Protein and carbs work together, not against each other, say nutritionists

Protein is found almost everywhere. From protein coffee to protein-labeled desserts, grocery shelves now sell nutrition as an acronym for “healthy.”

On social media, promoters promote high-protein diet plans while warning followers to cut back on carbohydrates to lose weight, preserve muscle or adapt to the appetite-suppressing effects of GLP-1 drugs.

The change comes as GLP-1 drugs are changing eating habits and the high-protein brand is growing in the food industry.

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At the same time, the recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans re-emphasizes limiting added sugars and refined grains — a guideline that some consumers and powerhouses interpret as support for low-carbohydrate eating patterns.

But some nutrition experts say the interpretation risks oversimplifying what carbohydrates are — and how they work as part of a healthy diet.

“I think first of all, it’s important to talk about what a carbohydrate is,” Florida registered dietitian Lee Cotton told Fox News Digital.

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“I think it’s a hoax [that it’s] just pasta and croissants and donuts.”

That view, he said, ignores the fact that carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables and whole grains — foods that provide fiber, vitamins and other important nutrients.

Florida nutritionist Lee Cotton said carbohydrates include fruits and vegetables – something many people forget. (Lindsey Potter)

The new dietary guidelines say Americans should “prioritize fiber-rich grains” and “significantly reduce consumption of highly processed, refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, ready-to-eat or packaged breakfast options, flour tortillas and crackers.”

Low-carb messages have grown in tandem with the rapid adoption of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

These medications suppress appetite and bowel movements, helping many patients to reduce calorie intake and, in clinical studies, achieve significant weight loss and improved metabolic markers.

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“I believe in modern medicine,” he said. “But with these drugs, we really take off [noticing] how our bodies feel and our bodies’ innate ability to sense hunger and satiety.”

Stress eating, he warned, can make it easy to neglect nutritious food.

In his new book “A Nourishing Perspective,” released earlier this month, Cotton warns that overly restricting carbs may cause low energy, digestive problems or nutritional gaps in some people.

Cotton cautioned that appetite suppression among GLP-1 users could lead some people to neglect nutrition. (Lindsey Potter)

“If eliminating carbohydrates worked long-term for most people, we wouldn’t keep reinventing the low-carb diet every five years,” Cotton told Fox News Digital.

Meanwhile, protein has been elevated to what Cotton calls “the golden child of food culture.”

He writes in his book, “It’s promoted as the most important macronutrient, but this little medal winner is no more important than any other nutrient for health and well-being.”

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The apparent disagreement reflects a wide divergence in how the dietary guidelines are interpreted. While government recommendations emphasize improving carbohydrate quality and overall eating patterns, some popular diets focus directly on reducing the total amount of carbohydrates.

Dallas-based nutritionist Whitney Stuart said protein and carbs play complementary roles in a healthy diet.

There has been more emphasis on protein, but some health experts say that protein is just as important or less important than carbs. (Stock)

“When we talk about protein and carbohydrates, I believe they work much better than if they were treated equally,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Think of protein as the building block that helps you feel full, while carbohydrates – especially those high in fiber – provide essential energy, support your digestive health and help keep your body on track.”

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Stuart said he believes the focus should shift from a low-carb diet to an emphasis on high-fiber carbohydrates.

“The real problem for most Americans is not that we’re eating too many carbohydrates,” she said. “It’s that we don’t get enough fiber.”

A nutritionist told Fox News Digital that many Americans are not getting enough fiber in their diet. (Stock)

Carlo Filippone, founder of the New Jersey-based food preparation company Chicken Pound, said Americans should look to the new food pyramid as a “protein-first” approach.

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“Fill your plate with protein, add vegetables next and complex carbohydrates last and least,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Refined carbohydrates should be a once-in-a-while indulgence.”

The founder of a chicken-based food preparation company said Americans should look to the new food tower as a “protein first”. (Stock)

Some doctors have raised concerns about muscle loss among patients who cut too many calories without adequate protein.

This concern has been noted in some people taking GLP-1 medications, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an adequate protein intake even when food intake is reduced.

Excessively restricting carbohydrates can lead to low energy, digestive problems or nutritional gaps in some people.

“The essence of a great nutritional pattern is adequacy, variety and balance when it comes to food,” says Cotton.

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Cotton’s message is less about protecting carbohydrates than restoring balance.

Cotton told Fox News Digital that adequacy, variety and balance “are the essence of a good eating pattern.” (Lindsey Potter)

“Carbohydrates are not always the villain,” she said.

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“I think like anything else in life, it’s more about what your choices are and how they affect your life.”