the owner of EnlightenU Nutrition Consulting in Lakeville, Minnesota, and enjoys enlightening individuals about food, eating and overall wellness. For questions or additional information, you can check out her website at www.enlightenUnutrition.com or contact Val directly at 612-865-6813