What are good carbs and what are bad carbs?

[Derek Wilson]

Good carbs are typically complex carbs and they typically have low GI and GL:


Fruits, Vegetables, whole grains, legumes, tubers, etc.


Bad carbs are typically simple carbs and they typically have very high GI and GL:


cookies, biscuits, crackers, white bread, white pasta, soda, candies, etc.


As long as you eat most of your carbs from whole foods and 15% or less from processed carbs, you are doing well for your diet.

 

[Derek Wilson]

Fruits and vegetables are actually bad (simple) carbohydrates ? still composed of basic sugars, although they are drastically different from other foods in the category, like cookies and cakes. The fiber in fruits and vegetables changes the way that the body processes their sugars and slows down their digestion, making them a bit more like complex carbohydrates.

 

[T Woods]

Generally speaking, bad carbs are white sources and good carbs are green. Not a blanket statement. Cauliflower for example would fit in as a good carb source being a cruciferous vegetable like broccoli. Oats would be a good source of carbs if you avoid adding sugar, using a natural sweetener like stevia as a replacement.

 

[Derek Wilson]

1. Green vegetables (kale, spinach, collard greens, chard, broccoli, cucumber)
2. Starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, corn)
3. Legumes (peas, beans, lentils, chick peas, soybeans)
4. Whole grains and foods made from them (brown and wild rice, wholegrain pasta, whole meal bread, oats, quinoa etc.)

 

[Derek Wilson]

A combination of carbs with protein will give you energy you need, keep you fuller longer and help you to stabilize your blood sugar level. So add some Greek yogurt into your fresh fruit salad or enjoy your favorite piece of fruit with handful of raw nuts.


Avoid:
Table sugar
Soft drinks
Corn sugar
Candy etc.
White flour
White bread
White rice
Pasta
Baked goods (muffins, donuts, cakes, pies etc.)
Breakfast cereals
Quick oats

Thanks!