The claimEvidence B · meta-analysis
Carb cycling burns extra fat
The evidence
Metabolic-ward RCTs show that shifting carbohydrate at matched calories does not add fat loss. What high and low days actually do is make the weekly calorie total easier to hold.
Why the claim spreads
It sells a complicated schedule as a mechanism. The more precisely high-carb and low-carb days are arranged, the more it feels like a switch other people do not know about — and the complexity itself is what makes it feel effective.