Let Them Eat Bagels: Why Carbs Aren’t the Enemy (and Your Brain Knows It)

If you’ve ever heard that eating a bagel is like eating “4-7 slices of bread”, I have great news:

That’s not science.

That’s diet culture dressed in fear.

And your brain? It’s rolling its eyes and asking for breakfast.

Let’s break it down.

Your Brain Loves Carbs (and so do I)

Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of energy — and your brain’s #1 fuel source. You need carbs to:

• Think clearly

• Regulate your mood

• Focus

• Sleep

• Recover from stress

• Not accidentally snap at your partner for breathing too loud or chewing like an animal.

When we restrict carbs, we often feel foggy, irritable, anxious, and exhausted. Not because we’re “bad at self-control” — but because our biology is asking for nourishment.

And No, a Bagel Is Not Seven Pieces of Bread or Whatever the Fuck People Say

Let’s clear that up right now.

This infamous comparison is based on fear — not nutrition.

Would we ever say “don’t eat that sandwich, it’s two slices of bread!!”? No. Because we intuitively understand that food isn’t just numbers — it’s fuel, comfort, and connection.

This kind of exaggerated messaging isn’t about health — it’s about control.

And for many people, especially those struggling with eating disorders or disordered eating, these kinds of fear-based rules around food can become deeply harmful.

The Real Problem: When “Health” Becomes Disguised Body Control

In a world obsessed with thinness and aesthetics, it’s easy to mistake body obsession for wellness.

We’re told:

• Eat “clean” (translation: morally good)

• Watch your carbs (translation: shrink yourself)

• Be disciplined (translation: ignore your body)

The focus stays on how we look rather than how we feel.

And we trade in connection to our bodies for a set of external rules.

That’s not health. That’s disconnect in disguise.

Carbs Are Not Just Fuel — They’re Freedom

When we allow ourselves to eat carbs — joyfully, consistently, and without shame — we:

• Rebuild trust with our body

• Reclaim space from diet culture

• Support nervous system regulation

• Show our brains that food isn’t danger — it’s relationship, safety, and care

And when we eat the damn bagel?

We tell our nervous system, “You’re safe. You’re nourished. You don’t have to fight.”

If You’re Struggling to Believe This

You’re not alone. Many of us have been conditioned to believe that worth is tied to size, control, or “health” that looks a very specific way. If carbs feel scary — that’s not a personal failure. That’s a trauma-informed food response.

Healing takes time, support, and sometimes professional help.

But it often starts with one gentle, rebellious act of nourishment.

Maybe that’s a bagel.

Maybe that’s permission to feel full.

Maybe that’s realizing that being alive and fed is more important than being small and seen as hot to some rich white dude who is profiting off your insecurities.

You are not more worthy when you eat less.

You are not less lovable when you eat more.

You are allowed to nourish yourself fully — brain, body, and soul.

And yes, you’re allowed to enjoy every bite of that bagel and personally, I choose a double toasted everything bagel with herb and garlic cream cheese, a slice of tomato and a pickle if I am feeling fancy. What is your fave bagel order?