Good Carbs Versus Bad Carbs—Which is Which?

Carbs

The Food Pyramid is something that most of us may have heard of along with the food groups listed on it and one of which are the carbs. Carbs or carbohydrates are foods such as bread, wheat, pasta and so on. We know that it is an essential nutrient. It all seems simple and very easy to understand not until the issue between good carbs and bad carbs came out. So many questions bombard us, questions like what are good carbs? What are bad carbs? How to tell the difference and what foods fall on either one’s category. If you are bothered with these questions—you are not alone as plenty of people out there are also wondering about these carbs.

What are Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrate is an organic compound that is made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. In relation to nutrition foods such as beans, potatoes, rice and cereals are examples of foods that are rich in carbohydrates. They are the main source of energy making them play a big role on our diets but consuming it within eight hours before our sleep can cause body fat. Carbs are not really the building blocks of our body since we can get the energy we need from eating foods that contain protein and fats.

Bad Carbohydrates

Not that we have a brief idea of what carbs generally are we now find out what bad carbs are. Bad carbohydrates are foods that contain refined carbs like white rice, white flour and refined sugar. These types of foods are associated with health problems such as diabetes, fatigue and obesity. They are considered bad carbs because these kinds of carbs are made from whole plants that are rich in carbs but they are processed in a manner where all it is left with are digestible carbs or also known as starch or sugar. Because of this, when we eat this types of carbs our bodies processes it so quickly causing blood sugar levels spikes. Also, bad carb do not contain fiber and other nutrients as they are removed when processed.

Good Carbohydrates

Low carbs

Good carbs on the other hand are the healthy types of carbs and occur naturally in foods. This means, there is no processing involved compared to the bad carbs. Good carbs are easy for the body to digest and this does not cause blood sugar levels spikes. They are the kind of carbs that really provide the body with the energy it needs along with the vitamins, minerals and even antioxidants that our bodies can benefit from. Good carbs are found mostly on foods that are less or not processed at all such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole oatmeal and of course fruits and vegetables.

Finding Out the Difference between Good Carbs and Bad Carbs:

Now that we understand the difference between good carbs and bad carbs, surely the next thing we want to find out is how to tell the difference between the two when we are going to choose from different kinds of foods rich in carbs. Fibers, sugars and starches are the most common carbs but to make things much simpler you can look at carbs at this way; they are either simple or complex carbs.

Simple carbs are those that our bodies can easily and quickly digest while complex carbs are those that take time to digest. In order to find out which are good carbs and bad carbs, you will need to find out the glycemic index of the carbs. Glycemic index rates a certain kind of food with carbs on how it can affect or raise your blood sugar level once it is digested.

Is It A Simple Carb or Complex Carb?

You need to find our first if that certain type of carb is simple or complex. Simple carbs are any type of sugar from sucrose which we can get from sugar cane to maltose in grains and lactose in milk. Complex carbs on the other hand are those that are made of starch usually found in grains, seeds, peas and beans. Complex carbs are the kinds of carbs that has dietary fiber in it. Simple carbs are those that give high glycemic index but there are also some complex carbs that also do.

Have a Reliable Glycemic Index
You will need to have with you a glycemic index that is provided by a trusted source cto tell at which rate a certain complex carb belongs to. Take note of the complex carbs that have a high glycemic index because they are part of the bad carbs.

Knowing the Glycemic Load of Simple Carbs

For the simple carbs, you will have to find out what glycemic load it has in order to tell how much carbs you get for its glycemic index. A glycemic load that has a rating of more than 20 is considered high and foods with this rating should be avoided or limited.

Low Glycemic Index and Low Glycemic Load are the Good Choice

Carbohydrate 

Always remember that the lower the glycemic index is the slower the blood sugar will rise. This is beneficial to our health compared to carbs with high glycemic index because carbs that are high in glycemic index increases a person’s risk of developing heart problems, diabetes and obesity. Carbs such as whole grains, vegetables and beans are recommended.

The Good Carbs:

• Fruits and Vegetables:

Obviously, fruits and vegetables will come on top of the list of good carbs. They are also good sources of minerals, vitamins and fiber but are also low in calories. According to health experts, eating fruits and vegetables each day with at least five servings lowers your risk of having heart diseases, stroke, digestive problems and high blood pressure.

• Beans and Legumes:

Beans and legumes are excellent sources of protein, fiber, vitamins and folic acid. Eating them will make you feel full in a long period of time making it ideal for those who want to lose weight because this helps you avoid overeating.

• Nuts and Seeds:

A good source of vitamins A, E and B6 plus loads of minerals and nutrients are what nuts and seeds have to offer. Most kinds of nuts are high in good fats and are good in helping prevent heart problems. Eating them in moderation is still recommended.

• Whole Grains:

Brown rice, whole grain pasta and oats are the best sources of whole grains. They are referred to as whole because when they were processed they contained brain and their germ. These components of foods let them keep a high level of fiber and nutrients.

The Bad Carbs:

Bad carbs as mentioned earlier are mostly from simple carbs which causes energy spikes and can make you feel hungry and can cause overeating. Foods belonging to bad carbs are as follows:

• Sugars:

We are reminded that eating sweets is not good for our health but not many of us are aware that when we eat carbs they can be broken down into sugar too. It would be best to avoid sugar in its natural form (brown or powdered sugar) and even candy and other types of sweet foods or beverages because they contain high quantities of sugar.

• Refined Foods:

Instead of eating refined foods go for whole grains instead. Refined grained products are highly processed and can cause a quick elevation of blood sugar and do not give enough energy that we need. Pasta, bread, pastries and certain types of cereals fall under the category of refined foods.

• Vegetable Carbs and Grains:

There are certain types of vegetables that are unfortunately under the category of bad carbs such as potatoes most especially when they are transformed into potato chips and French fries which are said to be included in the list of the world’s unhealthiest foods. Other examples of foods under this category are corn, white rice and beets.

An easy way to find out on how food can be part of the good carb or the bad is by finding out how much process it has undergone from its original form. When foods undergo processes in ord er to preserve them or pack them, nutrients and vitamins are removed from it along the way. 

Low carbs diet

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