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Good carbs/bad carbs?
Mellzxo
Posts: 17 Member
Is whole wheat pasta or whole wheat things in general a good or bad carb? What are some other things that are considered a good carb? Tia.
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Replies
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There are no such things as "good" and "bad" carbs. They're just carbs. They're all broken down into simple sugars during the digestive process.
Nutritional value varies between different carb-containing foods, and it's a good idea to eat a reasonably balanced, nutritious diet within your calorie goal, taking context and dosage into consideration.14 -
Carbohydrates are just carbohydrates. Foods with carbohydrates will vary in calories and nutritional content, just as foods with fat and protein do. Choose a variety of foods you like that and meet your nutritional goals overall. I've found this to be much more useful than an artificial distinction between "good" and "bad" carbohydrates. In some contexts, whole wheat products are a great choices. In others, they're not so great. It's all about your needs and what you're eating throughout the day.7
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Carbs I like = good
Carbs I don't like = bad
Whatever carbs fit your personal tastes within a balanced diet that fulfills your nutritional needs are fine. There is no such thing as 'good' and 'bad' food.10 -
Good vs bad depends on what health issues/parameters you're working within.
For example... in regards to weight loss, none are inherently good nor bad. In regards to epilepsy, complex carbs like whole grains can be better than refined carbs or simple sugars.4 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Carbohydrates are just carbohydrates. Foods with carbohydrates will vary in calories and nutritional content, just as foods with fat and protein do. Choose a variety of foods you like that and meet your nutritional goals overall. I've found this to be much more useful than an artificial distinction between "good" and "bad" carbohydrates. In some contexts, whole wheat products are a great choices. In others, they're not so great. It's all about your needs and what you're eating throughout the day.
The whole wheat pasta I wanna eat is low in saturated fat but high in fibre. I’ve already had bread today though but I’ve mixed it with things like eggs, cheese and beets (not all in the same sandwich.) beets was a side dish. Per say. Just trying to eat more balanced foods. Really. But thank you
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I’m also only going to have a cup of pasta for supper so I don’t think it will be that bad?0
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Good vs bad depends on what health issues/parameters you're working within.
For example... in regards to weight loss, none are inherently good nor bad. In regards to epilepsy, complex carbs like whole grains can be better than refined carbs or simple sugars.
I’m trying to lose weight but that’s not a main goal at the moment. I don’t want to be obsessing over so I’m just trying to eat better balanced meals. If I lose weight along the way while exercising then bonus I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. I have a month before I see my dietitian again.
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I’m also only going to have a cup of pasta for supper so I don’t think it will be that bad?
The only bad thing there is using a measuring cup instead of a scale. Hard to get a close calorie count (not that it can't be done).
As far as nutrition balance..think of protein and fats as minimums and let the carbs fall where they may. Tweak if you need to add more of one or more macros for satiety and energy.9 -
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Good vs bad depends on what health issues/parameters you're working within.
For example... in regards to weight loss, none are inherently good nor bad. In regards to epilepsy, complex carbs like whole grains can be better than refined carbs or simple sugars.
I’m trying to lose weight but that’s not a main goal at the moment. I don’t want to be obsessing over so I’m just trying to eat better balanced meals. If I lose weight along the way while exercising then bonus I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. I have a month before I see my dietitian again.
With that being said, there isn't a dramatic difference between whole wheat bread, pasta, whatever and "regular." I wouldn't say one was better than the other, or label one as good and another as bad.9 -
I’m also only going to have a cup of pasta for supper so I don’t think it will be that bad?
Bad for what? Unless you have a health condition that would be negatively effected by pasta, there's not a single thing wrong with it. If you're trying to lose weight, watch your calories. If you want pasta, eat it. Just don't eat over your calorie goal.10 -
Good vs bad depends on what health issues/parameters you're working within.
For example... in regards to weight loss, none are inherently good nor bad. In regards to epilepsy, complex carbs like whole grains can be better than refined carbs or simple sugars.
I’m trying to lose weight but that’s not a main goal at the moment. I don’t want to be obsessing over so I’m just trying to eat better balanced meals. If I lose weight along the way while exercising then bonus I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. I have a month before I see my dietitian again.
If your dietitian is the source of your idea that there are good carbs and bad carbs, he or she would be the person to ask for a definition, examples, and preferably a rationale, so that you can apply the reasoning to foods that aren't in the list of examples he or she provides.3 -
If you have no health issues that would affect your choices, a general rule of thumb is:
Good carbs: carbs that taste good
Bad carbs: carbs that taste bad
It's much better to look at your diet as a whole instead of focusing on certain components. Do you usually get enough fiber? Great, then you could choose more refined versions of carbs to be part of your diet if that's what you like. Do you find it hard to hit your fiber goal? Eating whole and high fiber bread and pasta would help with that, alternatively, you could increase your fiber from other sources and still have the white stuff. Do you like white and whole wheat pasta just the same? Great, then you might as well go for the whole wheat stuff if it's all the same to you. Do you find one version of something more filling than another? Then you know to choose it over any other option when you're hungry.
Really, it's just a balancing act and a jigsaw puzzle. No piece is good or bad, but some pieces are just a bad fit for particular days or situations.8 -
I had a bad carb once. Cost me $200 and a lecture from the mechanic about proper vehicle care.
Note: My mechanic is my dad.14 -
Thanks guys. And no she never put the idea in my head. But she said I was carb heavy. I never eat over my calorie limit so I should be okay. I am for 1200-1300 cals at most for the whole day0
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Thanks guys. And no she never put the idea in my head. But she said I was carb heavy. I never eat over my calorie limit so I should be okay. I am for 1200-1300 cals at most for the whole day
If you are truly carbohydrate-heavy, it means you're eating too little fat or protein. Instead of artificially limiting carbohydrates, it might be helpful to focus on getting more of whatever you need more of -- whether that is fat, protein, or some of both.12 -
Thanks guys. And no she never put the idea in my head. But she said I was carb heavy. I never eat over my calorie limit so I should be okay. I am for 1200-1300 cals at most for the whole day
1. Macro split is a personal thing. Some people are more satiated by carbs, so they eat more carbs. Some people are more satiated by fat. Eat in a way that keeps you satisfied.
2. Is 1300 calories enough? I'd be chewing my desk if that's all I could eat.2 -
A helpful guide to setting up your macronutrient (carbs, fats, protein) goals: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p13
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In the days of my youth
I was thin lean, strong and what it was to be a man
Now I've reached the age
I've gained, can barely do all those things the best I can
No matter how I try
I find I eat my way through the bread and jam
Good carbs, bad carbs
You know I had my share...5 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Thanks guys. And no she never put the idea in my head. But she said I was carb heavy. I never eat over my calorie limit so I should be okay. I am for 1200-1300 cals at most for the whole day
If you are truly carbohydrate-heavy, it means you're eating too little fat or protein. Instead of artificially limiting carbohydrates, it might be helpful to focus on getting more of whatever you need more of -- whether that is fat, protein, or some of both.
Exactly. Just balance your food overall around your nutrition needs.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »
I think it was in response to this comment earlier in the thread: "If your dietitian is the source of your idea that there are good carbs and bad carbs, he or she would be the person to ask . . . "0 -
Is whole wheat pasta or whole wheat things in general a good or bad carb? What are some other things that are considered a good carb? Tia.
I would agree that carbs are carbs... Ultimately it's about what comes with the carbs. White starches tend to have less nutrition than others, so brown rice vs white rice... they may have the same carbs, but the brown rice comes with other nutrients that aren't in the white rice, so it can be said it's healthier. It's not the carb, it's the whole product.12 -
I disagree with all of these answers but if you spend a minute talking to a nutritionist or registered dietician - you can have that explained to you pretty simply.17
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If you are looking for low carb friendlies then you should check out the Low Carb forum in here. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum
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I disagree with all of these answers but if you spend a minute talking to a nutritionist or registered dietician - you can have that explained to you pretty simply.
You disagree with the advice that one should balance one's overall diet to meet their nutritional needs? I mean, that seems pretty reasonable to me.11 -
bigbandjohn wrote: »Is whole wheat pasta or whole wheat things in general a good or bad carb? What are some other things that are considered a good carb? Tia.
I would agree that carbs are carbs... Ultimately it's about what comes with the carbs. White starches tend to have less nutrition than others, so brown rice vs white rice... they may have the same carbs, but the brown rice comes with other nutrients that aren't in the white rice, so it can be said it's healthier. It's not the carb, it's the whole product.
White rice may have *less* of some nutrients than brown rice (mainly in the B-vitamins), but I'm not aware of anything that has been totally stripped. What nutrients are you thinking of?5 -
bigbandjohn wrote: »Is whole wheat pasta or whole wheat things in general a good or bad carb? What are some other things that are considered a good carb? Tia.
I would agree that carbs are carbs... Ultimately it's about what comes with the carbs. White starches tend to have less nutrition than others, so brown rice vs white rice... they may have the same carbs, but the brown rice comes with other nutrients that aren't in the white rice, so it can be said it's healthier. It's not the carb, it's the whole product.
Another popular misconception, which is easily debunked: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/brown-rice-vs-white-rice/8 -
Why are complex carbs better than simple carbs?
The More Complex, the Better. Complex carbs pack in more nutrients than simple carbs, because they are higher in fiber and digest more slowly. ... Fiber and starch are the two types of complex carbohydrates. Fiber is especially important because it promotes bowel regularity and helps to control cholesterol
so I guess if you want empty calories eats tons of simple carbs.19 -
janejellyroll wrote: »I disagree with all of these answers but if you spend a minute talking to a nutritionist or registered dietician - you can have that explained to you pretty simply.
You disagree with the advice that one should balance one's overall diet to meet their nutritional needs? I mean, that seems pretty reasonable to me.
I disagree with the blind CICO regardless of what nutrition is in those calories...yes.
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