Carb Conundrum - Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates

Yes, it's true. Carbohydrates can make you gain weight--the wrong kind of carbohydrates, that is.

Carbohydrates - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Okay, there are good carbohydrates and bad. Ugly? Well, we just put that in the heading because it sounded good. But there is such a thing as good and bad carbs, and we'll explain the difference.

Let's start with the good carbs--also known as complex carbohydrates. These carbs are, in a nutshell, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. They can include whole wheat pasta, brown rice, oats, whole wheat or whole grain breads and nuts. Complex carbs take longer for your body to digest, so you don't experience spikes in your blood sugar levels. You keep your blood sugar level on an even keel and your body doesn't have to produces excess insulin. (Excess insulin production can lead to weight gain, and over time, insulin resistance.)

Then there are the bad carbs, which are also known as simple carbohydrates. These include anything made with refined white flour and refined sugars. The more obvious bad carbs are candy, cake, pie, brownies, ice cream, and other desserts. Also included are white breads, white rice and regular pasta. A lot of condiments also have bad carbs, like ketchup and barbecue sauce, for instance.

Simply replacing bad carbs with good carbs is a step in the right direction towards good health. And knowledge is key. For instance, did you know that we only need 130 grams of carbs a day, but most of us eat far, far more than that? So if you cut back to 130 grams, that's a form of cutting carbs, but you don't cut back so much that your body can't function properly. No matter what weight loss plan you choose, you have to make sure it doesn't jeopardize your health.