Is it better to have less carbs or less sugar?

November 14, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the American Heart Association, adults should limit added sugars to less than 6 to 9 teaspoons daily. When it comes to improving your diet, a common debate is whether focusing on reducing total carbohydrates or specifically limiting sugar is more beneficial. The answer isn't a simple one, as it depends on the types of carbs and sugars consumed and an individual's overall health goals.

Quick Summary

This article explores the fundamental differences between limiting carbohydrates versus limiting sugar for health improvement. It highlights why prioritizing whole foods over processed options is key, regardless of the dietary approach, and details the benefits of each strategy for blood sugar control, weight management, and overall wellness.

Key Points

Prioritize whole foods: Focus on eating whole foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to naturally reduce intake of unhealthy carbs and sugars.
Not all carbs are equal: Differentiate between complex carbohydrates (beneficial for energy and fiber) and simple, refined carbs (often empty calories).
Limit added sugars: The most significant negative impact comes from added sugars, which should be minimized regardless of your dietary strategy.
Sustainable approach: A low-sugar approach is often more sustainable long-term than a highly restrictive low-carb diet, as it allows for healthy, fiber-rich carbs.
Consider individual needs: While a low-sugar, whole-food diet is best for most, specific health conditions may require different approaches under a doctor's guidance.
Fiber is key: The fiber in whole foods slows digestion and helps regulate blood sugar, preventing the energy crashes caused by simple sugars.

Understanding the Carbohydrate and Sugar Connection

Carbohydrates and sugars are intrinsically linked, yet they are not the same thing. All sugars are a type of carbohydrate, but not all carbohydrates are sugars. Your body breaks down all digestible carbohydrates into glucose—a simple sugar—to use for energy. The critical distinction lies in the type of carbohydrate and its impact on your body.

Simple vs. Complex Carbohydrates

Simple Carbohydrates (Sugars): These are quickly digested and cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. They include both naturally occurring sugars in fruits and milk and added sugars in processed foods and sugary drinks. Added sugars, in particular, provide 'empty calories' with little to no nutritional value.
Complex Carbohydrates (Starches and Fiber): These consist of longer chains of sugar molecules that take longer for the body to break down, resulting in a more gradual and sustained release of glucose into the bloodstream. Sources include whole grains, vegetables, and legumes. They often come packaged with fiber, vitamins, and minerals essential for health.

The Low-Carb vs. Low-Sugar Debate

Both low-carb and low-sugar diets have gained popularity, but their approaches and potential outcomes differ. A low-sugar diet typically focuses on eliminating or drastically reducing added sugars while allowing for healthy, complex carbohydrates. A low-carb diet is generally more restrictive, limiting all types of carbohydrates, including many healthy ones.

Why Limiting Sugar is Often the Better Choice

For many people, prioritizing a reduction in sugar is the more effective and sustainable strategy. This approach targets the most problematic types of carbohydrates: added sugars found in sodas, candies, and highly processed snacks. Consuming too many added sugars is consistently linked to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. By focusing on sugar reduction, you naturally decrease your intake of nutrient-poor foods while still benefiting from fiber-rich complex carbs found in whole foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. These whole-food carbohydrates provide sustained energy, essential nutrients, and promote better overall health.

The Nuances of a Low-Carb Diet

While low-carb diets can lead to rapid weight loss initially, this is often due to the loss of water weight. Some very low-carb approaches, like the ketogenic diet, can be difficult to sustain long-term and may lead to side effects like mood disturbances and fatigue. Furthermore, a low-carb diet may cause individuals to unnecessarily cut out highly nutritious, fiber-rich complex carbs, depriving the body of essential fuel for the brain and vital nutrients. For certain individuals, such as those with specific metabolic conditions or type 2 diabetes, a carefully monitored low-carb diet can be beneficial for managing blood sugar. However, this should always be done under a doctor's supervision.

Comparison Table: Low-Carb vs. Low-Sugar Strategies


Feature	Low-Carb Diet (e.g., Keto)	Low-Sugar Diet	Key Takeaway
Focus	Reducing total carbohydrate intake, including complex carbs.	Limiting added sugars, embracing healthy carbs.	The source of the carb matters most.
Primary Goal	Weight loss via ketosis, blood sugar control.	Reducing empty calories, improving metabolic health.	The low-sugar approach is broader and more sustainable.
Sustainability	Often difficult to maintain long-term due to restrictiveness.	Generally more flexible and easier to follow permanently.	Sustainability is key for lasting health benefits.
Blood Sugar Impact	Can offer significant, short-term blood sugar control for some.	Prevents rapid blood sugar spikes without eliminating healthy energy sources.	Balanced blood sugar is a goal of both, but achieved differently.
Nutrient Density	Risk of excluding fiber, vitamins, and minerals from whole grains and fruits.	Encourages nutrient-dense carbs from whole foods.	A low-sugar diet promotes a more balanced nutrient intake.
Potential Pitfalls	Restrictive, may cause fatigue, irritability, and potential long-term risks if not managed properly.	May not be effective if natural, concentrated sugars (e.g., from excessive fruit juice) are overconsumed.	A low-sugar diet is safer for general wellness.

Making the Right Choice for Your Health

Ultimately, the choice between focusing on less carbs or less sugar isn't mutually exclusive, as the healthiest approach involves a bit of both: prioritizing a diet rich in whole foods while severely limiting added sugars and refined carbohydrates. This philosophy aligns more closely with a low-sugar approach, where the emphasis is on the quality of carbohydrates rather than the quantity.

Whole Foods First

Moving away from highly processed foods, which are often high in both refined carbohydrates and added sugars, is the single most impactful step you can take. By prioritizing whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, you naturally reduce your intake of harmful sugars and refined carbs. These unprocessed foods provide the fiber that slows digestion and moderates blood sugar levels.

An Outbound Link to an Authoritative Source

For more detailed guidance on healthy carbohydrates and their role in a balanced diet, the Mayo Clinic provides excellent, expert-backed resources. For further reading, visit their guide: Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet.

Conclusion: Focus on Quality, Not Just Quantity

Instead of adhering to a rigid low-carb or low-sugar label, the most sustainable and beneficial strategy for long-term health is to focus on the quality of the carbohydrates and sugars you consume. Prioritizing complex, fiber-rich carbohydrates from whole food sources while strictly limiting intake of added sugars and highly refined carbs is a balanced and evidence-backed approach. This not only supports stable energy levels and weight management but also significantly reduces the risk of chronic diseases associated with poor dietary choices. For most individuals, adopting a low-sugar diet that emphasizes whole foods is a healthier and more sustainable path to wellness than a highly restrictive low-carb plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, fruits and dairy products are not bad. While they contain natural sugars, they also provide essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are vital for good health. The fiber in fruit, for instance, slows the absorption of its natural sugar.

Yes, low-carb diets can be effective for short-term weight loss, but often this includes water weight loss. Research suggests a whole-food, low-sugar diet can be just as, if not more, beneficial in the long run for weight and metabolic health.

Added sugars are sweeteners and syrups added to processed foods and drinks, offering little to no nutritional value beyond calories. Natural sugars are found in whole foods like fruits and milk, which also contain beneficial fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

For general wellness, counting added sugar is often more practical, as excessive added sugar is consistently linked to negative health outcomes. For individuals managing specific health conditions like diabetes, counting total carbohydrates might be necessary to regulate blood sugar levels, but this should be guided by a healthcare professional.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults limit their intake of added sugars to no more than 6 teaspoons (25g) per day for women and 9 teaspoons (36g) per day for men.

No, it is not recommended to avoid all carbohydrates. Your body needs carbohydrates for energy, especially complex carbohydrates rich in fiber from whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. The key is to choose your carbohydrates wisely and focus on unprocessed sources.

'Empty calories' refers to foods that provide a large number of calories but offer very little to no nutritional value, such as vitamins, minerals, or fiber. Added sugars and refined grains are common sources of empty calories.