Good Carbs Vs. Bad Carbs
The #1 question I often get asked is, what do I eat? I’d like to pretend this is an easy question to answer, but this isn’t the case.
Growing up we only briefly covered nutrition in our health classes. They would show us this big food pyramid, thinking it would be enough information to help us understand what we should actually be eating. We now have learned that grains are not the best staple for us, it’s actually greens and whole foods that are. Hey, let’s face it! Outside of that brief lecture, we honestly don’t really know anything about nutrition and what foods can do to our bodies.
The first thing to understand about nutrition is understanding the breakdown of the three macros, carbs, proteins, & fats. This is important because, without any knowledge you’re actually getting ripped off by marketing.
So let’s start with carbs also known as carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are a type of macronutrient found in certain food and drinks. There are always so many questions about carbs but did you know that there are actually two kinds of carbs? They are known as simple and complex carbs. Both simple and complex carbs are turned into glucose which is blood sugar. Your body can carry the glucose to all of your body’s cells to use for energy.
Not all carbs are bad and not all carbs were created equal.
Simple carbs, also known as “bad carbs”, are carbs that are broken down quickly to use for energy, think of an induced sugar rush. Processed and refined sugars and grains such as candy, syrups, soft drinks, chips, fruit juices, refined flour, pastries, pasta, and white rice. Any white flours and sugars essentially try to avoid but don’t be afraid to have them from time to time.
Complex carbs, also known as “good carbs”, are those that have not been processed or refined. They are not broken down as fast as simple carbs are. Complex carbs would be your whole grains like whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, beans, legumes, brown rice, quinoa, and some vegetables. Vegetables with high starch levels can be a carb, for example, a potato. The starch levels or glycemic index of this veggie is high, making it high-up on the complex carb chart. These are your good carbs and the carbs you should actually be eating.
If you’re struggling with improving your eating habits start with replacing all your refined and processed food with Whole foods. For example, try replacing your white bread and white pasta with whole grain pasta and whole grain wheat bread. Try intaking more. Beans, any kind of beans really. You can also try legumes, quinoa, whole grain pasta, whole grain wheat bread, and brown rice. All these foods are healthier and will also help you to stay fuller longer.
