What are the bad carbs?

ForecasterJason

MKEgal wrote: »

Simple ("bad") carbs are usually less nutrient-dense and raise your blood sugar faster (then drop it faster, making you feel hungry again sooner). These are things like candy, white rice, sugar, white flour, crackers, cookies, white bread, fruit juice, regular pasta, and to some extent white potatos (though they do have some redeeming fiber if you eat the skin). These are things it's best to have in moderation.

Complex ("good") carbs are usually more nutrient-dense and raise your blood sugar more slowly, for longer. They usually have more fiber, which (in addition to helping your GI system & cholesterol level) helps you feel more full for longer. These are things it's good to have more of, but keep it in a healthy amount & don't go over your calories for the day ... vegetables of all sorts, whole grains, whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, and fruits (even though they have fructose, a simple sugar, they also have fiber).

Here's some very simply-stated info about simple & complex carbs.
http://www.kosairchildrenshospital.com/mobile.cfm?id=764&action=detail&ref=39821

And a discussion of empty calories.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calories/empty-calories.html

I think you nailed it.

auddii

wandering451 wrote: »

Thanks for the sarcastic and helpful words, would appear some people know everything. Peace

Way to dismiss everyone's honest advice as sarcasm. I see you going far...

njitaliana

Here are some links to help answer your question:

http://www.nutritionmd.org/nutrition_tips/nutrition_tips_understand_foods/carbs_versus.html

http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/101/nutrition-basics/good-carbs-bad-carbs.aspx

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/carbs/simple-vs-complex-carbohydrates.html#b

jgnatca

Pick complex carbohydrates more often, that's all.
http://www.bellwood.ca/blog/addiction-treatment/carbohydrates-the-simple-and-complex-truth/

The water inflation method is flawed. chia seeds gotta beat them all out and they expand terrifically (insoluble fiber).

Charlottesometimes23

MKEgal wrote: »

Simple ("bad") carbs are usually less nutrient-dense and raise your blood sugar faster (then drop it faster, making you feel hungry again sooner). These are things like candy, white rice, sugar, white flour, crackers, cookies, white bread, fruit juice, regular pasta, and to some extent white potatos (though they do have some redeeming fiber if you eat the skin). These are things it's best to have in moderation.

Complex ("good") carbs are usually more nutrient-dense and raise your blood sugar more slowly, for longer. They usually have more fiber, which (in addition to helping your GI system & cholesterol level) helps you feel more full for longer. These are things it's good to have more of, but keep it in a healthy amount & don't go over your calories for the day ... vegetables of all sorts, whole grains, whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, and fruits (even though they have fructose, a simple sugar, they also have fiber).

Here's some very simply-stated info about simple & complex carbs.
http://www.kosairchildrenshospital.com/mobile.cfm?id=764&action=detail&ref=39821

And a discussion of empty calories.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calories/empty-calories.html

The simple vs complex carb classification is based on chemistry and it's simplistic to classify them as good vs bad. Simple carbs can be in nutrient dense foods eg. fruit and they are often consumed with other foods which alters their absorption and insulin response, making them not 'bad', but instead, just a carb.

obscuremusicreference

wandering451 wrote: »

Thanks for the sarcastic and helpful words, would appear some people know everything. Peace

?????

Most of us told you the truth. If you wanted a list of "good" carbs and "bad" carbs, you could have googled it and Mercola or someone would have had a handy list.

But . . . there are no bad carbs. As another poster pointed out, even nutrient-dense foods contain simple ("bad") carbs.

For weight loss, it does not matter. You might find that whole wheat keeps you sated longer than white bread, but white bread generally has fewer calories. So it's a toss-up. Eat the one you prefer.

If you get defensive, you're not going to learn anything. Good luck.

tennisdude2004

Broad beans..........pfft!!!! Why do they exist ?

DeWoSa

wandering451 wrote: »

Thanks for the sarcastic and helpful words, would appear some people know everything. Peace

I did not see this coming.

OP you got great answers with hardly any snark, only one total a-hole and only minor squabbling -- practically only footnote worthy! -- about good v bad.

That's a MFP win if I've ever seen one.

amusedmonkey

wandering451 wrote: »

Thanks for the sarcastic and helpful words, would appear some people know everything. Peace

No sarcasm, just light hearted humor. You did get answers though. Some carbs have so many calories and so little nutrition it's best to have them on occasion, or limit the quantity, or be very careful to balance your diet around them if you are going to eat them more often. It would be very easy for things to go off-balance if you're not careful.

I guess you could call them bad if that helps, but giving food a positive/negative label may fuel some unhealthy behaviors like under-eating, deprivation, guilt, binging, or just being plain miserable measuring your worth and willpower by how well you are able to stick to the "good" ones and how well you avoid the "bad" ones. Not the kind of rollercoaster you'd want to hop on.

Edit to note: another misconception about "bad carbs" is that they are high in calories because they are carbs. This is not the case! Such carbs are usually high in calories because they have quite a bit of fat. So it's not the carbs per-se that make them high calorie, but their fat content and the fact that they don't have a lot of water, which concentrates the calories.

amandarunning

When I read threads like this I return to my favourite recent thread where the OP asked a question and responded positively to the advice given...

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10072447/not-losing-please-advise/p2

How come it's so rare?!

Aviva92

wandering451 wrote: »

Whats are the bad cabs that we should not eat? Someone help please to simplify this.

I don't know about bad carbs, but if I eat pasta I tend to overeat, but if I limit too many carbs, I tend to undereat.

cwolfman13

Just eat a varied and balanced diet that is rich in whole food nutrition...get plenty of lean protein, healthy fats, veggies, and some fruit...throw in some whole grains and have a cookie once in awhile and life will be grand.

ana3067

prettykitty1515 wrote: »

elphie754 wrote: »

prettykitty1515 wrote: »

Twinkies are bad carbs, based on the recommendations of 99 out of 100 diets. And guess which is the one lone diet that tells you that when it comes to carbs, they are all the same, whether they are from Twinkies or veggies?

Your obsession with twinkies is showing again.

OK, how about Devil Dogs?

My theory was validated. MFP is the one pro-Twinkie (or pro-Devil Dog) diet.

No, we are the pro-eat-food-you-love diet people.

elphie754

ana3067 wrote: »

prettykitty1515 wrote: »

elphie754 wrote: »

prettykitty1515 wrote: »

Twinkies are bad carbs, based on the recommendations of 99 out of 100 diets. And guess which is the one lone diet that tells you that when it comes to carbs, they are all the same, whether they are from Twinkies or veggies?

Your obsession with twinkies is showing again.

OK, how about Devil Dogs?

My theory was validated. MFP is the one pro-Twinkie (or pro-Devil Dog) diet.

No, we are the pro-eat-food-you-love diet people.

This!

And why are avivas posts behind a locked gate?

Aviva92

elphie754 wrote: »

ana3067 wrote: »

prettykitty1515 wrote: »

elphie754 wrote: »

prettykitty1515 wrote: »

Twinkies are bad carbs, based on the recommendations of 99 out of 100 diets. And guess which is the one lone diet that tells you that when it comes to carbs, they are all the same, whether they are from Twinkies or veggies?

Your obsession with twinkies is showing again.

OK, how about Devil Dogs?

My theory was validated. MFP is the one pro-Twinkie (or pro-Devil Dog) diet.

No, we are the pro-eat-food-you-love diet people.

This!

And why are avivas posts behind a locked gate?

i'm in jail!

fallingtrees

mamapeach910 wrote: »

There are no bad carbs, unless you're talking about those awful biscuits that could have doubled as hockey pucks my grandmother made that one Easter. Oh! And waxy chocolate. It's just not worth the calories.

LOL. So true.

I think of good carbs as having some nutritional value other than just calories. Beans, for instance, are loaded with protein and soluble fiber, so I like those carbs. Bananas, oranges, and potatoes have potassium. And so on.

And if I'm going to indulge in carbs just for the sake of indulgence, it had better be a darn good indulgence. Tillamook Ice Cream comes to mind...

beastmode_kitty

Calories in/Calories out. You can still enjoy carbs, just in moderation!