The Only List Of Carbs You Need – Good Carb vs Bad Carb

Learn the list of carbs that you should take and the ones that you should avoid. Check out the article we found over at The Science Of Eating.

Figuring out what to eat for health and weight loss has become so confusing to most. There’s always  some new study coming out about carbs, but what’s most important in terms of shedding excess weight and living healthier isn’t really about carbs as a whole, it’s about good carbs vs bad carbs.

Many of you may already know that certain carbs promote health while others, if eaten too frequently or in large amounts, can lead to health problems. If you are someone who needs to watch their carbs, or if you are just paying more attention to the amount and type of carbs you consume, this list will help you decipher good carbs and bad carbs.

Most people should consume between 50 and 60% of their calories from carbohydrates. However, that doesn’t mean the types of carbs you find in candy, cookies and other highly processed foods. SO, for those who are having trouble knowing what to choose, this list basically breaks down foods into simple (Bad) carbs and complex carbs (Good).

We all need to learn to fill our daily meals with real food. Reach for a whole orange instead of orange “vitamin water,” or choosing brown rice over white rice. The less processed and refined a carb is, the healthier and better for your health & waistline it is.

Steer clear of fake carbs made in factories or laboratories that are so overly processed, and are stripped of fiber, nutrients, and water, then filled with added fat, salt and sugar, becoming something our bodies do not recognize as food.

Good Carbs vs Bad Carbs

Why are good carbs like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains so good for us?  Let me count the ways.

Good Carbs Are:

• Low to moderate in calorie content, so we can eat filling amounts and satisfy our hunger, without going overboard.
• Rich in an enormous variety of nutrients.
• Devoid of refined sugars and refined grains, which is so important as daily tsunamis of sugar in our bloodstream are directly linked to our current epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
• High in naturally occurring fiber, which helps lower not only blood sugar and insulin levels but also LDL bad cholesterol. Fiber-rich foods also help you fill up on fewer calories so that you can lose weight more easily. A high-fiber diet also helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, and certain cancers. Americans average just 12 to 15 grams of fiber a day. Nutrition experts say we ought to be getting at least 35 to 50 fiber grams daily.
• Low in sodium.
• Low in saturated fat.
• Very low (often zero) cholesterol, and no trans fats.

Fake, Processed (bad) Carbs Are:

• High in calorie density.
• High in refined sugars (white sugar, corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners that are just as bad and sometimes worse).
• High in refined grains like white flour.
• Low or devoid in nutrients.
• Low or devoid in fiber.
• High (often very high) in sodium.
• Sometimes high in saturated fat.
• Sometimes high in cholesterol and trans fats.

From the lists above, it’s easy to see how a diet rich in good carbs can lead to a lean body and good health, and how a diet of processed carbs like white flour and sat-fat-rich foods have busted not only our health but our health-care system.

Good Carbs/Bad Carbs List

Vegetables

Good Carbs

• Dark Leafy Greens (all types like spinach, kale, collards, arugula, bok choy)
• Onions
• Peas
• Mushrooms
• Asparagus
• Artichokes
• Peppers
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli

Bad Carbs

Potatoes

Fruits

Good Carbs

• Berries (Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Gogi Berries & Acai Berries
• Melons (Honey Dew & Cantaloupe)
• Tropical Fruits (Pineapple, Mango, Papaya*)
• Kiwi
• Tree Fruits (Apples, Pears)
• Citrus Fruits (Oranges*, Lemons, Limes )
• Grapes
• Stone Fruits (Cherries, Peaches, Apricots & Plums)

Bad Carbs

• Dried Fruits with added sugar or preservatives
• Fruits Juices with added sugar
• Fruit Roll-Ups, Fruit Leather

Grains

Good Carbs

• Quinoa
• Whole Wheat
• Steelcut Oats
• Brown Rice
• Amaranth
• Millet

Bad Carbs

• White Rice, Flour, Bread & Pasta
• Sugary, Artificially Colored Breakfast Cereal
• Cream of Wheat
• Quick Oats
• Baked Goods (Donuts cookies & cakes)
• Corn

Dairy Products

Good Carbs

• Unpasteurized Milk
• Cheese
• Greek Yogurt
• Kefir
• Sour Cream
• Butter

Bad Carbs

• Ice Cream
• Sweetened or Artificially Sweetened Yogurt
• Pasteurized Milk

Snacks

Good Carbs

• Whole Grain/Non-GMO Chips/Crackers
• Seaweed Snacks
• Kind, Clif, Marabar & Mama Chia Bars
• Pickles
• Olives
• Air Popped Popcorn

Bad Carbs

• Conventional Potato & Corn Chips/Crackers
• Pretzels
• Candy
• Cookies, Muffins, Cupcakes
• Rice Cakes
• Granola Bars

Beverages

Good Carbs

• Water/Water W/Lemon
• Coffee
• Tea (Green, Black, White)
• Red Wine
• Organic Juices

Bad Carbs

• Soda
• Sweetened Juices
• Sweet Tea
• Sweetened Beverages
• Sweet Wines
• Beer
• Drink Mixers

Next article: The Top Symptoms Of Gluten Sensitivity

Read full article: LIST OF GOOD & BAD CARBS