The Good and Bad of Carbs

You hear and read about “low carb” diets and how carbs make you fat.  Not all carbohydrates or carbs are bad.  How can you tell the difference?  The first step is to understand what a carb is.  An easy explanation is that carbs are little molecules in just about everything you eat.  They make up about half of your daily calories.  Once consumed, they get converted into blood sugar (glucose) and used by your body for energy.  That doesn’t sound so bad, but it can be.  There are two types of carbohydrates and what you consume most can make a big difference on your waistline.

Good Carbs

The carbs that you want to fill your diet with are the good kind, otherwise known as complex carbohydrates.  These carbohydrates are found in what one might call purer foods.  Foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains are just a few examples.  They are unprocessed, natural foods. 

When your body breaks down a good carb, it takes longer to process.  This means that a more balanced, stabilized blood sugar.  No fast processing, just a steady flow.  It helps to regulate your body as most sources of good carbs are high in fiber. 

Everyone knows what fruits and vegetables are, but what kind of foods are whole grains?  Some of the best sources of good carbs are:   Quinoa grain, Barley, Bulger, Wheat Berries and Popcorn.   Popcorn may be the only one familiar to you but the others are excellent sources of fiber and carbs and worth looking into.  You won’t need to go to a health food store as most grocery stores now carry these items.

Bad Carbs

The carbs that you want to avoid are unfortunately the most recognizable foods to the average person.  These bad carbs, or Simple carbs, are the ones that everyone is trying to avoid.  These are mainly processed foods or foods that have had additives or structure changes from their natural state. Foods like white bread, pastries, sodas and french fries are all bad carb culprits.  When your body gets ahold of a bad carb it breaks it down into blood sugar but at lightning speed.  Have you ever seen a child eat a piece of candy and a few minutes later be sprinting around like a maniac?  That is a bad carb in action, or commonly known as a sugar rush. 

This bad carb usually has little to no fiber at all and really has nothing to contribute to your overall health – at least not in a good way.  Bad carbs contribute to conditions like obesity and chronic illnesses.  It messes with your body’s natural balance and risks your overall health and well-being.   

So if bad carbs lead to an unhealthy body, and good carbs lead to a healthy body, then the choice should be easy.  A lot of it has to do with effort on an individual basis.  Fast food, pre-packaged food lure people in with their speed and ease.  A conscious decision and a little extra effort to prepare healthy, good carb filled meals will be worth it in the long run.