Good Carbs / Bad carbs

DEADSHARK77

Here's a question: What is the difference between good carbs and bad carbs? The other day I filled out my diary - I had steamed broccoli / steamed spinach and steamed peppers as my vegetable - and those alone REALLY upped my carb intake significantly, but surely those carbs can't be as a bad as carbs from grains...can they?
dan macdonald.

marcociotoli1

Great question Deadshark!

Carbs aren't really good or bad. It's just that you need a certain amount depending on your goals. People trying to gain weight (hopefully muscle) need more carbs whereas people trying to lose weight (hopefully fat) need much less.

Most people would call bread a "bad carb". They call it this because it has a lot of calories but provides your body with a lot less fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. However, most people trying to gain a significant amount of muscle mass really struggle with eating enough calories. In this case, a piece of bread or a bowl of cereal is an easy and quick way to increase your calories.

That being said, the broccoli and spinach you ate gave your body a ton of nutrients and fiber without costing you a lot of carbs.

The overwhelming majority of clients I train want FAT LOSS. So for them, they need to eat foods that provide them with as much nutrition as possible for as little calories as possible.

Vegetables reign supreme when it comes to nutrition vs. calories.

Long story short. If you're trying to lose fat, get the majority of your carbohydrates from vegetables, legumes (beans), and a little bit of fruit.

If you're trying to pack on muscle, go ahead and incorporate more whole grains into your diet.